In today's fast-paced digital world, efficiency is paramount. Whether you're drafting documents, designing graphics, or even just browsing the web, time is of the essence. This is where computer shortcut keys come into play, serving as a secret weapon for enhancing productivity. But what are these keys, and how can they help streamline your tasks? Let's dive in!
What Are Computer Shortcut Keys?
Shortcuts keys are a combination of one or more keys on your computer's keyboard that, when pressed simultaneously, perform a specific task. These tasks could range from simple functions like copying and pasting text to launching specific programs or navigating between windows.
Why Use Shortcut Keys?
1. Increased Efficiency:
Shortcut keys eliminate the need for multiple mouse clicks, reducing task time.
2. Ergonomic Benefits: They
can reduce repetitive strain caused by excessive mouse usage.
3. Multitasking: Enables
easier navigation between tasks without shifting focus.
Common Shortcut Keys Across Different Operating Systems:
While there are numerous shortcuts tailored for specific programs and operating systems, some are universally accepted. Here are some of the most commonly used computer shortcut keys:
- Ctrl + C / Cmd + C: Copy the highlighted content to the clipboard.
- Ctrl + V / Cmd + V: Paste the content from the clipboard.
- Ctrl + X / Cmd + X: Cut the highlighted content.
- Ctrl + Z / Cmd + Z: Undo the last action.
- Ctrl + Y / Cmd + Y: Redo the previously undone action.
- Alt + Tab / Cmd + Tab: Switch between open applications.
- Ctrl + P / Cmd + P: Print the current document or page.
Operating System-Specific Shortcuts:
Different operating systems have their own sets of shortcuts tailored to their interfaces.
Windows:
- Windows Key + D: Display or hide the desktop.
- Windows Key + L: Lock your PC.
MacOS:
- Cmd + Space: Open Spotlight search.
- Cmd + Q: Quit the current application.
Many applications, from Microsoft Word to Adobe Photoshop, have their own set of shortcuts to help users navigate more effectively
Web Browsers:
- Ctrl + T / Cmd + T: Open a new tab.
- Ctrl + W / Cmd + W: Close the current tab.
Microsoft Word:
- Ctrl + B: Bold highlighted text.
- Ctrl + U: Underline highlighted text.
Customizing Shortcut Keys:
Many programs allow users
to create their own shortcut keys, catering to their unique requirements and
enhancing workflow efficiency.
Most used computer shortcut keys for Windows 11 & Windows 10

Friends, below I have
prepared a list of most used computer shortcut keys for you, in which I have put
all those major computer shortcut keys, which are definitely useful in our
Delhi computer work, from small to small or big to big in every type of work.
These basic shortcut keys are used as soon as they are used.
1. Copy, paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
Ctrl + X |
Cut the
selected item. |
Ctrl + C (or
Ctrl + Insert) |
Copy the
selected item. |
Ctrl + V (or
Shift + Insert) |
Paste the
selected item. |
Ctrl + Z |
Undo an
action. |
Alt + Tab |
Switch
between open apps. |
Alt + F4 |
Close the
active item, or exit the active app. |
Windows logo
key + L |
Lock your
PC. |
Windows logo
key + D |
Display and
hide the desktop. |
F2 |
Rename the
selected item. |
F3 |
Search for a
file or folder in File Explorer. |
F4 |
Display the
address bar list in File Explorer. |
F5 |
Refresh the
active window. |
F6 |
Cycle
through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. |
F10 |
Activate the
Menu bar in the active app. |
Alt + A |
Set focus to
the first icon in the Suggested actions menu. |
Alt + F8 |
Show your
password on the sign-in screen. |
Alt + Esc |
Cycle
through items in the order in which they were opened. |
Alt +
underlined letter |
Perform the
command for that letter. |
Alt + Enter |
Display
properties for the selected item. |
Alt +
Spacebar |
Open the
shortcut menu for the active window. |
Alt + Left
arrow |
Go back. |
Alt + Right
arrow |
Go forward. |
Alt + Page
Up |
Move up one
screen. |
Alt + Page
Down |
Move down
one screen. |
Ctrl + F4 |
Close the
active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple
documents open at the same time). |
Ctrl + A |
Select all
items in a document or window. |
Ctrl + D (or
Delete) |
Delete the
selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin. |
Ctrl + E |
Open Search
(in most apps). |
Ctrl + R (or
F5) |
Refresh the
active window. |
Ctrl + Y |
Redo an
action. |
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 + Alt +
Tab |
Use the
arrow keys to switch between all open apps. |
Alt + Shift
+ arrow keys |
When a group
or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified. |
Ctrl + Shift
+ arrow keys |
When a tile
is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder. |
Ctrl + arrow
keys |
Resize the
Start menu when it's open. |
Ctrl + arrow
key (to move to an item) + Spacebar |
Select
multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop. |
Ctrl + Shift
with an arrow key |
Select a
block of text. |
Ctrl + Esc |
Open Start. |
Ctrl + Shift
+ Esc |
Open Task
Manager. |
Ctrl + Shift |
Switch the
keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available. |
Ctrl +
Spacebar |
Turn the
Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off. |
Shift + F10 |
Display the
shortcut menu for the selected item. |
Shift with
any arrow key |
Select more
than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document. |
Shift +
Delete |
Delete the
selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first. |
