Shortcut keys
Delete key or Delete on the Shortcut menu
Deletes the file
Shift + Delete key or Shift + Delete on the Shortcut menu
Deletes the file and doesn't place it in the Recycle Bin
Dbl Click a drive Shortcut, Recycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer
Opens an folder view of the double clicked item
Shift + Dbl Click a drive Shortcut,, Recycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer
Open an explorer view with the double clicked item selected
Shift + Close Button
Closes the current folder and all parent folders
Shift + Drag
Move a file (default when dragging on the same drive)
Shift + Send To menu
Moves a file (default when sending on the same drive)
Shift + Insert a CD
Prevents the CD from auto running
Shift + Starting Windows
Doesn't run the programs in the startup folder
Shift + No in a file confirmation dialog
Means No To All (XP)
Shift + View menu - Thumbnails
Hides the label for the thumbnails. Repeat to Show (XP)
Ctrl + Dbl Click an object (such as a document file)
Opens in the object behind other windows. Doesn't work on all objects
Ctrl + Drag
Copies a file (default for dragging between drives)
Ctrl + Send To menu
Copies the file (default when sending between drives)
Ctrl + Send To menu Powertoys (except Send Contents to Clipboard)
Sends the short name to the clipboard or run dialog
Ctrl + Send To menu Send Contents to Clipboard Powertoy
Opens a dialog box to specify the data format
Ctrl + Close button
Saves folder settings
Ctrl + Shift + Drag
Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file (default when
dragging only program files)
Ctrl + Shift + Send To menu
Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file
Ctrl + Plus Key in Explorer
Auto sizes all columns
Ctrl + Alt + Delete
Starts the Close Program dialog box
Ctrl + Click a Taskbar Button
Select multiple Windows to tile or cascade (by right clicking the
taskbar)
Alt + Space
Opens the System menu
Alt + Enter or Alt + Dbl Click
Open the Property dialog
Alt + Left Arrow
Moves forward through the history list
Alt + Right Arrow
Moves backwards through the history list
Alt + Tab
Cycles through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt
key is released
Alt + Shift + Tab
Cycles backwards through open windows, and switches to the window when
the Alt key is released
Alt + Esc
Switches to the next open window
Alt + Shift + Esc
Switches to the previous open window
Alt + Home
Home Page
Left Arrow
Collapse the current selection if it is expanded or Select the parent
folder
Right Arrow
Expand the current selection if it is collapsed or Select the first
subfolder
Num Lock On + Minus Sign (-)
Collapse the selected folder
Num Lock On + *
Expand all folders below the current selection
Num Lock On + Plus Sign (+)
Expand the selected folder
Home
Top of File List
End
Bottom of File List
[Characters] tyed without a pause
Goto the object that starts with the characters that were typed
[Single Character] after a pause
Goto the next object starting with that character
Backspace
Go to the parent folder
Right Click the System Menu or the Folder Icon in Web View
Pops up the context menu for the container
Drag an object onto a Windows Titlebar
Opens that object in that window (dragging into the window will often
work, but in OLE documents this will insert the object into the current
document)
Drag an object over, then hover over a collapsed folder in Explorer's
tree view
Expands the folder display
Drag an object over, then hover over, a taskbar button
Brings the Window attached to the Taskbar button to the top
Function Keys
Key
Description
F1
Starts Windows Help
F2
Renames the selected file
F3
Starts Find Files or Folders
F4
Opens the drop down address bar
Alt + F4
Closes the current window in Explorer, exits an application, or if the
shell has the focus (ie Start Menu or the Desktop), exits Windows
F5
Refreshes the view in Explorer, Desktop, or Start Menu
F6 or Tab
Switch between left and right panes
F10
Menu access key (same to pressing Alt by itself)
Shift + F10 or the Application key
Context menu access key
Shift + Ctrl + F10 or Shift + Right Click
Add Open With.. to Right Click Menu
F11
Toggles full screen view
Control Keys
Key
Description
Ctrl + A
Selects all files
Ctrl + B
Organise Favourites (in an Explorer window)
Ctrl + C
Copies a file
Ctrl + D
If a file isn't selected adds the current folder to Favourites
Ctrl + E or Ctrl + F
Opens the Search pane in Explorer
Ctrl + G
Goto (older versions only)
Ctrl + H
Opens the History pane in Explorer
Ctrl + H
Opens the Favourites pane in Explorer
Ctrl + P
Prints the Web View template part of the view if the Web View has the
focus (this isn't a useful feature)
Ctrl + R
Refreshes the view
Ctrl + V
Pastes a file
Ctrl + W
Closes an Explorer window
Ctrl + X
Cuts a file
Ctrl + Z
Undoes the last operation (if possible)
The Winkey
The Winkey works even if Explorer or the Shell doesn't have the focus.
