Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts
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Here are the most useful Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts — get to know these and you’ll save oodles of time as you zip around Windows 10 without taking your hands off the keys.
* The Pause key is located to the upper right of most keyboards; however, some portable and laptop keyboards don’t have a Pause key.
| KEY COMBINATION | WHAT IT DOES |
| Windows key | Show/hide the Start menu (toggle) |
| Windows-A | Show/hide the Action Center (toggle) |
| Windows-C | Open Cortana in listening mode |
| Windows-D | Show the desktop or go to your previous location |
| Windows-E | Open File Explorer |
| Windows-H | Take a screenshot of your current app and share it |
| Windows-I | Open the Settings app |
| Windows-K | Connect to a wireless display or audio device |
| Windows-L | Lock the device or switch accounts |
| Windows-M | Minimize all windows |
| Windows-O | Lock the screen orientation |
| Windows-R | Open the Run box |
| Windows-S | Open the Search box (or Cortana, if you’ve enabled it) |
| Windows-T | Put the focus on the taskbar and cycle through your running desktop apps |
| Windows-X | Open a menu of tools for power users |
| Windows-Tab | Open Task View |
| Windows-Pause* | Display System Properties screen |
| Windows-1 through 9 | Go to the app in the corresponding position on the taskbar |
| Windows-, (comma) | Peek at the desktop (requires holding the Windows key down) |
| Windows-Home | Minimize/restore non-active desktop apps (toggle) |
| Windows-up arrow | Maximize a desktop app (or restore it if it’s minimized) |
| Windows-down arrow | Minimize a desktop app (or restore it if it’s maximized) |
| Windows-F1 | Get Windows help |
| Windows-Ctrl-D | Add a virtual desktop |
| Windows-Ctrl-F4 | Close the virtual desktop you’re working in |
| Alt-Tab | Cycle through thumbnails of open apps |
| Alt-F4 | Exit the current Windows app or desktop application |
| Ctrl-A | Select all |
| Ctrl-C | Copy |
| Ctrl-E | Select the address bar in Edge |
| Ctrl-N | Open a new window in Edge |
| Ctrl-R | Refresh |
| Ctrl-V | Paste |
| Ctrl-X | Cut |
| Ctrl-W | Close the current window in Edge |
| Ctrl-Y | Redo |
| Ctrl-Z | Undo |
| Ctrl-F4 | Close the active document in desktop apps |
| Ctrl-mouse click | Select multiple items in File Explorer |
| Ctrl-Shift | Select a group of contiguous items in File Explorer |
| Ctrl-Shift-Esc | Run the Task Manager |
| Ctrl-Shift-N | Create a new folder in File Explorer |
| PrtScrn | Take a screenshot and place it on the Clipboard |
| F3 | Search for a file or folder in File Explorer |