Share via

Now available: Windows Key Shortcuts for Windows 10

  • Article

Before I go on hiatus from the blog (as I spend a lot of my free time on our internal sites in support of customers and partners, as well as occasional musings on Twitter), I'd like to share this handy guide listing the various shortcut keys available via the keyboard in Windows 10. As you'll see, these include the Windows key shortcuts specifically, not all shortcuts involve other key modifiers (Alt and Control).

Available here as a Word document, you can find these any many more Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts online.

Desktop shortcut keys

Shortcut Description
Windows key clip_image001[1] Open and close the Start menu.
clip_image001[2]+1, clip_image001[3]+2, etc. Switch to the desktop and launch the nth application in the taskbar. For example, clip_image001[4]+1 launches whichever application is first in the list, numbered from left to right.
clip_image001[5]+A Open the action center.
clip_image001[6]+B Highlight the notification area.
clip_image001[7]+C Launch Cortana into listening mode.[1] Users can begin to speak to Cortana immediately.
clip_image001[8]+D Switch between Show Desktop (hides/shows any applications and other windows) and the previous state.
clip_image001[9]+E Switch to the desktop and launch File Explorer with the Quick Access tab displayed.
clip_image001[10]+H Open the Share clip_image003[1] charm.
clip_image001[11]+I Open the Settings clip_image005[1] app.
clip_image001[12]+K Open the Connect pane to connect to wireless displays and audio devices.
clip_image001[13]+L Lock the device and go to the Lock screen.
clip_image001[14]+M Switch to the desktop and minimize all open windows.
clip_image001[15]+O Lock device orientation.
clip_image001[16]+P Open the Project pane to search and connect to external displays and projectors.
clip_image001[17]+R Display the Run dialog box.
clip_image001[18]+S Launch Cortana.[2] Users can begin to type a query immediately.
clip_image001[19]+T Cycle through the apps on the taskbar.
clip_image001[20]+U Launch the Ease of Access Center.
clip_image001[21]+V Cycle through notifications.
clip_image001[22]+X Open the advanced menu in the lower-left corner of the screen.
clip_image001[23]+Z Open the app-specific command bar.
clip_image001[24]+ENTER Launch Narrator.
clip_image001[25]+SPACEBAR Switch input language and keyboard layout.
clip_image001[26]+TAB Open Task view.
clip_image001[27]+, Peek at the desktop.
clip_image001[28]+Plus Sign Zoom in.
clip_image001[29]+Minus Sign Zoom out.
clip_image001[30]+ESCAPE Close Magnifier.
clip_image001[31]+LEFT ARROW Dock the active window to the left half of the monitor.
clip_image001[32]+RIGHT ARROW Dock the active window to the right half of the monitor.
clip_image001[33]+UP ARROW Maximize the active window vertically and horizontally.
clip_image001[34]+DOWN ARROW Restore or minimize the active window.
clip_image001[35]+SHIFT+UP ARROW Maximize the active window vertically, maintaining the current width.
clip_image001[36]+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Restore or minimize the active window vertically, maintaining the current width.
clip_image001[37]+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW With multiple monitors, move the active window to the monitor on the left.
clip_image001[38]+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW With multiple monitors, move the active window to the monitor on the right.
clip_image001[39]+HOME Minimize all nonactive windows; restore on second keystroke.
clip_image001[40]+PRNT SCRN Take a picture of the screen and place it in the Computer>Pictures>Screenshots folder.
clip_image001[41]+CTRL+LEFT/RIGHT arrow Switch to the next or previous virtual desktop.
clip_image001[42]+CTRL+D Create a new virtual desktop.
clip_image001[43]+CTRL+F4 Close the current virtual desktop.
clip_image001[44]+? Launch the Windows Feedback App.

[1] If Cortana is unavailable or disabled, this shortcut has no function.

[2] Cortana is only available in certain countries/regions, and some Cortana features might not be available everywhere. If Cortana is unavailable or disabled, this command opens Search.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 26, 2015
    Thanks for the link - great to have a good reference for this stuff !

  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2015
    Very good content