Essential Windows 11 Shortcuts
General Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Ctrl + A | Select all items |
Ctrl + C | Copy selected items |
Ctrl + X | Cut selected items |
Ctrl + V | Paste copied items |
Ctrl + Z | Undo an action |
Ctrl + Y | Redo an action |
Ctrl + Shift + N | Create a new folder |
Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
Alt + Tab | Switch between open apps |
Alt + F4 | Close the active window |
Windows Key Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + D | Display and hide the desktop |
Win + L | Lock your PC |
Win + M | Minimize all windows |
Win + Shift + M | Restore minimized windows on the desktop |
Win + E | Open File Explorer |
Win + R | Open the Run dialog box |
Win + I | Open Settings |
Win + S | Open Search |
Win + X | Open the Quick Link menu |
Win + P | Project a screen |
Win + A | Open Action Center |
Win + K | Open the Connect quick action |
Win + H | Open the Share charm |
Win + Ctrl + D | Add a virtual desktop |
Win + Ctrl + Left Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the left |
Win + Ctrl + Right Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the right |
Win + Ctrl + F4 | Close the active virtual desktop |
Win + G | Open Game Bar |
Win + Alt + R | Start/stop recording using Game Bar |
Win + PrtScn | Capture a screenshot and save it to the Pictures folder |
Win + Shift + S | Capture part of the screen with Snipping Tool |
File Explorer Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Ctrl + N | Open a new window |
Ctrl + W | Close the current window |
Ctrl + Shift + E | Display all folders above the selected folder |
Alt + D | Select the address bar |
Alt + P | Show/hide the preview pane in File Explorer |
Alt + Enter | Open Properties for the selected item |
Alt + Left Arrow or Backspace | View the previous folder |
Alt + Right Arrow | View the next folder |
Alt + Up Arrow | Move up one level in the folder path |
Ctrl + Shift + Number (1-8) | Change folder view |
End | Scroll to the bottom of the window |
F11 | Maximize or minimize the active window |
Taskbar Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + T | Cycle through apps on the taskbar |
Win + B | Focus on the first item in the notification area |
Win + Number (1-9) | Open the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number |
Shift + Click a taskbar button | Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app |
Ctrl + Shift + Click a taskbar button | Open an app as an administrator |
Settings and Utilities Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + Pause/Break | Display the System Properties dialog box |
Win + U | Open Ease of Access Center |
Win + Ctrl + Enter | Turn Narrator on or off |
Win + Plus (+) | Open Magnifier and zoom in |
Win + Minus (-) | Zoom out in Magnifier |
Windows Management Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + Up Arrow | Maximize the window |
Win + Down Arrow | Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window |
Win + Left Arrow | Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen |
Win + Right Arrow | Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen |
Win + Home | Minimize all but the active desktop window |
Win + Z | Open Snap Layouts |
Win + Arrow Keys | Snap windows in various layouts |
Win + Spacebar | Switch input language and keyboard layout |
Win + , (Comma) | Peek at the desktop |
Win + . (Period) or Win + ; (Semicolon) | Open Emoji panel |
Win + Shift + . (Period) | Move the selected window to the right monitor |
Win + Shift + , (Comma) | Move the selected window to the left monitor |
Win + Shift + Left Arrow or Right Arrow | Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another |
Win + Shift + Up Arrow | Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen |
Win + Shift + Down Arrow | Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width |
Win + Spacebar | Switch input language and keyboard layout |
Win + Ctrl + C | Turn color filters on or off (enable in Color Filter settings) |
Clipboard Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + V | Open Clipboard history (must be enabled) |
Ctrl + C twice | Open Clipboard history |
Game Bar Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + G | Open Game Bar |
Win + Alt + G | Record the last 30 seconds |
Win + Alt + R | Start/stop recording |
Win + Alt + Print Screen | Take a screenshot of your game |
Win + Alt + B | Turn HDR on or off |
Narrator Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + Ctrl + Enter | Turn Narrator on or off |
Win + Ctrl + N | Open Narrator settings |
Miscellaneous Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Win + , (comma) | Peek at the desktop |
