Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows

Personally, I prefer to use the keyboard whenever I can, instead of reaching for the mouse and clicking. For me, it's just faster and more natural. But keyboard shortcuts can also be important if you're prone to repetitive stress syndrome or have tendonitis. Visually impaired users may find keyboard shortcuts easier than tracking the position of a mouse cursor and reading tiny print on submenus or tabs. And more than once, I've found myself trying to navigate Windows on a computer where the mouse was missing, broken or wouldn't work due to a software driver problem.

There are 100 or more Windows keyboard shortcuts built into the operating system and Windows Accessories programs such as Paint, Notes, Wordpad, etc. Below are some of the most useful Windows keyboard shortcuts. If you try each one, I'm sure you'll find a few that you'll want to commit to memory as time-savers!

Shortcuts for Select, Copy & Paste

• Ctrl-A selects all items in a document or window
• Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Insert copies the selected item(s) to the Clipboard while leaving them in place
• Ctrl-X cuts the selected items and copies them to the Clipboard
• Ctrl-V or Shift-Insert pastes the contents of the Clipboard into the current document at the cursor's current location

Shortcuts for Cursor Positioning

• Ctrl-right-arrow moves the cursor to the beginning of the next word in a document
• Ctrl-left-arrow moves the cursor to the beginning of the previous word in a document
• Ctrl-down-arrow moves the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
• Ctrl-up-arrow moves the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Shortcuts for Selecting Items

• Ctrl-shift with an arrow key selects a block of text one word at a time
• Shift with an arrow key lets you select individual items at random
• Delete key or Ctrl-D deletes the selected item(s) to the Recycle Bin
• Shift-Delete deletes the selected item(s) without moving them to the Recycle Bin

Shortcuts for Undo and Redo

• Ctrl-Z undoes the last action
• Ctrl-Y redoes the last undone action

Shortcuts for Function Keys

• F1 displays context-sensitive Help files and opens the Search Help dialogue box.
• F2 renames the current item
• F3 opens the Search dialogue to find a file or folder

Miscellaneous Useful Shortcuts

• Alt-Tab cycles through the open applications
• Alt-Enter displays the Properties of a selected item
• Alt-F4 closes the current application or window
• Alt-Spacebar opens the shortcut menu for the active window, i. e., Restore, Minimize, Close...
• Ctrl-Alt-Del opens the Windows Task Manager

Windows Logo Key Shortcuts

Few users know the function of the Windows Logo key (also called the Start button), which bears the four-part Windows logo. It actually activates a whole new set of keyboard shortcuts:

• Windows Logo key opens the Start menu
• Windows Logo key + Pause key displays the System Properties dialogue box
• Windows Logo key + D displays the desktop
• Windows Logo key + M minimizes all open windows
• Windows Logo key + Shift + M restores all minimized windows
• Windows Logo key + E opens Computer (My Computer in Windows XP)
• Windows Logo key + F opens the Search for File or Folder dialogue
• Windows Logo key + L locks your computer or lets you switch users
• Windows Logo key + R opens the Run dialogue box
• Ctrl + Windows Logo key + F searches for computers on a network

Do you have a keyboard shortcut to share? Post your comment or question below...