Windows 10 Shortcut cheatsheet

Top keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains common keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10.

Press this key	To do this
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)	Copy the selected item
Ctrl + X	Cut 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 or switch accounts
Windows logo key + D	Display and hide the desktop

New keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains new keyboard shortcuts that you can use in Windows.

Press this key	To do this
Windows logo key  + A	Open Action center
Windows logo key? + S	Open search
Windows logo key?  + C	Open Cortana in listening mode Note Cortana is only available in certain countries/regions, and some Cortana features might not be available everywhere. If Cortana isn’t available or is turned off, you can still use search.
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

General keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts in Windows.

Press this key	To do this
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 + F4	Close the active item, or exit the active app
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
Alt + Tab	Switch between open apps
Ctrl + F4	Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
Ctrl + A	Select all items in a document or window
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)	Copy the selected item
Ctrl + D (or Delete)	Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Ctrl + R (or F5)	Refresh the active window
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)	Paste the selected item
Ctrl + X	Cut the selected item
Ctrl + Y	Redo an action
Ctrl + Z	Undo 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
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + arrow keys	When a group or tile is in focus in the Start menu, move it in the direction specified
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 within 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