98 and 95
SUMMARY
This article lists keyboard shortcuts you can use with Microsoft Windows. The following list provides some of the most frequently memorized key combinations:
NOTE: There will be some redundency in this document as it is a
combination of two documents. It is, however, marked for easy navigation.
The primary purpose of this page is to offer 'mouseless' commands. A VERY
few of those listed below do use the mouse, but were included in the
original texts and were therefore not removed.
General Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (for Windows 98 and 95)
Windows Millennium, 98 and 95 commands below
Windows System Key Combinations
Windows Program Key Combinations
Shell Objects And General Folder/Windows Explorer Shortcuts
Accessibility Shortcuts
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys
Dialog Box Keyboard Commands
Bottom of Page
To: Undoes the last action (Undo command in Edit menu); use within a
window. Note that not all actions, such as shutting down, can be undone.
Press: ALT+BACKSPACE or
CTRL+Z
To: Switch view from current application window to next open application
window, including minimized windows on the taskbar; press ESC more than
once to switch through successive windows.
Press: ALT+ENTER
To: Switch view from current application window to next open application
window, including minimized windows on the taskbar in the reverse
direction; press ESC more than once to switch through successive windows.
Press: ALT+SHIFT+ENTER
To: Display the properties of a selected item while working in a window.
Press: ALT+ENTER
To: Switch view from current application window to next open application
window, including minimized windows on the taskbar; press ESC more than
once to switch through successive windows.
Press: ALT+ESC
To: Switch view from current application window to next open application
window, including minimized windows on the taskbar in the reverse
direction; press ESC more than once to switch through successive windows.
Press: ALT+SHIFT+ESC
To: Close the active application window.
Press: ALT+F4
To: Display Document menu from the leftmost icon on the main toolbar of
the active document window.
Press: ALT+HYPHEN
To: Minimize all windows when taskbar has been selected.
Press: ALT+M
To: Copy the active window to the Windows Clipboard.
Press: ALT+PRINTSCREEN
To: Redo the previously undone action; works within a window.
Press: ALT+SHIFT+BACKSPACE
To: Open the menu of the leftmost icon on the main toolbar bar of the
active window; this menu typically contains the following commands:
Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize and Close.
Press: ALT+SPACEBAR
To: Close the active window.
Press: ALT+SPACEBAR+C
To: Minimize the active window.
Press: ALT+SPACEBAR+N
To: Restore the active window.
Press: ALT+SPACEBAR+R
To: Maximize the active window if it is minimized.
Press: ALT+SPACEBAR+X
To: Move from active application window to the previously used application
window; to select an application from a list of the open applications,
hold ALT down and press TAB more than once to move through the list from
left to right.
Press: ALT+TAB
To: Move from active application window to the previously used application
window; to select an application from a list of the open applications,
hold ALT and SHIFT down and press TAB more than once to move through the
list from right to left.
Press: ALT+SHIFT+TAB
To: Select the next icon with the specified name or initial letter while
working on Desktop or Taskbar.
Press: Any printing character
To: Select the menu command with the underlined character (access key) on
an open menu within the window.
Press: Any printing character
To: Select the next icon with the specified name or initial letter while
working in Windows Explorer- Tree View; repeating the character selects
successive items beginning with the same character.
Press: Any printing character
To: Move to the next item with the specified name or initial letter when
working in dialog boxes. Use BACKSPACE to change; in a multiple selection
list box, this command moves to an item without selecting it.
Press: Any printing character
To: Select the icon or taskbar button adjacent to starting point in the
direction of the arrow while working on Desktop or Taskbar.
Press: ARROW KEY
To: Select the next item in the indicated direction while working in
Windows explorer;
add SHIFT to select or deselect additional items; add
CTRL to move to the item without selecting it; in Details
View there is only one column, so RIGHT and LEFT
ARROW
Press: ARROW KEY
To: Expand view of everything under the current selection when working in
Windows Explorer-Tree view.
Press: ASTERISK (on the numeric keypad)
To: Display the contents of the parent directory of an active directory
while working in Windows Explorer; it may open a new window, depending on
the options selected.
Press: BACKSPACE
To: Display the contents of the parent directory of an active directory
while working in Windows Explorer-Tree View; it may open a new window,
depending on the options selected.
Press: BACKSPACE
To: View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer-TreeView.
Press: BACKSPACE
To: Select all the items in the active window (You also can choose Select
All from the Edit menu.).
Press: CTRL+A
To: Display the Close Program dialog box in order to close active
programs, or to shut down the entire computer system.