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. |
Esc |
Stop or
leave the current task. |
PrtScn |
Take a
screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard. |
2. Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
Windows logo
key |
Open or
close Start. |
Windows logo
key + A |
Open Quick
Settings. Updated in Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + B |
Set focus to
the first icon in the Taskbar corner. |
Windows logo
key + C |
Open Chat
from Microsoft Teams. Updated in Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + C |
Open the
charms menu. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + C |
Turn on
color filters (enable this shortcut first in Color Filter settings). |
Windows logo
key + D |
Display and
hide the desktop. |
Windows logo
key + E |
Open File
Explorer. |
Windows logo
key + F |
Open
Feedback Hub and take a screenshot. |
Windows logo
key + G |
Open Xbox
Game Bar when a game is open. |
Windows logo
key + Alt + B |
Turn HDR on
or off. Note: Applies to
the Xbox Game Bar app version 5.721.7292.0 or newer. To update your Xbox Game
Bar, go to the Microsoft Store app and check for updates. |
Windows logo
key + H |
Launch voice
typing. Updated in Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + I |
Open Settings. |
Windows logo
key + J |
Set focus to
a Windows tip when one is available. |
Windows logo
key + K |
Open Cast
from Quick Settings. Updated in Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + Alt + K |
Toggle
microphone mute in apps that support Call Mute. Available starting in
Windows 11, version 22H2. |
Windows logo
key + L |
Lock your PC
or switch accounts. |
Windows logo
key + M |
Minimize all
windows. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + M |
Restore
minimized windows on the desktop. |
Windows logo
key + N |
Open
notification center and calendar. Updated in Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + O |
Lock device
orientation. |
Windows logo
key + P |
Choose a
presentation display mode. |
Windows
logo key + Ctrl + Q |
Open Quick
Assist. |
Windows logo
key + R |
Open the Run
dialog box. |
Windows logo
key + Alt + R |
Record video
of game window in focus (using Xbox Game Bar). |
Windows logo
key + S |
Open search. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + S |
Take a
screenshot of part of your screen. |
Windows logo
key + T |
Cycle
through apps on the taskbar. |
Windows logo
key + U |
Open
Accessibility Settings. |
Windows logo
key + V |
Open the
clipboard history. Note: Clipboard history isn't turned on by default. If you'd
like to turn it on, use this keyboard shortcut and then select the prompt to
turn on history. Or you can select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard ,
and set Clipboard history to On. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + V |
Set focus to
a notification. |
Windows logo
key + W |
Open
Widgets. Updated in Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + X |
Open the
Quick Link menu. |
Windows logo
key + Y |
Switch input
between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop. |
Windows logo
key + Z |
Open the
snap layouts. Updated in Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + period (.) or semicolon (;) |
Open emoji
panel. |
Windows logo
key + comma (,) |
Temporarily
peek at the desktop. |
Windows logo
key + Pause |
Opens Start > Settings > System > About . |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + F |
Search for
PCs (if you're on a network). |
Windows logo
key + number |
Open the
desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by
the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + number |
Open the
desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the
position indicated by the number. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + number |
Open the
desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar
in the position indicated by the number. |
Windows logo
key + Alt + number |
Open the
desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the
position indicated by the number. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + Shift + number |
Open the
desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on
the taskbar as an administrator. |
Windows logo
key + Tab |
Open Task
view. |
Windows logo
key + Up arrow |
Maximize the
window. |
Windows logo
key + Alt + Up arrow |
Snap window
in focus to top half of screen. New with Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + Down arrow |
Remove
current app from screen or minimize the desktop window. |
Windows logo
key + Alt + Down arrow |
Snap window
in focus to bottom half of screen. New with Windows 11. |
Windows logo
key + Left arrow |
Maximize the
app or desktop window to the left side of the screen. |
Windows logo
key + Right arrow |
Maximize the
app or desktop window to the right side of the screen. |
Windows logo
key + Home |
Minimize all
except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke). |
Windows logo
key + Shift + Up arrow |
Stretch the
desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + Down arrow |
Restore/minimize
active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow |
Move an app
or window in the desktop from one monitor to another. |
Windows logo
key + Shift + Spacebar |
Cycle
backwards through language and keyboard layout. |
Windows logo
key + Spacebar |
Switch input
language and keyboard layout. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + Spacebar |
Change to a
previously selected input. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + Enter |
