The document provides keyboard shortcuts for common tasks in Windows, including: - The Windows key opens the Start menu and places focus in the search box. - ALT activates menus and allows navigation with arrow keys. ALT+F4 exits applications. - Arrow keys navigate menus and desktop icons. ENTER opens selected items. - CTRL+C, CTRL+X, CTRL+V perform copy, cut, and paste functions.

1. WINDOWS KEY = Opens & closes the Start Menu; your cursor is automatically placed into the
Search Box at the bottom of the Start Menu so you can simply starttyping the name of the file,
program, file path location, or webpageand then ENTER to open the item. You can explore the
Start Menu using your ARROW keys.
ALT = Activates the Menu Bar, typically a horizontalobject that uses RIGHTand LEFT ARROWS
to navigate through it, and then the DOWN ARROW to open the drop down box for the menu
chosen.
ALT + F4 = Exits an active application; unless done while the Desktop is in focus, then it is the
shutdown dialog box for the computer.
ALT + TAB = Task switcher; cycles between all open programs. Adding SHIFTcycles you in the
opposite direction.
ARROWS =Moves through options on the Desktop, Start Menu, Taskbar or SystemTray, also
in some menus.
ENTER = Used to open item associated with a Desktop Icon, StartMenu Option, Taskbar
Button, or SystemTray Icon. Can also be used to push buttons in dialog boxes, and activate
links on the internet.
SPACEBAR =Used to push buttons on the screen.
ESCAPE= Closes any menu or dialog box.
BACKSPACE = Deletes character-by-character to the LEFT of the cursor (behind it) Add CTRL to
it and it deletes word-by-word.
DELETE = Deletes character-by-character to the RIGHTof the cursor (in front of it) Add CTRL to
it and it deletes word-by-word.
LEFT & RIGHT ARROW =Moves through buttons on Taskbar & Icons on SystemTray. Will also
move between the right & left of the StartMenu, cycling between the 2 sides. Also moves you
between menus on the Menu Bar.
TAB = Moves between the components of mostprograms, dialog boxes, and menus. Also, on
the StartMenu, will moveto the top of the right sideof the menu, to the Shut Down Button,
to the top of the left side of the menu, to the last item on the left side of the menu, to the
Search Edit Box. Adding SHIFTmoves you in the opposite direction.

2. F6 = Also moves you between components of mostprograms; this is good for when you are in
an edit box and pressing TABmerely creates 5 spaces instead of navigating you to the next
field. Adding SHIFTmoves you in the oppositedirection.
WINDOWS KEY + D = Moves focus to the Desktop, then RIGHT and LEFT and UP and DOWN
ARROWS moveyou between the icons, as they are in a grid format. ENTER then opens the
icon in focus.
WINDOWS KEY + B = Moves focus to the SystemTray buttons, then RIGHT and LEFT ARROWS
move you between them, and UP ARROW gets you into the overflow (aka chevron) area.
SPACEBAR then activates the button in focus.
WINDOWS KEY + T = Moves focus to the first icon on the Taskbar, then RIGHT and LEFT
ARROWS moveyou between the icons. ENTER then opens the icon in focus.
WINDOWS KEY + E = Opens Windows Explorer at the computer folder location and in the
items view.
WINDOWS KEY + L = Locks your computer.
WINDOWS KEY + R = Opens the Run box. This command functions like the Start Menu Search
Box, which you access simply by pressing the WINDOWS key – your cursor is then
automatically placed into the Search Box. You can open files, programs, filepath locations, or
web pages by typing them into the run command edit box and pressing ENTER. The run
command performs other, more advanced, functions too.
WINDOWS KEY + 1 through0 on the number row = Opens programs thatare pinned to your
Taskbar, or brings open programs into focus. The numbers areassigned in numerical order
fromleft to right; so if Word if the third icon pinned to the right of the StartMenu on my
Taskbar, then WINDOWS KEY + 3 will open or bring into focus Word. Additionally, if you only
have four programs pinned to your Taskbar and you open a programthat is NOT pinned to
your Taskbar, then it becomes the fifth icon on your Taskbar, so WINDOWS KEY + 5 will bring
that open, but not pinned, programinto focus.
WINDOWS KEY + ALT + 1 through 0 on the number row = Activates the jump lists for programs
on your Taskbar and currently open programs. Thenumbers are assigned left to right fromthe
Start Menu, justlike described in the previous shortcutentry. Jump lists bring up recently
accessed files, websites and tasks, as well as items you’vepinned to the jump lists. Then, UP
and DOWN ARROWS moveyou through the items, and ENTER opens/activates the item. The
RIGHT and LEFT ARROWS moveyou into the pin and unpin option for the items in the jump
list, and SPACEBAR activatethe pin/unpin option.