Press: CTRL+ALT+DELETE
To: Open the Windows NT Security dialog box to choose from the following
options: Lock Workstation, Logoff, Shut Down, Change Password, Task
Manager, and Cancel; if you are not logged on, command opens the logon
dial
Press: CTRL+ALT+DELETE
To: Undo previous action taken within a window.
Press: CTRL+BACKSPACE
To: Copy selected item(s) to the Windows Clipboard when working in Windows
Explorer.
Press: CTRL+C
To: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph within a window.
Press: CTRL+DOWN ARROW
NOTE: Not a 'mouseless' command but included in original text.
To: Display Windows Start menu.
To: Display Run dialog box after displaying Start menu.
To: Display the Find All Files dialog box while working in Windows Explorer.
To: Close the active document window.
To: Go to the next document window in the active application. Add SHIFT to
go to the previous document window.
To: Go to the previous document window in the active application.
To: Display the Go To Folder dialog box (You also can choose Go To from
the Tools menu).
To: Copy the selected item(s) to the Clipboard. (You also can choose the
Copy command from the Edit menu.).
To: Move the cursor's position to the beginning of the previous word.
To: Open the New dialog box.
To: Display the Open dialog box (You also can choose the Open command from
the File menu.).
To: Display the Print dialog box (You also can choose the Print command
from the File menu).
To: Display next tab when working with a dialog box with multiple tabs.
To: Display the previous tab when working with a dialog box with multiple tabs.
To: Move the cursor's position to the beginning of the next word.
To: Open the Save dialog box (You also can choose the Save command from
the File menu).
To: Highlight a selected block of text.
NOTE: Not a 'mouseless' command but included in original text.
To: Select the active item; use after moving with the CTRL key to select
separate groups of items.
To: Deselect the active item; use after moving with the CTRL key to select
separate groups of items.
To: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
To: Paste a copied item(s) from the Clipboard into a selected location
(You also can choose Paste from the Edit menu.).
To: Copy and remove the selected item(s) from their original location to
the Clipboard. (You also can choose the Cut command from the Edit menu.).
To: Undo the last action; note: some actions, like Shutdown, cannot be
undone (You also can choose Undo from the Edit menu.).
To: Delete the selected item(s), or to delete the character to the right
of the cursor; if items are files they will be moved to the Recycle Bin.
To: Delete the selected item(s), or to delete the character to the right
of the cursor; if items are files they will be moved to the Recycle Bin.
To: Disply the next or previous tab page in dialog boxes with tabs.
To: Opens the selected menu when focus is on the menu title, but activates
a menu item when focus is on a menu item. If the selected menu item is
unavailable, ENTER closes the menu.
To: Open or display a selected item; it may open a new window, depending
on the options you have selected. (You also can choose Open from the File
menu.).
To: Close an open menu and return to the parent menu if there is one, or
return to the menu title. If already at the menu title, return to position
previous to activating the menu bar.
To: Cancel the current task.
To: Select the last item in the current list.
To: Move to the first item in the current list without selecting it.
To: Move to the last item in the current list without selecting it.
To: Select the first item in the list and additional items below it.
To: Select the last item in the current list and additional items above it.
To: Select the first item on the tree, when working in Windows Explorer -
Tree View.
To: Select the highest setting in a dialog box with slide out menus.
To: Select the lowest setting in a dialog box with slide out menus.
To: Select the first item in a list box.
To: Select the last item in a list box.
To: Select the first item and additional items in an extended selection
list box.
To: Select the last item and additional items in an extended selection list box.
To: Move to the first item in an extended selection list box without
selecting it. In a multiple selection list box, this moves cursor without
changing the selection.
To: Move to the last item in an extended selection list box without
selecting it. In a multiple selection list box, this moves cursor without
changing the selection.
To: Close a branch, or select the parent of the current item, when working
in Windows Explorer - Tree View.
To: Switch the focus between menus on the menu bar in the direction of the
arrow. If the original menu was open, the target menu is opened as well,
and the first item in it gets the focus.
To: Select the next lower setting in a dialog box with slide out menus.
To: Select the next lower setting in a dialog box with slide out menus.
To: Close everything under the current selection when working in Windows
Explorer - Tree View.
To: Select a lower or higher setting when working in a dialog box with
slide out menus, depending on the application; this is the equivalent of
pressing an arrow key many times.
To: Select a lower or higher setting when working in a dialog box with
slide out menus, depending on the application; this is the equivalent of
pressing an arrow key many times.
To: In Windows Explorer, go the top item on the screen. Use a second time
to select the item one screen above.
