100 Most Useful Keyboard Shortcuts Everyone Should Know

Keyboard shortcuts let you use your computer much faster than clicking with a mouse. With some practice, you can save a lot of time and effort.

Plus, you’ll look like a total pro!

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the most useful keyboard shortcuts that you’ll ever need.

To make your learning even easier, I’ve created a printable PDF cheatsheet with all the shortcuts covered in this guide.

Keep it on your desk or taped up by your monitor for a quick reference anytime.

Let’s get started!

Master The Essentials

These are the shortcuts you’ll use every day, no matter what kind of work you do.

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + C	Copy selected text or file(s)
Ctrl + X	Cut selected text or file(s)
Ctrl + V	Paste copied or cut text / file(s)
Ctrl + Z	Undo the last action (a real lifesaver)
Ctrl + S	Save the current file or document
Alt + F4	Close the active window or app
Win	Open or close the Start menu
Win + D	Show or hide the desktop
Win + L	Lock your PC
Alt + Tab	Switch between open apps

Try these:

• Use Win key to search for anything on your PC
• Win + D to quickly hide/show your work
• Instead of right-clicking and selecting “Copy,” press Ctrl + C to copy text or files
• Tap Ctrl + A to select everything instantly, instead of dragging your mouse

If you like Alt + Tab, you’ll love: Win + Tab for a bird’s-eye view of open apps and virtual desktops.

Fun Fact: Alt+Tab dates back to Windows 2.0 — it’s been around almost as long as Windows itself!

Navigate Like a Pro

These shortcuts help you navigate your computer quickly:

Shortcut	Action
Win + E	Open File Explorer
Win + R	Open the Run dialog box (my personal favorite)
Win + I	Open Windows Settings
Win + A	Open the Action Center
Win + K	Open the Connect panel
Win + X	Open the Quick Link Menu
Win + Left/Right Arrow	Snap active window to the left or right side of the screen
Win + Up/Down Arrow	Maximize, minimize, or restore the active window
Win + Home	Minimize all windows except the active one (great for focusing)
Win + Shift + Left/Right Arrow	Move active window to the next monitor
Win + 1,2,3…	Open or switch to the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Win + S	Open search
Win + M	Minimize all windows
Win + Shift + M	Restore minimized windows
Win + T	Cycle through items pinned to the taskbar
Win + B	Focus on the system tray
Win + Comma (,)	Temporarily peek at the desktop
Ctrl + Shift + Esc	Open Task Manager directly
Win + P	Open the Project menu (for quickly switching display modes)
Win + Pause/Break	Open the System Properties window

Try these:

• Win + Left/Right Arrow to snap windows, then Win + Up/Down Arrow to maximize or restore
• Win + Shift + Left/Right Arrow to move windows between monitors
• Win + R to quickly open the Run dialog box and launch programs.
• Win + X to quickly access advanced tools like Device Manager and Disk Management

Here’s a little trick I use all the time: Win + Left/Right Arrow to multitask side-by-side. Release the win key after snapping the first window to see other windows as thumbnails.

Virtual Desktop Management

If you are like me and always have a million things going on at once, virtual desktops are your best friend.

Here are the shortcuts I use to manage mine:

Shortcut	Action
Win + Ctrl + D	Create a new virtual desktop
Win + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow	Switch between virtual desktops
Win + Ctrl + F4	Close the current virtual desktop

Try this: Press Win + Ctrl + D to create separate virtual desktops . Use Win + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow to switch between them, and close unwanted desktops with Win + Ctrl + F4.

File Management

Manage your files faster with these shortcuts in File Explorer.

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + N	Opens new file explorer window
Ctrl + Shift + N	Create a new folder
F2	Rename the selected file or folder
F3	Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
F4	Display the address bar list in File Explorer
F5	Refresh the window
F6	Cycle through various elements in a window
Alt + P	Display the preview pane in File Explorer
Alt + Left arrow	Go back
Alt + Right arrow	Go forward
Alt + Up arrow	Go up one level in File Explorer
Backspace	Go up one level in File Explorer (same as Alt + Up arrow)
Delete	Move the selected file(s) to the Recycle Bin
Shift + Delete	Permanently delete the selected file(s), bypassing the Recycle Bin
Ctrl + mouse wheel	Change the view in File Explorer
Ctrl + double-click	Open the selected file or folder in a new window

Remember: Shift + Delete permanently deletes files. Use with caution!

Here’s a little trick: To quickly open a Command Prompt window in your current folder, type cmd in the File Explorer address bar and press Enter. And if you want to open the current folder from Command Prompt, just type explorer . and press Enter. It’s a trick that i use all the time when I’m working with the command line.

Screenshots

Need to take a quick screenshot? These shortcuts have you covered.

Shortcut	Action
Win + PrtScn	Take a full-screen screenshot and save it as a PNG
Win + Shift + S	Open Snip & Sketch to take a custom screenshot
Alt + PrtScn	Take a screenshot of the active window and copy it to the clipboard
Win + Alt + R	Toggle screen recording using Game Bar

Try This: Paste your PrtScn screenshots into Paint or an image editor to save them.

Text Editing & Formatting

Speed up your typing or coding with these must-know shortcuts for text editing.

