WINDOWS_SHORTCUTS_HOTKEYS

Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts and Hotkeys

VIRTUAL KEYS

Keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Windows 11 Practical Complete List Overview

Use keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11 to use Windows settings or perform actions without a mouse or touchpad. Perfect to assign macros to content controllers (Stream Deck, Loupedeck, Razer Stream Controller, DisplayPad).

Windows keyboard shortcuts, also known as shortcuts, have been around since Windows 95, and each new version of Windows has added helpful shortcuts that can perform new actions without the need for a mouse or touchpad.





SHORTCUT
CTRL
X
 Cut the selected item
CTRL
C
 Copy the selected item
CTRL
V
 Paste the selected item
CTRL
Z
 Undo an action
ALT
↹ TAB
 Switch between open apps
ALT
F4
 Close the active item, or exit the active app
L
 Lock your PC
D
 Display and hide the desktop
F2
 Rename the selected item
F3
 Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
F4
 Display the address bar list in File 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 app
ALT
A
 Set focus to the first icon in the Suggested actions menu
ALT
F8
 Show your password on the sign-in screen
ALT
ESC
 Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
ALT
 Perform the command for that letter
ALT
⏎ ENTER
 Display properties for the selected item
ALT
SPACE
 Open the shortcut menu for the active window
ALT
 Go back
ALT
 Go forward
ALT
PAGE UP
 Move up one screen
ALT
PAGE DOWN
 Move down one screen
CTRL
F4
 Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time)
CTRL
A
 Select all items in a document or window
CTRL
D
 Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
CTRL
E
 Open Search (in most apps)
CTRL
R
 Refresh the active window
CTRL
Y
 Redo an action
CTRL
 Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
CTRL
 Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
CTRL
 Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
CTRL
 Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
CTRL
ALT
↹ TAB
 Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps
ALT
⇧ SHIFT
 When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
 When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder
CTRL
 Resize the Start menu when it's open
CTRL
SPACE
 Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
 Select a block of text
CTRL
ESC
 Open Start
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
ESC
 Open Task Manager
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
 Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available
CTRL
SPACE
 Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off
⇧ SHIFT
F10
 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
⇧ SHIFT
 Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document
⇧ SHIFT
DELETE
 Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu
ESC
 Stop or leave the current task
PRINT
 Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard 
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
B
 Reset Graphics Driver
Open or close Start
A
 Open Quick Settings Updated in Windows 11
B
 Set focus to the first icon in the Taskbar corner
C
 Open Chat from Microsoft Teams Updated in Windows 11
⇧ SHIFT
C
 Open the charms menu
CTRL
C
 Turn on color filters (enable this shortcut first in Color Filter settings)
D
 Display and hide the desktop
E
 Open File Explorer
F
 Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot
G
 Open Xbox Game Bar when a game is open
ALT
B
 Turn HDR on or off
H
 Launch voice typing Updated in Windows 11
I
 Open Settings
J
 Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available
K
 Open Cast from Quick Settings Updated in Windows 11
ALT
K
 Toggle microphone mute in apps that support Call Mute Available starting in Windows 11, version 22H2
L
 Lock your PC or switch accounts
M
 Minimize all windows
⇧ SHIFT
M
 Restore minimized windows on the desktop
N
 Open notification center and calendar Updated in Windows 11
O
 Lock device orientation
P
 Choose a presentation display mode
CTRL
Q
 Open Quick Assist
R
 Open the Run dialog box
ALT
R
 Record video of game window in focus (using Xbox Game Bar)
S
 Open search
⇧ SHIFT
S
 Take a screenshot of part of your screen
T
 Cycle through apps on the taskbar
U
 Open Accessibility Settings
V
 Open the clipboard history 
⇧ SHIFT
V
 Set focus to a notification
W
 Open Widgets Updated in Windows 11
X
 Open the Quick Link menu
Y
 Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop
Z