Turn on
Narrator. |
Windows logo
key + Plus (+) |
Open
Magnifier and zoom in. |
Windows logo
key + Minus (-) |
Zoom out in
Magnifier. |
Windows logo
key + Esc |
Close
Magnifier. |
Windows logo
key + forward slash (/) |
Begin IME
reconversion. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + Shift + B |
Wake PC from
blank or black screen. |
Windows logo
key + PrtScn |
Save full
screen screenshot to file. |
Windows logo
key + Alt + PrtScn |
Save
screenshot of game window in focus to file (using Xbox Game Bar). |
Windows logo
key + Alt + Enter (on taskbar item focus) |
Open taskbar
settings. |
3. Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
Ctrl + C (or
Ctrl + Insert) |
Copy the
selected text. |
Ctrl + V (or
Shift + Insert) |
Paste the
selected text. |
Ctrl + M |
Enter Mark
mode. |
Alt +
selection key |
Begin
selection in block mode. |
Arrow keys |
Move the
cursor in the direction specified. |
Page up |
Move the
cursor by one page up. |
Page down |
Move the
cursor by one page down. |
Ctrl + Home
(Mark mode) |
Move the
cursor to the beginning of the buffer. |
Ctrl + End
(Mark mode) |
Move the
cursor to the end of the buffer. |
Ctrl + Up
arrow |
Move up one
line in the output history. |
Ctrl + Down
arrow |
Move down
one line in the output history. |
Ctrl + Home
(History navigation) |
If the
command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise,
delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line. |
Ctrl + End
(History navigation) |
If the
command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line. Otherwise,
delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line. |
4. Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
F4 |
Display the
items in the active list. |
Ctrl + Tab |
Move forward
through tabs. |
Ctrl + Shift
+ Tab |
Move back
through tabs. |
Ctrl + 1, 2,
3,... |
Move to that
tab number. |
Tab |
Move forward
through options. |
Shift + Tab |
Move back
through options. |
Alt +
underlined letter |
Perform the
command (or select the option) that is used with that letter. |
Spacebar |
Select or
clear the check box if the active option is a check box. |
Backspace |
Open a
folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog
box. |
Arrow keys |
Select a
button if the active option is a group of option buttons. |
5. File Explorer keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
Alt + D |
Select the
address bar. |
Ctrl + E |
Select the
search box. |
Ctrl + F |
Select the
search box. |
Ctrl + N |
Open a new
window. |
Ctrl + T |
Open a new
tab and switch to it. |
Ctrl + W |
Closes the
active tab. Closes the window if there's only one tab open. |
Ctrl + Tab |
Move to the
next tab. |
Ctrl + Shift
+ Tab |
Move to the
previous tab. |
Ctrl + 1, 2,
3,... |
Move to that
tab number. |
Ctrl + mouse
scroll wheel |
Change the
size and appearance of file and folder icons. |
Ctrl + Shift
+ E |
Display all
folders above the selected folder. |
Ctrl + Shift
+ N |
Create a new
folder. |
Num Lock +
asterisk (*) |
Display all
subfolders under the selected folder. |
Num Lock +
plus (+) |
Display the
contents of the selected folder. |
Num Lock +
minus (-) |
Collapse the
selected folder. |
Alt + P |
Display the
preview panel. |
Alt + Enter |
Open the
Properties dialog box for the selected item. |
Alt + Right
arrow |
View the
next folder. |
Alt + Up
arrow |
View the
folder that the folder was in. |
Alt + Left
arrow |
View the
previous folder. |
Backspace |
View the
previous folder. |
Right arrow |
Display the
current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder. |
Left arrow |
Collapse the
current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder
was in. |
End |
Display the
bottom of the active window. |
Home |
Display the
top of the active window. |
F11 |
Maximize or
minimize the active window. |
6. Virtual desktops keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
Windows logo
key + Tab |
Open Task
view. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + D |
Add a
virtual desktop. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + Right arrow |
Switch
between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + Left arrow |
Switch
between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left. |
Windows logo
key + Ctrl + F4 |
Close the
virtual desktop you're using. |
7. Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
Shift +
click a taskbar button |
Open an app
or quickly open another instance of an app. |
Ctrl + Shift
+ click a taskbar button |
Open an app
as an administrator. |
Shift +
right-click a taskbar button |
Show the
window menu for the app. |
Shift +
right-click a grouped taskbar button |
Show the
window menu for the group. |
Ctrl + click
a grouped taskbar button |
Cycle
through the windows of the group. |
8. Settings keyboard
shortcuts
Press
this key |
To
do this |
Windows logo
key + I |
Open
settings. |
Backspace |
Go back to
the settings home page. |
Type on any
page with search box |
Search
settings. |
In Conclusion:
Computer shortcut keys,
while often overlooked, are potent tools in the quest for productivity. As we
continue to evolve in the digital age, understanding and utilizing these
shortcuts can significantly reduce task times, improve ergonomics, and enhance
overall computer navigation. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just
starting your digital journey, integrating shortcut keys into your routine is a
step towards a more efficient digital experience.
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