A keyboard shortcut is a key or a combination of keys that does something you would otherwise do with the mouse. The shortcuts below work in Windows 11, grouped by the job they do. A plus sign between keys means to hold the first ones and press the last. Some apps change what a shortcut does, so a few may behave differently inside a particular program.
Copy, paste, undo and other basics
These work in nearly every app, so they are the best place to start.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected item or text |
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected item or text |
| Ctrl + V | Paste what you copied or cut |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo the last action |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action you undid |
| Ctrl + A | Select everything in the window or document |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open apps |
| Alt + F4 | Close the active window or app |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
| Ctrl + Alt + Del | Open the security options screen (lock, switch user, sign out, Task Manager) |
| Ctrl + Esc | Open the Start menu |
| Alt + Esc | Cycle through open windows in the order you opened them |
| F2 | Rename the selected item |
| F5 | Refresh the active window |
| Shift + Delete | Delete the selected item for good, skipping the Recycle Bin |
Shortcuts that start with the Windows key
In this list, Win is the key with the Windows logo. Pressing it alone opens or closes the Start menu.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win + D | Show or hide the desktop |
| Win + E | Open File Explorer |
| Win + I | Open Settings |
| Win + L | Lock the PC |
| Win + R | Open the Run box |
| Win + S | Open search (Win + Q does the same) |
| Win + X | Open the quick link menu, the same one you get by right-clicking Start |
| Win + V | Open clipboard history |
| Win + A | Open quick settings |
| Win + N | Open the notification center and calendar |
| Win + W | Open Widgets |
| Win + P | Choose how a second display or projector is used |
| Win + K | Open Cast, to connect to a wireless display |
| Win + H | Start voice typing |
| Win + U | Open the accessibility settings |
| Win + G | Open Game Bar |
| Win + C | Open Copilot |
| Win + B | Move focus to the notification area of the taskbar |
| Win + Pause | Open Settings at System > About |
| Win + . | Open the emoji panel (Win + ; works too) |
| Win + Ctrl + Enter | Turn on Narrator |
| Win + Plus (+) | Zoom in with Magnifier |
| Win + Minus (-) | Zoom out with Magnifier |
| Win + Esc | Close Magnifier |
Snap, minimize and move windows
Use these to arrange windows without dragging them. Snap layouts also open from the Win + Z shortcut.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win + Left arrow | Dock the window against the left edge |
| Win + Right arrow | Dock the window against the right edge |
| Win + Up arrow | Maximize the window |
| Win + Down arrow | Minimize the window, or restore it first if it is snapped or maximized |
| Win + Alt + Up arrow | Dock the window in the upper half |
| Win + Alt + Down arrow | Dock the window in the lower half |
| Win + Shift + Up arrow | Stretch the window to the full height of the screen |
| Win + Shift + Left arrow | Move the window to the monitor on the left |
| Win + Shift + Right arrow | Move the window to the monitor on the right |
| Win + Z | Open snap layouts |
| Win + M | Minimize all windows |
| Win + Shift + M | Bring minimized windows back |
| Win + Home | Minimize everything except the active window |
| Win + , | Peek at the desktop for as long as you hold the keys |
Taskbar and virtual desktop shortcuts
The number shortcuts count the apps pinned to your taskbar from the left, so Win + 1 is the first pinned app.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win + 1 to 9 | Open the app pinned in that position, or switch to it if it is already running |
| Win + Alt + 1 to 9 | Open the jump list for the app in that position |
| Win + T | Cycle through the apps on the taskbar |
| Win + Tab | Open Task View |
| Win + Ctrl + D | Create a new virtual desktop |
| Win + Ctrl + Right arrow | Switch to the desktop on the right |
| Win + Ctrl + Left arrow | Switch to the desktop on the left |
| Win + Ctrl + F4 | Close the virtual desktop you are on |
Screenshot shortcuts
Windows 11 has four keyboard ways to capture the screen. The first and fourth place the image on the clipboard, so paste it into an app to use it. If Print Screen does nothing, the Print Screen fixes help.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| PrtScn | Copy a screenshot of the whole screen |
| Alt + PrtScn | Copy a screenshot of the active window |
| Win + PrtScn | Save a full-screen screenshot as a file in the Screenshots folder inside Pictures |
| Win + Shift + S | Pick an area of the screen to capture with Snipping Tool |
File Explorer shortcuts
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + N | Open a new File Explorer window |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create a new folder |
| Ctrl + T | Open a new tab |
| Ctrl + W | Close the current tab |
| Ctrl + Tab | Move to the next tab |
| Ctrl + E | Select the search box |
| Alt + D | Select the address bar |
| F4 | Show the address bar list |
| F3 | Search for a file or folder |
| Alt + Enter | Show the properties of the selected item |
| Alt + Left arrow | Return to the folder you were in before |
| Alt + Right arrow | Go forward to the next folder |
| Alt + Up arrow | Go up one level in the folder path |
| Ctrl + D | Delete the selected item and send it to the Recycle Bin |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Expand all folders in the navigation pane |
Text editing shortcuts
Moving and selecting text with the keyboard saves a lot of mouse work in documents, emails and forms.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Right arrow | Move the cursor to the start of the next word |
| Ctrl + Left arrow | Move the cursor to the start of the previous word |
| Home | Jump to the line's start |
| End | Jump to the line's end |
| Ctrl + Home | Jump to the very top of the document |
| Ctrl + End | Jump to the very end of the document |
| Ctrl + Backspace | Delete the word to the left of the cursor |
| Shift + Arrow key | Select text one character or line at a time |
| Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow | Select the next word |
| Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste as plain text, in apps that support it |
| Ctrl + B | Make the selected text bold |
| Ctrl + I | Make the selected text italic |
| Ctrl + U | Underline the selected text |
| Ctrl + F | Find text |
| Ctrl + H | Find and replace text |
Command Prompt shortcuts
Command Prompt accepts the usual copy and paste keys, plus a few of its own.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected text |
| Ctrl + V | Paste the copied text |
| Ctrl + M | Enter Mark mode, where the arrow keys move the cursor so you can select text |
| Ctrl + Up arrow | Move the output up one line |
| Ctrl + Down arrow | Move the output down one line |