Windows 11 has a keyboard shortcut for a lot of what you click every day. Here are 52 that work on Windows, grouped by what you’re trying to do.
We checked every one against Microsoft Support: Keyboard shortcuts in Windows on October 21, 2026.
Start, Search and Apps
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win | Open or close the Start menu |
| Win + S | Open search |
| Win + R | Open the Run dialog box |
| Win + E | Open File Explorer |
| Win + I | Open Settings |
| Win + X | Open the Quick Link menu |
| Win + U | Open Accessibility settings |
| Win + Pause | Open Settings > System > About |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
| Win + L | Lock your computer |
Windows and Desktops
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open windows (add Shift to go backward) |
| Alt + F4 | Close the active window |
| Win + D | Show or hide the desktop |
| Win + M | Minimize all windows |
| Win + Shift + M | Restore minimized windows |
| Win + Up Arrow | Maximize the active window |
| Win + Down Arrow | Minimize the active window |
| Win + Left Arrow | Snap the window to the left side of the screen |
| Win + Right Arrow | Snap the window to the right side of the screen |
| Win + Z | Open snap layouts |
| Win + Shift + Left Arrow | Move the active window to the monitor on the left |
| Win + Shift + Right Arrow | Move the active window to the monitor on the right |
| Win + Tab | Open Task View |
| Win + Ctrl + D | Add a new virtual desktop |
| Win + Ctrl + Right Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the right |
| Win + Ctrl + Left Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the left |
| Win + Ctrl + F4 | Close the current virtual desktop |
Screenshots and Display
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win + Shift + S | Capture part of the screen to the clipboard |
| Win + PrtScn | Save a full screenshot to Pictures\Screenshots |
| Win + Shift + R | Record a region of the screen |
| Win + P | Choose a display mode for a second screen or projector |
| Win + K | Open Cast in Quick Settings |
| Win + Plus ( + ) | Zoom in with Magnifier |
| Win + Minus (-) | Zoom out with Magnifier |
Typing and Clipboard
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win + V | Open clipboard history |
| Win + . | Open the emoji panel |
| Win + H | Start voice typing |
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected item |
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected item |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste as plain text |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo an action |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + F | Find text |
| Ctrl + H | Find and replace text |
| Ctrl + B | Bold the selected text |
| Ctrl + I | Italicize the selected text |
| Ctrl + U | Underline the selected text |
| Shift + F10 | Open the right-click menu for the selected item |
Notifications and Widgets
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win + N | Open notifications and the calendar |
| Win + W | Open Widgets |
Good to know: Most of these also work on Windows 10. Windows 11 only: Win + Z, Win + W, Win + N, Win + Shift + R and Win + PrtScn saving to Screenshots.
Good to know: Ctrl shortcuts (copy, bold, find) work in most apps, but each app decides what they do.
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If you’d rather have it on your desk, the download below is a sortable Excel file plus a printable one-page PDF of all 52 shortcuts, for $0.99.
Want One Key to Do More?
Built-in shortcuts only work while Windows 11 is the active window, and you can’t add new ones. These tools let you pick your own hotkeys:
- Prompt Assistant: type a short abbreviation like “addr” and have your full mailing address or email signature pasted into any program
- Windows 11 Power User Tools: more of our tools for people who live on the keyboard in Windows
- Second Keyboard Manager: put shortcuts you can’t remember, like Win + Ctrl + D, on single keys of a spare number pad
