Windows Keyboard Shortcuts List

Learning a few useful Keyboard shortcuts doesn’t seem like a big productivity booster, but you may be surprised how fast you can perform common tasks once you break the “mouse” habit. This is especially useful when working on a rack mounted server that either doesn’t have a functioning mouse, or had an ill conceived trackball. Nothing will elevate your tech status to guru faster than being able to fly through the Windows menus without ever touching your mouse!  ‘

Common Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Keys	Function
Windows	Display or hide the Start menu.
Windows+BREAK	Display the System Properties dialog box.
Windows+D	Minimizes all Windows and shows the Desktop
Windows+E	Open Windows Explorer
Windows+F	Search for a file or folder.
Windows+F+CTRL	Search for computers.
Windows+F1	Display Windows 2000 Help.
Windows+L	Locks the desktop
Windows+M	Minimize or restore all windows.
Windows+R	Open the Run dialog box.
Windows+TAB	Switch between open items.
Windows +U	Open Utility Manager
ALT+- (ALT+hyphen)	Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window’s System menu.
ALT+ENTER	View properties for the selected item.
ALT+ESC	Cycle through items in the order they were opened.
ALT+F4	Close the active item, or quit the active program.
ALT+SPACEBAR	Display the System menu for the active window.
ALT+TAB	Switch between open items.
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name	Display the corresponding menu.
BACKSPACE	View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
CTRL+A	Select all.
CTRL+B	Bold
CTRL+C	Copy.
CTRL+I	Italics
CTRL+O	Open an item.
CTRL+U	Underline
CTRL+V	Paste.
CTRL+X	Cut.
CTRL+Z	Undo.
CTRL+F4	Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.
CTRL while dragging an item	Copy selected item.
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item	Create shortcut to selected item.
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.
CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
CTRL+DOWN ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.
CTRL+UP ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys	Highlight a block of text.
DELETE	Delete.
SHIFT+DELETE	Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.
ESC	Cancel the current task.
F1	Displays Help
F2	Rename selected item.
F3	Search for a file or folder.
F4	Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
F5	Refresh the active window.
F6	Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
F10	Activate the menu bar in the active program.
SHIFT+F10	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
CTRL+ESC	Display the Start menu.
SHIFT+CTRL+ESC	Launches Task Manager
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu	Carry out the corresponding command.
RIGHT ARROW	Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.
LEFT ARROW	Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.
SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive	Prevent the CD from automatically playing.

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut Keys	Function
CTRL+TAB	Move forward through tabs.
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB	Move backward through tabs.
TAB	Move forward through options.
SHIFT+TAB	Move backward through options.
ALT+Underlined letter	Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option.
ENTER	Carry out the command for the active option or button.
SPACEBAR	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.
Arrow keys	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.
F1	Display Help.
F4	Display the items in the active list.
BACKSPACE	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut Keys	Function
CTRL+PLUS on numeric keypad (+)	Automatically resize the columns in the right hand pane
END	Display the bottom of the active window.
HOME	Display the top of the active window.
NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*)	Display all subfolders under the selected folder.
NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+)	Display the contents of the selected folder.
NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-)	Collapse the selected folder.
LEFT ARROW	Collapse current selection if it’s expanded, or select parent folder.
RIGHT ARROW	Display current selection if it’s collapsed, or select first subfolder.

Natural Keyboard shortcuts

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts with a Microsoft Natural Keyboard or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key (Windows) and the Application key ().

Shortcut Keys	Function
Windows	Display or hide the Start menu.
Windows+BREAK	Display the System Properties dialog box.
Windows+D	Minimizes all Windows and shows the Desktop
Windows+M	Minimize or restore all windows.
Windows +E	Open My Computer.
Windows +F	Search for a file or folder.
CTRL+ Windows +F	Search for computers.
Windows +F1	Display Windows 2000 Help.
Windows +L	Locks the desktop
Windows +R	Open the Run dialog box.
Windows +TAB	Switch between open items.
	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
+U	Open Utility Manager

Accessibility Options keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut Keys	Function
Right SHIFT for eight seconds	Switch FilterKeys on and off
Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN	Switch High Contrast on and off
Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK	Switch MouseKeys on and off
SHIFT five times	Switch StickyKeys on and off
NUM LOCK for five seconds	Switch ToggleKeys on and off
+U	Open Utility Manager

Help Viewer keyboard shortcuts

If your mouse is unavailable or if you prefer using your keyboard, you can use the following keyboard commands to navigate within the Help Viewer. To expand the headings below using the keyboard, press F6 to switch from the Help navigation pane to the topic pane. Press TAB to select the desired keyboard shortcut heading, and then press ENTER to expand the listing.

Shortcut Keys	Function
ALT+SPACEBAR	Display the system menu.
SHIFT+F10	Display the Help Viewer shortcut menu.
ALT+TAB	Switch between the Help Viewer and other open windows.
ALT+O	Display the Options menu.
ALT+O, and then press T	Hide or show the navigation pane.
CTRL+TAB	Switch to the next tab in the navigation pane.
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB	Switch to the previous tab in the navigation pane.
UP ARROW	Move up one topic in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
DOWN ARROW	Move down one topic in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
PAGE UP	Move up one page in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
PAGE DOWN	Move down one page in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
F6	Switch focus between the navigation pane and the topic pane.
ALT+O, and then press R	Refresh the topic that appears in the topic pane.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW	Scroll through a topic.
CTRL+HOME	Move to the beginning of a topic.
CTRL+END	Move to the end of a topic.
CTRL+A	Highlight all text in the topic pane.
ALT+O, and then press P	Print a topic.
ALT+O, and then press B	Move back to the previously viewed topic.
ALT+O, and then press F	Move forward to the next (previously viewed) topic.
ALT+F4	Close the Help Viewer.
Shortcut Keys	Function
ALT+C	Display the Contents tab.
RIGHT ARROW	Open a book.
LEFT ARROW	Close a book.
BACKSPACE	Return to the previous open book.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW	Select a topic.
ENTER	Display the selected topic.
Index tab keyboard shortcuts
Shortcut Keys	Function
ALT+N	Display the Index tab.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW	Select a keyword in the list.
ALT+D or ENTER	Display the associated topic.
Search tab keyboard shortcuts
Shortcut Keys	Function
ALT+S	Display the Search tab.
ALT+L	Start a search.
ALT+D or ENTER	Display the selected topic.
Favorites tab keyboard shortcuts
Shortcut Keys	Function
ALT+I	Display the Favorites tab.
ALT+A	Add a topic to the Topics list.
ALT+P	Select a topic in the Topics list.
ALT+R	Remove a topic from the Topics list.
ALT+D	Display a topic from the Topics list.