Here is a list of some of the more useful shortcut keys that apply to the Windows desktop:
| Key | Desktop Function |
|---|---|
| Alt-Tab | Move to entry for most recently active application in Task List (very useful for toggling between 2 apps). If you continue to hold down Alt and keep hitting Tab, it cycles forward through the entries. Releasing Alt activates the selected app. |
| Alt-Shift-Tab | Same as Alt-Tab, but cycles backward through the apps. |
| Alt-Esc | Move directly to next active application |
| Alt-Shift-Esc | Move directly to previous active application |
| Ctrl-Esc | Open the Start Menu |
| Ctrl-Shift-Esc | Open the Task Manager |
| Delete | Delete to the Recycle Bin |
| Shift-Delete | Delete, bypassing the Recycle Bin |
| Backspace | Move to parent folder in Explorer |
| Alt-Enter | Open Properties window for current icon |
| PrintScreen | Copy the entire screen image to the Windows clipboard. |
| Alt-PrintScreen | Copy the currently active window to the Windows clipboard. |
| Windows-D | Clear the desktop, minimizing all windows, or restore it, if already cleared. |
| Windows-E | Launch Windows Explorer |
| Windows-F | Launch Windows Search tool |
The following modifier keys apply the following changes to the behavior of various other keys:
| Modifier Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl- | Same thing, but more so (move by one word instead of one char, move to end of document, instead of to next page, etc.) |
| Shift- | Same thing, but reverse (search in the opposite direction, etc.) |
| Shift- | Extend the selection while moving |
Here is a list of some of the more useful shortcut keys that apply across most Windows applications, including the desktop itself:
| Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Arrow | Move the smallest logical unit (one character, line, menu item, icon, etc.) in the specified direction. |
| Ctrl-Arrow | Move a larger logical unit (word, slide, cell, etc.), in the specified direction. |
| Shift-Arrow | Extend selection one smallest logical unit in the specified direction. |
| Ctrl-Shift-Arrow | Extend selection one larger logical unit in the specified direction. |
| RightArrow | Expand branch of a tree view |
| LeftArrow | Collapse branch of a tree view |
| Alt-DownArrow | Drop down a dropdown combobox |
| Tab / Shift-Tab | Move to the next/previous logical entity (table cell, form field, etc.), wrapping around as necessary. |
| Ctrl-Tab / Ctrl-Shift-Tab | Move to the next/previous tab of a tabbed dialog |
| Delete | Delete one char to the left, or selected item/region |
| Ctrl-Delete | Delete one word to the left |
| Shift-Delete | Cut |
| Backspace | Delete one char to the right |
| Ctrl-Backspace | Delete one word to the right |
| Insert | Toggle Insert/Overstrike mode |
| Shift-Insert | Paste |
| Ctrl-PgUp/PgDn | Move between notebook tabs (Excel sheets/charts, FrontPage views, pages of a Properties dialog, etc.) |
| Home/End | Move to beginning/end of line |
| Ctrl-Home/End | Move to beginning/end of file |
| Shift-Home/End | Extend selection to beginning/end of line |
| Ctrl-Shift-Home/End | Extend selection to beginning/end of file |
| Esc | Cancel the current operation (abort a drag operation, close a dialog box, etc.) |
| Space | Click the current command button, option button, checkbox, etc. |
| Alt-Space | Open the system menu of the current application (restore, move, size, minimize, maximize, close, etc., plus copy/paste features in Command Prompt windows) |
| Alt-Minus | Open the system menu of the current window in an MDI application |
| F1 | Help |
| Shift-F1 | Extended Help ("What's This?" help, Language help within a language sensitive editor, etc.) |
| F2 | Rename |
| F3 | Find Next (except in MS Office apps) |
| Ctrl-F4 | Close window |
| Alt-F4 | Close application |
| F5 | Refresh |
| Ctrl-F6/Ctrl-Shift-F6 | Switch to the next/previous window in an MDI app |
| F7 | Spell Checker |
| F10 | Move to menu bar |
| Shift-F10 | Pop up right mouse menu |
| Ctrl-A | Select All |
| Ctrl-B | Bold |
| Ctrl-C | Copy |
| Ctrl-F | Find |
| Ctrl-G | Goto |
| Ctrl-H | Find and Replace |
| Ctrl-K | Create Hyperlink |
| Ctrl-N | New (new Browser window, new Word document, etc.) |
| Ctrl-O | Open File |
| Ctrl-P | |
| Ctrl-R | Refresh |
| Ctrl-S | Save |
| Ctrl-U | Underline |
| Ctrl-V | Paste |
| Ctrl-X | Cut |
| Ctrl-Z | Undo |
| Numeric Keypad * | Expand branch of a tree view completely |
| Numeric Keypad + | Expand branch of a tree view (one level) |
| Numeric Keypad - | Collapse branch of a tree view |