Complete List of Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts and Run Commands

Complete List of Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts and Run Commands

Function	Command
Power menu	Press Windows key + X or right-click Start
Windows + Tab	Launch Windows 10 Task View
Windows + Q	Search the web and Windows with Cortana (speech)
Windows + S	Search the web and Windows with Cortana (keyboard input)
Windows + I	Open Windows 10 settings
Windows + A	Open Windows 10 notifications
Windows + L	Lock your Windows 10 device
Windows + Ctrl + D	Create new virtual desktop
Windows + Ctrl + F4	Close current virtual desktop
Windows + Ctrl + [Left][Right]	Switch between virtual desktops
Windows + [Left][Right][Up][Down]	Position windows on your screenE.g. Windows + [Left] moves the current window to the left half of your screen. If you use Windows + [Up] afterward, the current window will be placed in the upper left quarter of your screen.And, what’s very handy in my opinion: If you release the Windows key after positioning a window, Task View shows up on the opposite side of the positioned window to select and position another app.
Windows + H	Share content (if supported by current app)
Windows + K	Connect to wireless displays and audio devices
Windows + X	Open Start button context menu
Windows key + G	Starts App recording

Windows + D	Show Windows desktop
Windows + E	Open File Explorer
Windows + Space	Switch keyboard input language (if you have added at least a second one)
Windows + Shift + [Left][Right]	Move current Window from one monitor to another (when using a multiple monitor setup)
Windows + [1][2][3][…]	Open programs that are pinned to task barE.g. if first pinned program on your taskbar is Windows Explorer (from left to right); the shortcut Windows + 1 opens Windows Explorer for you
Windows + R	Run a command
Windows + P	Project a screen
Alt + Tab	Switch to previous window
Alt + Space	Restore, move, size, minimize, maximize or close current window. Also works like a charm for Windows 10 modern apps.
Alt + F4	a) Close current window.  b) If you’re on your Windows 10 desktop, open Power dialogue to shut down or restart Windows, put your device in sleep mode, or sign out or switch the current user.
CTRL + SHIFT + ESC	Open Task Manager
Alt + underlined menu	Open menu or program. Example, to open the Edit menu in WordPad, press Alt then press E on your keyboard. Repeat the same step for the menu you want to open.

General Windows keyboard shortcuts

Function	Command
Access help system in an application	F1
Activate menu bar	F10
Close a program	Alt + F4
Close current window in Multiple Document interface based programs	CTRL + F4
Access right-click menu in the application	Shift + F10
Launch Start menu	Ctrl + ESC or Windows key
Cut	CTRL + X
Copy	CTRL + C
Paste	CTRL + V
Delete	DEL
Undo	CTRL + Z
System Properties	Windows key + Pause/Break
Bypass auto-play when an external storage device is connected	Hold down SHIFT key while inserting a storage device

Desktop, My Computer, and File Explorer

For selected items, you can use the following shortcuts:

Function	Command
Search	CTRL + F or F3
Rename an item	F2
Delete a folder or files permanently	SHIFT + DEL
Access properties of a file or folder	ALT + ENTER or ALT + double-click
Copy a file	CTRL key while dragging file
Create a shortcut	CTRL + SHIFT while dragging file
Select All	CTRL + A
Refresh contents of a window	F5
View the folder one level up	Backspace key
Close the selected folder and its parent folders	SHIFT key while clicking the close button
Switch between left and right panes	F6

File Explorer commands

Function	Command
Switch between left and right panes	F6
Expand all subfolders under the selected folder	NUMLOCK + ASTERISK when using a numeric keyboard
Expand the selected folder	NUMLOCK + PLUS sign when using a numeric keyboard
Collapse the selected folder	NUMLOCK + MINUS sign when using a numeric keyboard
Expand current selection if it’s collapsed, otherwise select first subfolder	Right arrow
Collapse current selection if it’s expanded, otherwise, select parent folder	Left arrow

Properties dialog commands

Function	Command
Move forward through options	Tab key
Move backward through options	SHIFT + Tab
Move forward through tabs	CTRL + Tab
Move backward through tabs	CTRL + SHIFT + TAB

Open and Save dialog commands

Function	Command
Open the Save In and address bar	CTRL + O and F4
Refresh	F5
Open the folder one level up, if a folder is selected	BACKSPACE

Windows 10 Command Prompt keyboard commands

Text Selection

Function	Command
SHIFT + LEFT ARROW	Moves the cursor to the left one character, extending the selection
SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW	Moves the cursor to the right one character, extending the selection
SHIFT + UP ARROW	Selects text up line by line starting from the location of the insertion point
SHIFT + DOWN ARROW	Extends text selection down one line, starting at the location of the insertion point
SHIFT + END	If cursor is in current line being edited* First time extends selection to the last character in the input line.* Second consecutive press extends selection to the right margin; or else Selects text from the insertion point to the right margin.
SHIFT + HOME	If cursor is in current line being edited* First time extends selection to the character immediately after the command prompt.* Second consecutive press extends selection to the left margin; or else Extends selection to the left margin.
SHIFT + PAGE DOWN	Extends selection down one screen
SHIFT + PAGE UP	Extends selection up one screen
CTRL + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW	Extends the selection one word to the right
CTRL + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW	Extends the selection one word to the left
CTRL + SHIFT + HOME	Extend selection to the beginning of the screen buffer
CTRL + SHIFT + END	Extend selection to the end of the screen buffer
CTRL + A	If cursor is in current line being edited (from first typed char to last type char) and line is not empty, and any selection cursor is also within the line being edited Selects all text after the prompt (phase 1); or else Selects the entire buffer (phase 2)

Edit commands

Function	Command
Windows Key + V	Open clipboard history menu
CTRL + V	Paste text into the command line
SHIFT + INS	Paste text into the command line
CTRL + C	Copy selected text to the clipboard
CTRL + INS	Copy selected text to the clipboard

Function	Command
CTRL + M	Enter “Mark Mode” to move cursor within window
ALT	In conjunction with one of the selection key combinations, begins selection in block mode
ARROW KEYS	Move cursor in the direction specified
PAGE KEYS	Move cursor by one page in the direction specified
CTRL + HOME	Move cursor to beginning of buffer
CTRL + END	Move cursor to end of buffer

History navigation keys

Function	Command
CTRL + UP ARROW	Moves up one line in the output history
CTRL + DOWN ARROW	Moves down one line in the output history
CTRL + PAGE UP	Moves up one page in the output history
CTRL + PAGE DOWN	Moves down one page in the output history

Additional commands

Function	Command
CTRL + F	Opens “Find” in console dialog
ALT + F4	Close the console window, of course!