Copy, paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl + Esc

Open Start.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Open Task Manager.

Left arrow

Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.

Right arrow

Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.

Alt + Spacebar

Open the shortcut menu for the active window.

Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)

Paste the selected item.

Alt + underlined letter

Perform the command for that letter.

Ctrl + Y

Redo an action.

Ctrl + R (or F5)

Refresh the active window.

F5

Refresh the active window.

F2

Rename the selected item.

Ctrl + arrow keys

Resize the Start menu when it's open.

F10

Activate the Menu bar in the active app.

Ctrl + F4

Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time).

Alt + F4

Close the active item, or exit the active app.

Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)

Copy the selected item.

Ctrl + X

Cut the selected item.

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.

Ctrl + D (or 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.

Windows logo key + D

Display and hide the desktop.

Alt + Enter

Display properties for the selected item.

F4

Display the address bar list in File Explorer.

Shift + F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.

Alt + Left arrow

Go back.

Alt + Right arrow

Go forward.

Windows logo key + L

Lock your PC.

Alt + Page Down

Move down one screen.

Ctrl + Down arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.

Ctrl + Right arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.

Ctrl + Up arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph.

Ctrl + Left arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.

Alt + Page Up

Move up one screen.

F3

Search for a file or folder in File Explorer.

Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key

Select a block of text.

Ctrl + A

Select all items in a document or window.

Shift with any arrow key

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document.

Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar

Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop.

Alt + F8

Show your password on the sign-in screen.

Esc

Stop or leave the current task.

Alt + Tab

Switch between open apps.

Ctrl + Shift

Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available.

PrtScn

Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard. Note You can change this shortcut so it also opens screen snipping, which lets you edit your screenshot. Select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard, and turn on the toggle under Print Screen shortcut.

Ctrl + Spacebar

Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off.

Ctrl + Z

Undo an action.

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.