Key
Description
Winkey or Ctrl + Esc
Opens the Start Menu
Winkey + D
Minimises or Unminimises all windows
Winkey + E
Starts Explorer
Winkey + F
Starts Find Files or Folders
Winkey + Ctrl + F
Starts Find Computer
Winkey + M
Minimises all windows
Winkey + Shift + M
Unminimises all windows
Winkey + R
Starts the Run Dialog
Winkey + F1
Starts Windows Help (F1 start help for the current application, if the
focus is in Explorer or the desktop F1 also starts Windows Help)
Winkey + Tab
Cycles through open windows with out bringing the Window to the top
(press Enter)
Winkey + Break
Starts System Properties
Windows 2000/XP Only
Key
Description
Winkey + L
Lock Workstation
Winkey + U
Accessability Utility Manager
Selecting
Key
Description
Click an object
Selects the object, cancelling any other selection
Control + Click, or Control + Space
Selects or unselects the object without cancelling any other selection
Arrow Keys
Moves the focus and selects the object
Control + Arrow Keys
Moves the focus without selecting the objects
Shift + Arrow Keys
Moves the focus and adds the object to the selected objects
Click then Shift + Click
Selects all objects between the two clicks
Drag
Drag a rectangle to select all objects within the rectangle
Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q126449
SUMMARY
This article lists keyboard shortcuts you can use with Windows.
MORE INFORMATION
Windows System Key Combinations
F1: Help
CTRL+ESC: Open Start menu
ALT + TAB: Switch between open programs
ALT+F4: Quit program
SHIFT+DELETE: Delete item permanently
Windows Program Key Combinations
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+V: Paste
CTRL+Z: Undo
CTRL+B: Bold
CTRL+U: Underline
CTRL+I: Italic
Mouse Click/Keyboard Modifier Combinations for Shell Objects
SHIFT+right click: Displays a shortcut menu containing alternative
commands
SHIFT+double click: Runs the alternate default command (the second
item on the menu)
ALT+double click: Displays properties
SHIFT+DELETE: Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the
Recycle Bin
General Keyboard-Only Commands
F1: Starts Windows Help
F10: Activates menu bar options
SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the
same as right-clicking an object
CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)
CTRL+ESC or ESC: Selects the Start button (press TAB to select the
taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu)
ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box
ALT + TAB: Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key and
then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window)
SHIFT: Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to
bypass the automatic-run feature
ALT+SPACE: Displays the main window's System menu (from the System
menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the
window)
ALT+- (ALT+hyphen): Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI)
child window's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu, you can
restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)
CTRL+ TAB: Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document
Interface (MDI) program
ALT+underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu
ALT+F4: Closes the current window
CTRL+F4: Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window
ALT+F6: Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for
example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches
between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)
Shell Objects and General Folder/Windows Explorer Shortcuts
For a selected object:
F2: Rename object
F3: Find all files
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+V: Paste
SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the item
to the Recycle Bin
ALT+ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object
To Copy a File
Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.
To create shortcut key
Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a
folder.
General Folder/shortcut control
F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the
entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
F5: Refreshes the current window.
F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer
only)
CTRL+Z: Undo the last command
CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window
BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder
SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus
all parent folders
Windows Explorer Tree Control
Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection
Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection
Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.
RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded,
otherwise goes to the first child
LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded,
otherwise goes to the parent
Properties Control
CTRL + Tab /CTRL+SHIFT+Tab: Move through the property tabs
Accessibility Shortcuts
Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off
Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles
FilterKeys on and off
Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles
ToggleKeys on and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys
Windows Logo: Start menu
Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box
Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
Windows Logo+F1: Help
Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders
Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer
CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch
toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to
items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
Windows Logo=TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box
Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item
Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software Installed
Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows
Windows Logo+P: Starts Print Manager
Windows Logo+C: Opens Control Panel
Windows Logo+V: Starts Clipboard
Windows Logo+K: Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+I: Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+A: Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)
Windows Logo+SPACEBAR: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType
Shortcut keys
Windows Logo+S: Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off
Dialog Box Keyboard Commands
TAB: Move to the next Control in the dialog box
SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous Control in the dialog box
SPACEBAR: If the current Control is a button, this clicks the button. Control If the current Control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the
current Control is an option, this selects the option.
ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with
the outline)
ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
ALT+underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the corresponding
item
Delete key or Delete on the Shortcut menu
Deletes the file
Shift + Delete key or Shift + Delete on the Shortcut menu
Deletes the file and doesn't place it in the Recycle Bin
Dbl Click a drive Shortcut, Recycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer
Opens an folder view of the double clicked item
Shift + Dbl Click a drive Shortcut,, Recycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer
Open an explorer view with the double clicked item selected
Shift + Close Button
Closes the current folder and all parent folders
Shift + Drag
Move a file (default when dragging on the same drive)
Shift + Send To menu
Moves a file (default when sending on the same drive)
Shift + Insert a CD
Prevents the CD from auto running
Shift + Starting Windows
Doesn't run the programs in the startup folder
Shift + No in a file confirmation dialog
Means No To All (XP)
Shift + View menu - Thumbnails
Hides the label for the thumbnails. Repeat to Show (XP)
Ctrl + Dbl Click an object (such as a document file)
Opens in the object behind other windows. Doesn't work on all objects
Ctrl + Drag
Copies a file (default for dragging between drives)
Ctrl + Send To menu
Copies the file (default when sending between drives)
Ctrl + Send To menu Powertoys (except Send Contents to Clipboard)
Sends the short name to the clipboard or run dialog
Ctrl + Send To menu Send Contents to Clipboard Powertoy
Opens a dialog box to specify the data format
Ctrl + Close button
Saves folder settings
Ctrl + Shift + Drag
Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file (default when
dragging only program files)
Ctrl + Shift + Send To menu
Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file
Ctrl + Plus Key in Explorer
Auto sizes all columns
Ctrl + Alt + Delete
Starts the Close Program dialog box
Ctrl + Click a Taskbar Button
Select multiple Windows to tile or cascade (by right clicking the
taskbar)
Alt + Space
Opens the System menu
Alt + Enter or Alt + Dbl Click
Open the Property dialog
Alt + Left Arrow
Moves forward through the history list
Alt + Right Arrow
Moves backwards through the history list
Alt + Tab
Cycles through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt
key is released
Alt + Shift + Tab
Cycles backwards through open windows, and switches to the window when
the Alt key is released
Alt + Esc
Switches to the next open window
Alt + Shift + Esc
Switches to the previous open window
Alt + Home
Home Page
Left Arrow
Collapse the current selection if it is expanded or Select the parent
folder
Right Arrow
Expand the current selection if it is collapsed or Select the first
subfolder
Num Lock On + Minus Sign (-)
Collapse the selected folder
Num Lock On + *
Expand all folders below the current selection
Num Lock On + Plus Sign (+)
Expand the selected folder
Home
Top of File List
End
Bottom of File List
[Characters] tyed without a pause
Goto the object that starts with the characters that were typed
[Single Character] after a pause
Goto the next object starting with that character
Backspace
Go to the parent folder
Right Click the System Menu or the Folder Icon in Web View
Pops up the context menu for the container
Drag an object onto a Windows Titlebar
Opens that object in that window (dragging into the window will often
work, but in OLE documents this will insert the object into the current
document)
Drag an object over, then hover over a collapsed folder in Explorer's
tree view
Expands the folder display
Drag an object over, then hover over, a taskbar button
Brings the Window attached to the Taskbar button to the top
Function Keys
Key
Description
F1
Starts Windows Help
F2
Renames the selected file
F3
Starts Find Files or Folders
F4
Opens the drop down address bar
Alt + F4
Closes the current window in Explorer, exits an application, or if the
shell has the focus (ie Start Menu or the Desktop), exits Windows
F5
Refreshes the view in Explorer, Desktop, or Start Menu
F6 or Tab
Switch between left and right panes
F10
Menu access key (same to pressing Alt by itself)
Shift + F10 or the Application key
Context menu access key
Shift + Ctrl + F10 or Shift + Right Click
Add Open With.. to Right Click Menu
F11
Toggles full screen view
Control Keys
Key
Description
Ctrl + A
Selects all files
Ctrl + B
Organise Favourites (in an Explorer window)
Ctrl + C
Copies a file
Ctrl + D
If a file isn't selected adds the current folder to Favourites
Ctrl + E or Ctrl + F
Opens the Search pane in Explorer
Ctrl + G
Goto (older versions only)
Ctrl + H
Opens the History pane in Explorer
Ctrl + H
Opens the Favourites pane in Explorer
Ctrl + P
Prints the Web View template part of the view if the Web View has the
focus (this isn't a useful feature)
Ctrl + R
Refreshes the view
Ctrl + V
Pastes a file
Ctrl + W
Closes an Explorer window
Ctrl + X
Cuts a file
Ctrl + Z
Undoes the last operation (if possible)
The Winkey
The Winkey works even if Explorer or the Shell doesn't have the focus.