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + A	Select all text
Ctrl + B	Bold the selected text
Ctrl + I	Italicize the selected text
Ctrl + U	Underline the selected text
Ctrl + Shift + <	Decrease font size one point
Ctrl + Shift + >	Increase font size one point
Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow	Move the cursor one word left or right
Ctrl + Backspace	Delete the previous word
Ctrl + Delete	Delete the next word
Ctrl + Home	Move the cursor to the beginning of the document
Ctrl + End	Move the cursor to the end of the document
Shift + Left/Right Arrow	Select text one character at a time
Shift + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow	Select text one word at a time
Shift + Home/End	Select text to the beginning or end of the line
Ctrl + K	Insert a hyperlink
Ctrl + Enter	Insert a page break
Alt + Shift + Up/Down Arrow	Move the selected paragraph up or down
Shift + F3	Change the case of the selected text

Try these:

• Ctrl + F to quickly find a specific text in your file.
• In many apps, Ctrl + Shift + > increases the selected text’s font size, while Ctrl + Shift + < decreases it.
• Shift + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow to select text one word at a time, makes selecting text super fast.

Web Browsing

For someone, who probably spends a huge chunk of your day in a web browser. These shortcuts work in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and pretty much any other browser you can think of.

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + T	Open a new tab
Ctrl + W	Close the current tab
Ctrl + Shift + T	Reopen the last closed tab (for when you accidentally close something important)
Ctrl + Tab	Switch to the next tab
Ctrl + L or Alt + D	Select the address bar
Ctrl + F	Find on page
Ctrl + R or F5	Refresh the current page
Ctrl + N	Open a new window
Ctrl + Shift + N	Open a new window in incognito mode
Ctrl + H	Open browsing history
Ctrl + J	Open downloads
Ctrl + D	Bookmark the current page
Ctrl + Shift + B	Open the bookmarks bar
Alt + Left/Right Arrow	Go back or forward
Spacebar	Scroll down a page
Shift + Spacebar	Scroll up a page
Ctrl + Plus (+)	Zoom in
Ctrl + Minus (-)	Zoom out
Ctrl + 0	Reset zoom level
Shift + Esc	Open the Browser’s Task Manager

Try these:

• Ctrl + Shift + Del opens the Clear Browsing Data options to easily delete cookies, history, etc.
• Ctrl + Shift + Tab will take you back to the previous tab instead of forward.
• To bookmark the current page, tap Ctrl + D. To open your bookmarks, press Ctrl + Shift + O.
• If you find yourself constantly opening new tabs, try middle-clicking a link to open it in a new tab automatically.

I do this all the time: If you’re feeling adventurous, try using a mouse gestures add-on for even more navigation control. It takes a little getting used to, but it’s a fun way to feel like a browsing wizard!

Accessibility

Windows has many built-in shortcuts to improve accessibility:

Shortcut	Action
Left Alt + Left Shift + PrtScn	Turn High Contrast on or off
Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock	Turn Mouse Keys on or off
Win + U	Open the Ease of Access Center / Accessibility Settings
Shift (5 times)	Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Win + (+) or (-)	Zoom in or out using Magnifier
Win + Ctrl + Enter	Turn Narrator on or off
Win + Ctrl + N	Open Narrator settings
Win + .	Open emoji keyboard (because sometimes you just need to express yourself with a 😄)
Win + Ctrl + O	Opens the On-Screen Keyboard

Try this: Win + . is the fastest way to add emojis to any text field.

Most Useful Run Commands

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box, then type these commands:

Command	Action
calc	Open the Calculator
notepad	Open Notepad
mspaint	Open Paint
control	Open Control Panel
cmd	Open Command Prompt
powershell	Open PowerShell
explorer	Open File Explorer
msinfo32	Open System Information
taskmgr	Open Task Manager
appwiz.cpl	Open the Programs and Features
ncpa.cpl	Open the Network Connections
devmgmt.msc	Open the Device Manager
%temp%	Open the temp folder

Secret Power User Shortcuts

Impress everyone with these secret shortcuts that you won’t find elsewhere

Shortcut	Action
Win + Ctrl + Shift + B	Restart the graphics driver
Win + X, U, U	Shut down your PC
Win + X, U, R	Restart your PC

Here’s a funny one you should try: Hit Win + Ctrl + Shift + Alt + L and let me know what happens in the comments below.

Practice

The best way to learn keyboard shortcuts is to use them regularly.

Start by picking a few essential shortcuts and consciously use them instead of reaching for the mouse. Gradually add more shortcuts to your routine.

Consider printing out a cheat sheet (like the one above).

Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts

Want to create your own shortcuts or modify existing ones? Here are a few ways to do it:

• Use a tool like AutoHotkey to create custom keyboard shortcuts and macros.
• Remap keys using the built-in PowerToys Keyboard Manager.
• Modify keyboard/mouse shortcuts/macros in the specific manufacturer app’s settings.

Where to Go From Here

Congratulations, you’re well on your way to becoming a keyboard shortcut pro! Keep exploring and customizing shortcuts to suit your workflow.

For even more tips and tricks, check out these resources:

• 16 Proven Tips to Make Your Slow Computer Run Faster

Happy keyboarding, and may the shortcuts be with you!