To: In Windows Explorer, go the bottom item on the screen. Use a second
time to select the item one screen below.
To: In Windows Explorer, select additional items above an already selected
item.
To: In Windows Explorer, select additional items below an already selected
item.
To: In Windows Explorer, move to additional items above an already
selected item, without selecting the additional items.
To: In Windows Explorer, move to additional items below an already
selected item, without selecting the additional items.
To: In Windows Explorer Tree View, move to the top item on the screen. Use
a second time to move up one screen.
To: In Windows Explorer Tree View, move to the bottom item on the screen.
Use a second time to move down one screen.
To: In dialog boxes and combo boxes, move a selected item up one screen.
To: In dialog boxes and combo boxes, move a selected item down one screen.
To: In an extended selection list box, select additional items above an
already selected item.
To: In an extended selection list box, select additional items below an
already selected item.
To: In an extended selection list box, move to additional items above an
already select item, without selecting the additional items. In a multiple
selection list box, use to move without changing the selection.
To: In an extended selection list box, move to additional items below an
already select item, without selecting the additional items. In a multiple
selection list box, use to move without changing the selection.
To: In Windows Explorer, Tree view, expand everything under the current
selection back to a previously opened state, or use to open only one level
if it has not previously been opened.
To: Copy an image of the screen to the Windows Clipboard.
To: In Windows Explorer, Tree view, open a branch, or select the first
item in the branch.
To: Open a selected menu;
To: Open a selected menu; UP ARROW selects the previous command in the list.
To: Select the next visible object above when working in Windows
Explorer-Tree View.
To: Select the next visible object below when working in Windows
Explorer-Tree View.
To: Select the previous item in a dialog box.
To: Select the next item in a dialog box.
To: In an extended selection list box, select additional items above an
already selected item.
To: In an extended selection list box, select additional items below an
already selected item.
To: Move to additional items above a selected item without selecting the
additional items.
To: Move to additional items below a selected item without selecting the
additional items.
To: Display Windows Help.
To: Opens the Start menu from the taskbar.
To: Open the System Properties dialog box. (You also can choose the
Systems item in Control Panel.).
To: Open the Find Computer dialog box. (You also can choose the Computer
command from the Find item in the Start menu.).
To: Open the Windows Explorer. (You also can choose the Windows Explorer
command from the Program item in the Start menu.).
To: Open the Find All Files dialog box. (You also can choose the Files Or
Folders command from the Find item in the Start menu.).
To: Minimize all open windows. The keyboard focus goes to the least
recently selected icon on the desktop.
To: Expand previously opened windows and return focus to the most recently
used application.
To: This shortcut key is reserved for use by computer manufacturers.
To: Display the Run dialog box. (You also can choose the Run command in
the Start menu.).
To: Select and cycle through the taskbar buttons.
To: Display Help information for the active object or the window as a whole.
To: Activate, or select, the main toolbar beginning with the first toolbar
option on the left, usually File;
To: Rename a selected item (A bold rectangle appears around the title
creating a text box,
To: Open the Find All Files dialog box.
To: Open the drop-down list box on the toolbar. Pressing F4 again moves
the keyboard focus back to the previously used item.
To: Refresh the current window (You also can choose Refresh from the View
menu.).
To: Move between active panes and the toolbar.
To: in dialog boxes with the slide out option, select the next highest
setting.
To: in dialog boxes with the slide out option, select the next highest
setting.
To: Use with tabbed dialog boxes and when the focus is on a tab selector,
to choose the next or previous tab in the current row and to display the
page.
To: Bypass the AutoPlay feature by holding the SHIFT key
down while you insert a CD-ROM ;
To: Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop in the
direction of the chosen ARROW KEY, or to select text within a document.
To: Delete selected item(s) immediately without moving the item(s) to the
Recycle Bin.
To: Display a shortcut menu that shows a list of commands relevant to the
selected object.
To: In extended selection list box, move without changing the selection.
You can then:
To: Paste copied items(s) from the Clipboard (You also can choose the
Paste command from the Edit menu.).
To: Extend the selection to the current item; if you have already selected
more than one item, it selects only the items from the first item you
selected to the current item.
To: Extend the selection from the last selected item to the current item
in an extended selection dialog box, combo box or list-box.
To: When typed alone, selects the current item if it is not already
selected. Use after moving with the CTRL key to select separate groups of
items.
To: Select or deselect the current item in an extended-selection list box.
