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