3. SHIFT + F10 = Opens the Context Menu regardlessof computer type or keyboard style.
Alternative is the APPLICATION key, also known as CONTEXTMENUkey, or the RIGHT-CLICK
MOUSEkey. On full size keyboards this key is usually, butnot always, onekey to the left of the
RIGHT CTRL Key. On a laptop, the Application Key’s position is highly variable with the make
and model of the machine.
F1 = Open the Help menu for the programin focus.
WINDOWS KEY + UP or DOWN ARROWS = Maximize or minimize a window.
CTRL + A = Select All.
CTRL + S = Save.
F12 = Save As.
CTRL + D = Font panel (in many Microsoftprograms).
CTRL + F = Find, or Forward itemin Outlook.
Screen reader note: in Window Eyes it needs to be CTRL + SHIFT+ F to have useful find
results and in JAWS CTRL + F is a JAWS virtual find, not the Microsoftfind.
CTRL + W = Close window (differentthan Alt + F4 because a program can have multiple
windowsopen, such astabs in InternetExplorer or Firefox or files in Word or Excel, etc.).
CTRL + Z = Undo last action, can keep pressing it until you get to the last Save of the file as you
cannot undo beyond a save.
CTRL + Y = Redo last action (only guaranteed in Microsoftapplications, othersuse CTRL + ALT+
Z or CTRL + SHIFT + Z).
CTRL + N = New item (as in a new document in Word, spreadsheet in Excel, presentation in
Power Point, emailin Outlook, or appointment in Outlook).
CTRL + O = Open item (this bringsup a WindowsExplorer dialogue box).
CTRL + P = Print file (the box is difficult to navigate if the correctprinter is notselected).
CTRL + X = Cut text or file(s) to clipboard.

4. CTRL + C = Copy text or file(s) to clipboard.
CTRL + V = Paste text or file(s) fromclipboard.
CTRL + B = Bold formatting, can be used on selected text or turned on beforetyping and then
turned off after typing.
CTRL + I = Italic formatting, can be used on selected text or turned on before typing and then
turned off after typing.
CTRL + U = Underline formatting, can be used on selected text or turned on before typing and
then turned off after typing.
CTRL + R = Right align text in Word;, it is a toggle so pressing it a second time will return the
alignment to what it was prior to right aligning it. Also, it is Reply in Outlook.
CTRL + SHIFT + R = Reply All in Outlook.
CTRL + SHIFT + I = Switch to Inboxin Outlook.
CTRL + E = Center align text; it is also a toggle like right align.
CTRL + L = Left align text; it is also a toggle like the other aligns.
CTRL + J = Justify align text; it is also a toggle like the other aligns.
CTRL + 1 through 4 on the number row or pad = Bring Mail (1), Calendar (2), Contacts (3) or
Tasks (4) into focus in Outlook.
CTRL + ENTER = Send item in Outlook, like email or meeting request.
RIGHT or LEFT ARROW = Navigate by character, either to the right or left of the cursor; (add
SHIFTto any navigation command and itturnsinto a select command). Also, itmoves you
between days in your Outlook Calendar, regardless of the view you are in. Also, moves you
between columns displayed in the items view of Windows Explorer.
CTRL + RIGHT or LEFT ARROW =Navigate by word, either to the right or the left of the cursor;
cursor will be at the beginning of the word (add SHIFTto any navigation command and it turns
into a select command).
UP or DOWN ARROW =Navigate by line in Word, either aboveor below the cursor;
IMPORTANT: thecursor does NOT changeits horizontal position even though the entire line
will be read. Suggestion is to always press HOMEor END so you know exactly where you are in
the line. (Add SHIFT to any navigation command and itturnsinto a select command). Also, it