To: Move between the last selected icon on the desktop, the Start button
on the taskbar, and the taskbar as a whole. There is no visual indication
of the focus on the taskbar, but you can use the arrow keys to move
between the taskbar buttons. You also;
Open Start menu
Switch between open programs
Quit program
Delete items permanently
Cut
Paste
Undo
Underline
Italic
F10:
SHIFT+F10:
CTRL+ESC:
CTRL+ESC, ESC:
ALT+DOWN ARROW:
ALT+TAB:
SHIFT:
ALT+SPACE
ALT+- (ALT+hyphen)
CTRL+TAB
ALT+<underlined letter in menu>
ALT+F4
ALT+DOWN ARROW:
CTRL+F4
ALT+F6
F2
F3
CTRL+X
CTRL+C
CTRL+V
SHIFT+DEL
ALT+ENTER
To Copy a File:
To Create a Shortcut:
General Folder/Shortcut Control
F4
F5
F6
CTRL+G
CTRL+Z
CTRL+A
BACKSPACE
Windows Explorer Tree Control
Numeric Keypad *
Numeric Keypad +
Numeric Keypad -
RIGHT ARROW
LEFT ARROW
Property Sheet Control
CTRL+TAB/CTRL+
SHIFT+TAB:
Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for
8 seconds
Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for 5
seconds
Left ALT+Left SHIFT+NUM
LOCK
Left ALT+Left SHIFT+PRINT
SCREEN
WINDOWS+R
WINDOWS+M
SHIFT+WINDOWS+M
WINDOWS+F1
WINDOWS+E
WINDOWS+F
WINDOWS+D
CTRL+WINDOWS+F
CTRL+WINDOWS+TAB
WINDOWS+TAB
WINDOWS+BREAK
Application key
Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software
Installed
WINDOWS+L
WINDOWS+P
WINDOWS+C
WINDOWS+V
WINDOWS+K
WINDOWS+I
WINDOWS+A
WINDOWS+SPACEBAR
WINDOWS+S
SHIFT+TAB
SPACEBAR
ENTER
ESC
ALT+<underlined letter in dialog box
item>
Send email
To: Copy a selelcted file to a folder by dragging the file to the folder.
Press: CTRL+DRAG A FILE
Press: CTRL+ESC
Press: CTRL+ESC and then R
Press: CTRL+F or F3
Press: CTRL+F4
Press: CTRL+F6
Press: CTRL+SHIFT+F6
Press: CTRL+G
Press: CTRL+INSERT OR
CTRL+C
Press: CTRL+LEFT ARROW
Press: CTRL+N
Press: CTRL+O
Press: CTRL+P
Press: CTRL+PAGE DOWN or
CTRL+TAB
Press: CTRL+PAGE UP or
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Press: CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Press: CTRL+S
Press: CTRL+SHIFT+ANY
ARROW KEY
To: Create a shortcut icon for a selected file in a selected place.
Press: CTRL+SHIFT+DRAG A FILE
Press: CTRL+SPACEBAR
Press: CTRL+SPACEBAR
Press: CTRL+UP ARROW
Press: CTRL+V
Press: CTRL+X
Press: CTRL+Z
Press: DELETE
Press: DELETE
Press: DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW
Press: ENTER
Press: ENTER
Press: ESC
Press: ESC
Press: END
Press: HOME+CTRL
Press: END+CTRL
Press: SHIFT+HOME
Press: SHIFT+END
Press: HOME
Press: HOME
Press: END
Press: HOME
Press: END
Press: SHIFT+HOME
Press: SHIFT+END
Press: HOME+CTRL
Press: END+CTRL
Press: LEFT ARROW
Press: LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW
Press: LEFT ARROW
Press: UP ARROW
Press: MINUS SIGN (on the numeric keypad)
Press: PAGE DOWN
Press: PAGE UP
Press: PAGE UP
Press: PAGE DOWN
Press: SHIFT+PAGE UP
Press: SHIFT+PAGE DOWN
Press: PAGE UP+CTRL
Press: PAGE DOWN+CTRL
Press: PAGE UP
Press: PAGE DOWN
Press: PAGE UP
Press: PAGE DOWN
Press: SHIFT+PAGE UP
Press: SHIFT+PAGE DOWN
Press: CTRL+PAGE UP
Press: CTRL+PAGE DOWN
Press: PLUS SIGN (on the numeric keypad)
Press: PRINT SCREEN
Press: RIGHT ARROW
DOWN ARROW selects the next command in the list.
