WINDOWS ESSENTIAL SHORT CUTS

Windows program key
combinations
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+V: Paste
CTRL+Z: Undo
CTRL+B: Bold
CTRL+U: Underline
CTRL+I: Italic
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Mouse click/keyboard modifier
combinations for shell objects
SHIFT+right click: Displays a
shortcut menu containing
alternative commands
SHIFT+double click: Runs the
alternate default command
(the second item on the
menu)
ALT+double click: Displays
properties
SHIFT+DELETE: Deletes an
item immediately without
placing it in the Recycle Bin
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General keyboard-only
commands
F1: Starts Windows Help
F10: Activates menu bar
options
SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut
menu for the selected item
(this is the same as right-
clicking an object
CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start
menu (use the ARROW keys
to select an item)
CTRL+ESC or ESC: Selects the
Start button (press TAB to
select the taskbar, or press
SHIFT+F10 for a context
menu)
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC: Opens
Windows Task Manager
ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a
drop-down list box
ALT+TAB: Switch to another
running program (hold down
the ALT key and then press
the TAB key to view the task-
switching window)
SHIFT: Press and hold down
the SHIFT key while you
insert a CD-ROM to bypass the
automatic-run feature
ALT+SPACE: Displays the main
window's System menu (from
the System menu, you can
restore, move, resize,
minimize, maximize, or close
the window)
ALT+- (ALT+hyphen):
Displays the Multiple
Document Interface (MDI)
child window's System menu
(from the MDI child window's
System menu, you can
restore, move, resize,
minimize, maximize, or close
the child window)
CTRL+TAB: Switch to the next
child window of a Multiple
Document Interface (MDI)
program
ALT+underlined letter in
menu: Opens the menu
ALT+F4: Closes the current
window
CTRL+F4: Closes the current
Multiple Document Interface
(MDI) window
ALT+F6: Switch between
multiple windows in the same
program (for example, when
the Notepad Find dialog box is
displayed, ALT+F6 switches
between the Find dialog box
and the main Notepad
window)
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Shell objects and general folder/
Windows Explorer shortcuts
For a selected object:
F2: Rename object
F3: Find all files
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+V: Paste
SHIFT+DELETE: Delete
selection immediately, without
moving the item to the
Recycle Bin
ALT+ENTER: Open the
properties for the selected
object
To copy a file
Press and hold down the CTRL
key while you drag the file to
another folder.
To create a shortcut
Press and hold down CTRL
+SHIFT while you drag a file to
the desktop or a folder.
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General folder/shortcut control
F4: Selects the Go To A
Different Folder box and
moves down the entries in the
box (if the toolbar is active in
Windows Explorer)
F5: Refreshes the current
window.
F6: Moves among panes in
Windows Explorer
CTRL+G: Opens the Go To
Folder tool (in Windows 95
Windows Explorer only)
CTRL+Z: Undo the last
command
CTRL+A: Select all the items
in the current window
BACKSPACE: Switch to the
parent folder
SHIFT+click+Close button: For
folders, close the current
folder plus all parent folders
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Windows Explorer tree control
Numeric Keypad *: Expands
everything under the current
selection
Numeric Keypad +: Expands
the current selection
Numeric Keypad -: Collapses
the current selection.
RIGHT ARROW: Expands the
current selection if it is not
expanded, otherwise goes to
the first child
LEFT ARROW: Collapses the
current selection if it is
expanded, otherwise goes to
the parent
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Properties control
CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB:
Move through the property
tabs
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Accessibility shortcuts
Press SHIFT five times:
Toggles StickyKeys on and off
Press down and hold the right
SHIFT key for eight seconds:
Toggles FilterKeys on and off
Press down and hold the NUM
LOCK key for five seconds:
Toggles ToggleKeys on and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM
LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on
and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT
SCREEN: Toggles high contrast
on and off
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Microsoft Natural Keyboard keys
Windows Logo: Start menu
Windows Logo+R: Run dialog
box
Windows Logo+M: Minimize
all
SHIFT+Windows Logo+M:
Undo minimize all
Windows Logo+F1: Help
Windows Logo+E: Windows
Explorer
Windows Logo+F: Find files or
folders
Windows Logo+D: Minimizes
all open windows and displays
the desktop
CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find
computer
CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB:
Moves focus from Start, to the
Quick Launch toolbar, to the
system tray (use RIGHT
ARROW or LEFT ARROW to
move focus to items on the
Quick Launch toolbar and the
system tray)
Windows Logo+TAB: Cycle
through taskbar buttons
Windows Logo+Break: System
Properties dialog box
Application key: Displays a
shortcut menu for the selected
item
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Microsoft Natural Keyboard with
IntelliType software installed
Windows Logo+L: Log off
Windows
Windows Logo+P: Starts Print
Manager
Windows Logo+C: Opens
Control Panel
Windows Logo+V: Starts
Clipboard
Windows Logo+K: Opens
Keyboard Properties dialog
box
Windows Logo+I: Opens
Mouse Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+A: Starts
Accessibility Options (if
installed)
Windows Logo+SPACEBAR:
Displays the list of Microsoft
IntelliType shortcut keys
Windows Logo+S: Toggles
CAPS LOCK on and off
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Dialog box keyboard commands
TAB: Move to the next control
in the dialog box
SHIFT+TAB: Move to the
previous control in the dialog
box
SPACEBAR: If the current
control is a button, this clicks
the button. If the current
control is a check box, this
toggles the check box. If the
current control is an option,
this selects the option.
ENTER: Equivalent to clicking
the selected button (the
button with the outline)
ESC: Equivalent to clicking the
Cancel button
ALT+underlined letter in
dialog box item: Move to the
corresponding item