5. moves you between emails in your Outlook Inbox, or time slots in your Outlook Calendar. Also,
move up or down between folders or files in Windows Explorer.
CTRL + UP or DOWN ARROW = Navigate by paragraph in Word, either above or below the
cursor; cursor willbe at the beginning of the paragraph (add SHIFTto any navigation
command and it turnsinto a select command).
HOMEor END = Navigate to beginning or end of line (add SHIFT to any navigation command
and it turnsinto a select command).
CTRL + HOMEor END = Navigate to beginning or end of document (add SHIFTto any
navigation command and it turnsinto a select command).
PAGEUP or PAGE DOWN = Navigate up or down window by window; in other words, however
much of the text is displayed in your current window then page down will display the next
portion of text that will fit in your window. The amount of text displayed depends on the zoom
level of your program, which is located in the lower right corner of the screen and can be
accessed by pressing F6 (since TAB doesn’tnavigate when in a text box), which switches you
between the ribbon, text area, and the options in the lower right corner. The lower the zoom
level, the more text is displayed on the screen (add SHIFTto any navigation command and it
turnsinto a select command).
CTRL + PAGE UP or PAGEDOWN = Navigate up or down page by page, AND the cursor is
ALWAYS placed at the top of the page, regardless of whereyour cursor started out (add SHIFT
to any navigation command and it turnsinto a select command).
ALT = activates the menu ribbon; TAB and ARROWS willnavigate you through the ribbon.
F7 = Spell Check.
SHIFT + F7 = Thesaurus; can also changeto dictionary or web search – select the word you
want to look up first.
F5 = Brings up the Find and Replace dialog box, with the focus in the Go To tab and Go To
Page/Enter Page Number field - a great way to navigate through a large document quickly.
F4 = Repeat last action (usefulif you wantto formatmultiple things that aren’tnext to each
other).
CTRL + K = Inserta Hyperlink.
CTRL + LEFT BRACKET(to the right of P) = Decreasefont sizeby 1; use with either selected text
or turn on then type.

6. CTRL + RIGHT BRACKET (to the right of the left bracket, to the left of backslash) =Increasefont
sizeby 1; usewith either selected text or turn on then type.
F5 = Refresh page.
ALT + LEFT or RIGHTARROW = go back or forward a page; BACKSPACE also works for go back
a page.
CTRL + L = move to the Address/Location Bar, whereyou can type an URL or performa web
search.
CTRL + TAB = Cycles between all open tabs. Adding SHIFT cycles you in the oppositedirection.
CTRL + F4 = Closes an open tab.
ALT + F4 or CTRL + W = Closes Windows Explorer.
DOWN or UP ARROWS =Moves through the items in the Navigation Pane (also known as the
Tree View) or the File/Item List.
HOMEor END = Moves to the firstor last item in the Navigation Pane or the File/Item List.
F6 or TAB = Moves forwards between the different sections of the Explorer Window.
SHIFT + F6 or SHIFT + TAB = Moves backwards between the different sections of the Explorer
Window
LEFT or RIGHTARROW = Closes an opened/expanded item and opens a closed/collapsed item
in Navigation Pane. Also moves through the items on the horizontalToolbar and Menu Bar
ENTER = Displays the contents of the selected folder into the File List. The selected folder can
be either in the Navigation Pane or the File List. NOTE: this is differentthan “opens a folder”
using the RIGHTarrow key
CTRL + SHIFT + N = Creates a new folder.