General Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 10
What Is a Keyboard Shortcut?
Keyboard shortcut is a set of one or more keys that invoke a command in software or an operating system.
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected item |
| Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy the selected item |
| Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) | 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 |
Windows logo key  + L |
Lock your PC |
| Windows logo key + 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 + F8 | Show your password on the sign-in screen |
| Alt + Esc | Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened |
| Alt + underlined letter | Perform the command for that letter |
| Alt + Enter | Display properties for the selected item |
| Alt + Spacebar | Open the shortcut menu for the active window |
| Alt + Left arrow | Go back |
| Alt + Right arrow | 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 (or Delete) | Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin |
| Ctrl + R (or F5) | Refresh the active window |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action |
| Ctrl + Right arrow | Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word |
| Ctrl + Left arrow | Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word |
| Ctrl + Down arrow | Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph |
| Ctrl + Up arrow | 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 + arrow keys | When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified |
| Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys | When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder |
| Ctrl + arrow keys | Resize the Start menu when it’s open |
| Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar | Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop |
| Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key | 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 + Spacebar | Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off |
| Shift + F10 | Display the shortcut menu for the selected item |
| Shift with any arrow key | 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 |
| 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 |
| Esc | Stop or leave the current task |
Also read: Most helpful Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts you should know