 Open the snap layouts Updated in Windows 11
. POINT
 Open emoji panel
, COMMA
 Temporarily peek at the desktop
PAUSE
 Opens Start  > Settings  > System  > About 
CTRL
F
 Search for PCs (if you're on a network)
1…9
 Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number If the app is already running, switch to that app
⇧ SHIFT
1…9
 Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
CTRL
1…9
 Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
ALT
1…9
 Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
1…9
 Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator
↹ TAB
 Open Task view
Maximize the window
ALT
 Snap window in focus to top half of screen New with Windows 11
Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window
ALT
 Snap window in focus to bottom half of screen New with Windows 11
Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen
Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen
POS 1
 Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)
⇧ SHIFT
 Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen
⇧ SHIFT
 Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width
⇧ SHIFT
 Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another
⇧ SHIFT
 Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another
⇧ SHIFT
SPACE
 Cycle backwards through language and keyboard layout
SPACE
 Switch input language and keyboard layout
CTRL
SPACE
 Change to a previously selected input
CTRL
⏎ ENTER
 Turn on Narrator
Open Magnifier and zoom in
Zoom out in Magnifier
ESC
 Close Magnifier
7
 Begin IME reconversion
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
B
 Wake PC from blank or black screen
PRINT
 Save full screen screenshot to file
ALT
PRINT
 Save screenshot of game window in focus to file (using Xbox Game Bar)
ALT
⏎ ENTER
 Open taskbar settings
CTRL
C
 Copy the selected text
CTRL
V
 Paste the selected text
CTRL
M
 Enter Mark mode
ALT
⇧ SHIFT
 Begin selection in block mode
PAGE UP
 Move the cursor by one page up
PAGE DOWN
 Move the cursor by one page down
CTRL
POS 1
 Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer
CTRL
END
 Move the cursor to the end of the buffer
CTRL
 Move up one line in the output history
CTRL
 Move down one line in the output history
CTRL
POS 1
 If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line
CTRL
END
 If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line
F4
 Display the items in the active list
CTRL
↹ TAB
 Move forward through tabs
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
↹ TAB
 Move back through tabs
CTRL
1…9
 Move to that tab number
↹ TAB
 Move forward through options
⇧ SHIFT
↹ TAB
 Move back through options
ALT
 Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter
SPACE
 Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
BACKSPACE
 Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
ALT
D
 Select the address bar
CTRL
E
 Select the search box
CTRL
F
 Select the search box
CTRL
N
 Open a new window
CTRL
T
 Open a new tab and switch to it 
CTRL
W
 Closes the active tab Closes the window if there's only one tab open
CTRL
↹ TAB
 Move to the next tab
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
↹ TAB
 Move to the previous tab 
CTRL
1…9
 Move to that tab number 
CTRL
MOUSE WHEEL
 Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
E
 Display all folders above the selected folder
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
N
 Create a new folder
NUM LOCK
 Display all subfolders under the selected folder
NUM LOCK
 Display the contents of the selected folder
NUM LOCK
 Collapse the selected folder
ALT
P
 Display the preview panel
ALT
⏎ ENTER
 Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item
ALT
 View the next folder
ALT
 View the folder that the folder was in
ALT
 View the previous folder
BACKSPACE
 View the previous folder
Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder
Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in
END
 Display the bottom of the active window
POS 1
 Display the top of the active window
F11
 Maximize or minimize the active window
↹ TAB
 Open Task view
CTRL
D
 Add a virtual desktop
CTRL
 Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right
CTRL
 Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left
CTRL
F4
 Close the virtual desktop you're using
⇧ SHIFT
LEFT
 Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app
CTRL
⇧ SHIFT
LEFT
 Open an app as an administrator
⇧ SHIFT
RIGHT
 Show the window menu for the app
⇧ SHIFT
RIGHT
 Show the window menu for the group
CTRL
LEFT
 Cycle through the windows of the group