When speed counts, the keyboard is still king. Almost all the actions and commands you can perform with a mouse you can perform faster using combinations of keys on your keyboard. These simple keyboard shortcuts can get you where you want to go faster than several clicks of a mouse. You'll work faster on spreadsheets and similar documents, too, because you won't lose your place switching back and forth between mouse and keys.
| To | Press |
| Copy. | CTRL+C |
| Cut. | CTRL+X |
| Paste. | CTRL+V |
| Undo. | CTRL+Z |
| Delete. | DELETE |
| Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin. | SHIFT+DELETE |
| Copy selected item. | CTRL while dragging an item |
| Create shortcut to selected item. | CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item |
| Rename selected item. | F2 |
| Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word. | CTRL+RIGHT ARROW |
| Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word. | CTRL+LEFT ARROW |
| Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph. | CTRL+DOWN ARROW |
| Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph. | CTRL+UP ARROW |
| Highlight a block of text. | CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys |
| Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document. | SHIFT with any of the arrow keys |
| Select all. | CTRL+A |
| Search for a file or folder. | F3 |
| View properties for the selected item. | ALT+ENTER |
| Close the active item, or quit the active program. | ALT+F4 |
| Opens the shortcut menu for the active window. | ALT+SPACEBAR |
| Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously. | CTRL+F4 |
| Switch between open items. | ALT+TAB |
| Cycle through items in the order they were opened. | ALT+ESC |
| Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. | F6 |
| Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer. | F4 |
| Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. | SHIFT+F10 |
| Display the System menu for the active window. | ALT+SPACEBAR |
| Display the Start menu. | CTRL+ESC |
| Display the corresponding menu. | ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name |
| Carry out the corresponding command. | Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu |
| Activate the menu bar in the active program. | F10 |
| Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu. | RIGHT ARROW |
| Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu. | LEFT ARROW |
| Refresh the active window. | F5 |
| View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer. | BACKSPACE |
| Cancel the current task. | ESC |
| SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive | Prevent the CD from automatically playing. |
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Use these keyboard shortcuts for dialog boxes:
|
| To | Press |
| Move forward through tabs. | CTRL+TAB |
| Move backward through tabs. | CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
| Move forward through options. | TAB |
| Move backward through options. | SHIFT+TAB |
| Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option. | ALT+Underlined letter |
| Carry out the command for the active option or button. | ENTER |
| Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box. | SPACEBAR |
| Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons. | Arrow keys |
| Display Help. | F1 |
| Display the items in the active list. | F4 |
| Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box. | BACKSPACE |
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If you have a Microsoft Natural Keyboard, or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key and the Application key, you can use these keyboard shortcuts:
|
| To | Press |
| Display or hide the Start menu. | Windows Key |
| Display the System Properties dialog box. | |
| Show the desktop. | |
| Minimize all windows. | |
| Restores minimized windows. | |
| Open My Computer. | |
| Search for a file or folder. | |
| Search for computers. | CTRL+Windows Key |
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| Display Windows Help. | |
| Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain. | |
| Open the Run dialog box. | |
| Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. | |
| Open Utility Manager. | |
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Helpful accessibility keyboard shortcuts:
|
| To | Press |
| Switch FilterKeys on and off. | Right SHIFT for eight seconds |
| Switch High Contrast on and off. | Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN |
| Switch MouseKeys on and off. | Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK |
| Switch StickyKeys on and off. | SHIFT five times |
| Switch ToggleKeys on and off. | NUM LOCK for five seconds |
| Open Utility Manager. | |
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Keyboard shortcuts you can use with Windows Explorer:
|
| To | Press |
| Display the bottom of the active window. | END |
| Display the top of the active window. | HOME |
| Display all subfolders under the selected folder. | NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*) |
| Display the contents of the selected folder. | NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+) |
| Collapse the selected folder. | NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-) |
| Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder. | LEFT ARROW |
| Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder. | RIGHT ARROW |
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