Key
Description
Winkey or Ctrl + Esc
Opens the Start Menu
Winkey + D
Minimises or Unminimises all windows
Winkey + E
Starts Explorer
Winkey + F
Starts Find Files or Folders
Winkey + Ctrl + F
Starts Find Computer
Winkey + M
Minimises all windows
Winkey + Shift + M
Unminimises all windows
Winkey + R
Starts the Run Dialog
Winkey + F1
Starts Windows Help (F1 start help for the current application, if the
focus is in Explorer or the desktop F1 also starts Windows Help)
Winkey + Tab
Cycles through open windows with out bringing the Window to the top
(press Enter)
Winkey + Break
Starts System Properties
Windows 2000/XP Only
Key
Description
Winkey + L
Lock Workstation
Winkey + U
Accessability Utility Manager
Selecting
Key
Description
Click an object
Selects the object, cancelling any other selection
Control + Click, or Control + Space
Selects or unselects the object without cancelling any other selection
Arrow Keys
Moves the focus and selects the object
Control + Arrow Keys
Moves the focus without selecting the objects
Shift + Arrow Keys
Moves the focus and adds the object to the selected objects
Click then Shift + Click
Selects all objects between the two clicks
Drag
Drag a rectangle to select all objects within the rectangle
Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q126449
SUMMARY
This article lists keyboard shortcuts you can use with Windows.
MORE INFORMATION
Windows System Key Combinations
F1: Help
CTRL+ESC: Open Start menu
ALT + TAB: Switch between open programs
ALT+F4: Quit program
SHIFT+DELETE: Delete item permanently
Windows Program Key Combinations
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+V: Paste
CTRL+Z: Undo
CTRL+B: Bold
CTRL+U: Underline
CTRL+I: Italic
Mouse Click/Keyboard Modifier Combinations for Shell Objects
SHIFT+right click: Displays a shortcut menu containing alternative
commands
SHIFT+double click: Runs the alternate default command (the second
item on the menu)
ALT+double click: Displays properties
SHIFT+DELETE: Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the
Recycle Bin
General Keyboard-Only Commands
F1: Starts Windows Help
F10: Activates menu bar options
SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the
same as right-clicking an object
CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)
CTRL+ESC or ESC: Selects the Start button (press TAB to select the
taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu)
ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box
ALT + TAB: Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key and
then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window)
SHIFT: Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to
bypass the automatic-run feature
ALT+SPACE: Displays the main window's System menu (from the System
menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the
window)
ALT+- (ALT+hyphen): Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI)
child window's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu, you can
restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)
CTRL+ TAB: Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document
Interface (MDI) program
ALT+underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu
ALT+F4: Closes the current window
CTRL+F4: Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window
ALT+F6: Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for
example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches
between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)
Shell Objects and General Folder/Windows Explorer Shortcuts
For a selected object:
F2: Rename object
F3: Find all files
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+V: Paste
SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the item
to the Recycle Bin
ALT+ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object
To Copy a File
Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.
To create shortcut key
Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a
folder.
General Folder/shortcut control
F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the
entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
F5: Refreshes the current window.
F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer
only)
CTRL+Z: Undo the last command
CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window
BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder
SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus
all parent folders
Windows Explorer Tree Control
Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection
Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection
Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.
RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded,
otherwise goes to the first child
LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded,
otherwise goes to the parent
Properties Control
CTRL + Tab /CTRL+SHIFT+Tab: Move through the property tabs
Accessibility Shortcuts
Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off
Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles
FilterKeys on and off
Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles
ToggleKeys on and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys
Windows Logo: Start menu
Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box
Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
Windows Logo+F1: Help
Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders
Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer
CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch
toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to
items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
Windows Logo=TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box
Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item
Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software Installed
Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows
Windows Logo+P: Starts Print Manager
Windows Logo+C: Opens Control Panel
Windows Logo+V: Starts Clipboard
Windows Logo+K: Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+I: Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+A: Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)
Windows Logo+SPACEBAR: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType
Shortcut keys
Windows Logo+S: Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off
Dialog Box Keyboard Commands
TAB: Move to the next Control in the dialog box
SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous Control in the dialog box
SPACEBAR: If the current Control is a button, this clicks the button. Control If the current Control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the
current Control is an option, this selects the option.
ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with
the outline)
ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
ALT+underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the corresponding
item