Press: DOWN ARROW
Press: UP ARROW
Press: UP ARROW
Press: DOWN ARROW
Press: UP ARROW
Press: DOWN ARROW
Press: SHIFT+UP ARROW
Press: SHIFT+DOWN ARROW
Press: CTRL+UP ARROW
Press: CTRL+DOWN ARROW
Press: WIN+F1
When you use CTRL+ESC, you can press
ESC again to place the keyboard focus on the Start
button.
When you use the Windows logo key, pressing ESC again
closes the Start menu.
Press: Windows logo key or
CTRL+ESC
Press: Windows logo key+BREAK
Press: Windows logo
key+CTRL+F
Press: Windows logo key+E
Press: Windows logo key+F
Press: Windows logo key+M
Press: Windows logo
key+M+SHIFT
Press: Windows logo key+number
Press: Windows logo key+R
Press: Windows logo key+TAB
Press: F1
After the first option is activated you can navigate through toolbar and
menu options using the appropriate ARROW keys; press
F10 or ALT again
Press: F10 or ALT
Type the new name and press ENTER;
Press ESC to cancel. Some icons on the desktop cannot be
renamed).
Press: F2
Press: F3
Press: F4
Press: F5
Press: F6 or TAB
Press: RIGHT ARROW
Press: DOWN ARROW
Press: RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW
hold down the SHIFT key while Microsoft Word is loading
to suppress the AutoExec macro.
Press: SHIFT
Press: SHIFT+ANY ARROW KEY
Press: SHIFT+DELETE
Press: SHIFT+F10 or Application key
(also the right mouse click)
Press CTRL+SPACEBAR or
SHIFT+SPACEBAR to select additional
items. The list box returns to normal operation when you press
SHIFT+F8 a second time or switch to
another Press: SHIFT+F8
Press: SHIFT+INSERT OR
CTRL+V
Press: SHIFT+SPACE
Press: SHIFT+SPACE
Press: SPACE
Press: SPACEBAR or
CTRL+SPACE
Press: TAB
Windows System Key Combinations
Help
F1
CTRL+ESC
ALT+TAB
ALT+F4
SHIFT+DELETE
Windows Program Key Combinations
Copy
CTRL+C
CTRL+X
CTRL+V
CTRL+Z
Bold
CTRL+B
CTRL+U
CTRL+I
More Information
F1:
Starts Windows Help.
Activates menu bar options.
Opens a context menu for the selected item. This is the same as
right-clicking an object.
Opens the Start menu. Use the ARROW keys to select an item.
Selects the Start button.
Press TAB to select the taskbar, or press
SHIFT+F10 for a context menu.
Opens a drop-down list box.
Switch to another running application.
Hold down the ALT key and then press the
TAB key to view the task-switching window.
Press down and hold the SHIFT key while you insert a
CD-ROM to bypass the auto-run feature.
Displays the main window's System menu. From the System menu, you can
restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window.
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.
Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI)
application.
Opens the corresponding menu.
Closes the current window.
Opens a drop-down list box.
Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window.
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:
Rename object
Find: All Files
Cut
Copy
Paste
Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin.
Open the property sheet for the selected object.
Press down and hold the CTRL key while you drag the file
to another folder.
Press down and hold CTRL+SHIFT while you
drag a file to the desktop or a folder.
Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the
box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer).
Refreshes the current window.
Moves among panes in Windows Explorer.
Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only).
Undo the last command.
Select all the items in the current window.
Switch to the parent folder.
Expands everything under the current selection.
Expands the current selection.
Collapses the current selection.
Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the
first child.
Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the
parent.
Move through the property tabs.
Accessibility Shortcuts
Tap SHIFT Key 5 times
Toggles StickyKeys on and off.
Toggles FilterKeys on and off.
Toggles ToggleKeys on and off.
Toggles MouseKeys on and off.
Toggles High Contrast on and off.
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys
WINDOWS
Start Menu
Run dialog box
Minimize All
Undo Minimize All
Help
Windows Explorer
Find Files or Folders
Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
Find Computer
Moves focus from Start, to Quick Launch bar, to System Tray.
Use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move
focus to items on Quick Launch bar and System Tray
Cycle through taskbar buttons
System Properties dialog box
Displays a context menu for the selected item
Log off Windows
Opens Print Manager
Opens Control Panel
Opens Clipboard
Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box
Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
Opens Accessibility Options(if installed)
Displays the list of IntelliType Hotkeys
Toggles the CAP LOCK key on and off
Dialog Box Keyboard Commands
TAB
Move to the next control in the dialog box.
Move to the previous control in the dialog box.
If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current
control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control
is an option button, this selects the option button.
Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline).
Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button.
Move to the corresponding item.
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Other worthy endeavours & organizations to support are
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