In this article, we will list the most common and helpful keyboard shortcuts on Windows, both beginner and advanced ones. These are simple tricks all computer users should learn so they can operate their computers faster and easier. We know that typing on a computer is often very slow or tedious. That’s why keyboard shortcuts were invented to take advantage of our hands as much as possible. Unfortunately, most of them are hidden and you probably didn’t even know they existed! The good news is that many operating systems now have integrated search features, which allow us to find all available keyboard shortcuts easily with just a few keystrokes.
Essential Windows Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Windows 11 |
|---|---|
Basics | |
| Copy | Ctrl + C |
| Cut | Ctrl + X |
| Paste | Ctrl + V |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z |
| Find | Ctrl + F |
| Search and replace | Ctrl + H |
| Select all | Ctrl + A |
| Bold | Ctrl + B |
| Italic | Ctrl + I |
| Underline | Ctrl + U |
| Superscript | Ctrl + Shift + = |
| Subscript | Ctrl + = |
| Rename | F2 |
| File menu | Alt + F |
| Edit menu | Alt + E |
| View menu | Alt + V |
| Ctrl + P | |
| Command Prompt/Terminal | |
| Copy | Ctrl + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V |
| Select current line | Ctrl + A |
| Move one line up/down | Ctrl + Up / Ctrl + Down |
| Search | Ctrl + F |
| New tab | Ctrl + Win + T |
| List files and folders | dir |
| Full path of current folder/directory | cd |
| Change folder/directory | cd <path to directory> |
| One directory up in directory tree | cd.. |
| Move to root directory | cd |
| Create new directory in current directory | mkdir newFolder |
| Create new file | echo some-text > fileName(.txt) |
| Remove a directory | rmdir myFolder |
| Rename a directory | ren oldFolderName newFolderName |
| Copy a directory | robocopy myFolder <path to destination directory> |
| Move a directory | move myFolder <path to destination directory> |
| Remove a file | del myFile |
| Rename a file | ren oldFileName newFileName |
| Copy a file | copy myFile <path to destination directory> |
| Move a file | move myFile <path to destination directory> |
| Clear the screen | cls |
| Concatenate and print a file | myFile |
| Count lines in a file | C:/../myFile PIPE** find “” /v /c |
| Close window | Type Exit then Enter |
Browser | |
| New tab | Ctrl + T |
| Focus on browser address bar | Alt + D |
| Go to browser home page | Alt + Home |
| Add .com to URL | Ctrl + Enter |
| Add to current page bookmark | Ctrl + D |
| Close current window | Ctrl + W |
Desktop | |
| System search | Windows, then type |
| Show or hide desktop | Windows + D |
| Peek desktop | Windows + , |
| Resize or minimize app | Windows + Down arrow |
| Minimize all apps | Windows + M |
| Switch between active windows | Alt + Tab |
| Close active window | Alt + F4 |
| Toggle full screen | F11 |
| Launch taskbar app with the position specified by the number | Windows + Number |
| Save screenshot of the screen | Windows + Print Screen |
| Copy screen screenshot to clipboard | Print Screen |
| Copy active window screenshot | Alt + Print Screen |
| Narrator in Windows / VoiceOver in Mac | Windows + Ctrl + Enter |
| Start menu in Windows / Dock in Mac | Windows |
| File Explorer in Windows / Open Search in Finder | Windows + E |
| Character Map | Windows + R, type charmap, then Enter |
| Settings / Preferences | Windows + I |
Power | |
| Lock desktop | Windows + L |
| Sign out | Ctrl + Alt + Del, click Sign out |
| Sleep or standby | Windows + X then U then S |
| Shutdown | Windows + X then U then U |
| Restart | Windows + X then U then R |
| Force shutdown | Hold power button |
Conclusion
The best way to start is to take advantage of some of the features that are already built into your computer and apps. Knowing how to use the most popular shortcuts can help you work faster, save time, and stay organized.
Tricky characters like Ǝ, \, and \ have enough left-handed special characters to confuse everyone. Luckily, there are many keyboard shortcuts that make working with these symbols much easier. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common and most useful keyboard shortcuts for Windows.
Windows Shortcuts and Keyboard Control Keys
When using Windows, there are a number of different keyboard shortcuts you can use to control your computer. Many of these are similar to shortcuts in other platforms like Mac OS and iOS, but there are some that are unique to Windows.
There are also some Windows-only keyboard shortcuts that you should be aware of.
Shortcut keys in Windows generally fall into two categories.
Predefined shortcuts are a collection of symbols that are programmed into your keyboard by your device’s manufacturer. You might even see them listed in the documentation that comes with your device.
Windows-specific keyboard shortcuts are shortcuts that use the same characters, often with the exception of certain keys or symbols that are unique to Windows.
Since keyboard control is the only way to go when it comes to controlling your computer, let’s take a look at all the common and helpful keyboard shortcuts on Windows.
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