Win + Pause | Display the System Properties dialog box |
Win + PrtScn | Capture a screenshot and save it to the Screenshots folder |
Win + T | Cycle through apps on the taskbar |
Win + B | Focus on the first icon in the notification area |
Shift + Click on a taskbar button | Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app |
Ctrl + Shift + Click on a taskbar button | Open an app as an administrator |
Shift + Right-click on a taskbar button | Show the window menu for the app |
Shift + Right-click on a grouped taskbar button | Show the window menu for the group |
Win + Alt + D | Show or hide the date and time on the desktop |
Win + Alt + P | Show or hide the preview pane in File Explorer |
Win + / | Begin IME reconversion |
Win + Ctrl + Shift + B | Wake up your PC from a black or blank screen |
Win + G | Open Game Bar |
Win + Tab | Open Task View |
Win + Esc | Exit Magnifier |
Win + Ctrl + Left Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the left |
Win + Ctrl + Right Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the right |
Win + Ctrl + F4 | Close the current virtual desktop |
Win + C | Open Copilot in listening mode |
Win + U | Open Ease of Access Center |
Win + Ctrl + Shift + B | Wake up your PC from a black or blank screen |
Browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari, & Firefox)
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopen the last closed tab |
Ctrl + Tab | Switch to the next tab |
Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Switch to the previous tab |
Ctrl + 1 to 8 | Switch to the specified tab |
Ctrl + 9 | Switch to the last tab |
Ctrl + T | Open a new tab |
Ctrl + N | Open a new window |
Ctrl + Shift + N | Open a new window in Incognito mode |
Ctrl + Shift + W | Close the current window |
Ctrl + W | Close the current tab |
Ctrl + L | Focus the address bar |
Ctrl + D | Bookmark the current page |
Ctrl + Shift + Delete | Open the Clear browsing data options |
Ctrl + J | Open the Downloads page |
Ctrl + H | Open the History page |
Ctrl + Shift + B | Show or hide the bookmarks bar |
Ctrl + U | View the source code of the current page |
Ctrl + F | Open the Find bar |
F5 | Refresh the current page |
Ctrl + R | Refresh the current page |
Ctrl + Shift + R | Hard refresh the current page |
Additional Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Alt + Esc | Cycle through open windows in the order they were opened |
Alt + F8 | Reveal the password on the sign-in screen |
Alt + Left Arrow | Go back to the previous folder |
Alt + Right Arrow | Go forward to the next folder |
Alt + Page Down | Move down one screen |
Alt + Page Up | Move up one screen |
Alt + Spacebar | Open the shortcut menu for the active window |
Ctrl + Alt + Tab | View open apps without holding down Alt |
Ctrl + Shift + Click Taskbar Button | Open an app as an administrator from the taskbar |
Ctrl + Click Taskbar Grouped Button | Cycle through the windows of the group |
Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste without formatting |
Shift + Ctrl + Arrow Key | Select a block of text |
Shift + Alt + Arrow Key | Move the cursor with selection |
Command Prompt Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Ctrl + Down Arrow | Move the screen down one line |
Ctrl + Up Arrow | Move the screen up one line |
Ctrl + M | Enter mark mode |
Ctrl + End | Scroll to the command prompt |
Ctrl + Home | Scroll to the top of the buffer |
Text Editing Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Ctrl + = | Make selected text subscript |
Ctrl + Shift + = | Make selected text superscript |
Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow | Select text to the end of the paragraph |
Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow | Select text to the beginning of the paragraph |
Ctrl + Shift + Left Arrow | Select text to the left |
Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow | Select text to the right |
Dialog Box Shortcuts
Shortcut Key | Description |
---|
Alt + Underlined Letter | Perform the command for that letter |
Arrow Keys | Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons |
Backspace | Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box |
Ctrl + 1, 2, 3, … | Move to the nth tab |
Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Move back through tabs |
Ctrl + Tab | Move forward through tabs |
F4 | Display the items in the active list |
Spacebar | Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box |
Tab | Move forward through options |
Shift + Tab | Move back through options |
If you find any new shortcuts, please comment below. We will update the list above if the shortcut is confirmed to be working in Windows 11.