General keyboard shortcuts

 

The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts.

Press this key        To do this

F1                         Display Help

Ctrl+C                    Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X                    Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V                    Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z                    Undo an action

Ctrl+Y                    Redo an action

Delete                    Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Shift+Delete           Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

F2                         Rename the selected item

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+Shift with an arrow key Select a block of text

Shift with any arrow key       Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

Ctrl+A                    Select all items in a document or window

F3                         Search for a file or folder

Alt+Enter                Display properties for the selected item

Alt+F4                    Close the active item, or exit the active program

Alt+Spacebar          Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Ctrl+F4                  Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

Alt+Tab                  Switch between open items

Ctrl+Alt+Tab           Use the arrow keys to switch between open items

Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel        Change the size of icons on the desktop

Windows logo key +Tab  Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D

Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab   Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D

Alt+Esc                  Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

F6                         Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F4                         Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer

Shift+F10               Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Ctrl+Esc                 Open the Start menu

Alt+underlined letter Display the corresponding menu

Alt+underlined letter Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)

F10                        Activate the menu bar in the active program

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

F5                         Refresh the active window

Alt+Up Arrow          View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

Esc                        Cancel the current task

Ctrl+Shift+Esc         Open Task Manager

Shift when you insert a CD    Prevent the CD from automatically playing

 Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for use in dialog boxes.

Press this key To do this

Ctrl+Tab          Move forward through tabs

Ctrl+Shift+Tab  Move back through tabs

Tab                 Move forward through options

Shift+Tab         Move back through options

Alt+underlined letter    Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter

Enter               Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands

Spacebar         Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

Arrow keys       Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

F1                   Display Help

F4                   Display the items in the active list

Backspace        Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box