I made the first version of this list back in 1999. Windows has changed a lot since then, but these keys still pay off every single day.
Here are the 49 Windows keyboard shortcuts I think every Windows user should know. Each one comes with what it does and a quick tip.
We checked the Windows key shortcuts against Microsoft Support: Keyboard shortcuts in Windows in October 2026, so they work on Windows 11. Most also work on Windows 10.
Started in 1999, Updated for Windows 11
The old list had a few keys Windows has since changed. Win + F used to find files; now it opens Feedback Hub. So it’s out, and Win + Shift + S (the screen snip) is in.
Win + D and Win + L made the cut too, and a few descriptions got sharper. The rest is the same list people have been printing and taping next to their keyboards for years.
How to Learn Them: 3 at a Time
Don’t try to learn all 49 at once. You’ll forget them by Friday.
Pick 3. Use them all week until your fingers know them without thinking. Then pick 3 more.
Print the list and keep it next to your keyboard. It’s a lot easier to glance down than to go look it up.
The Windows Key: Open Anything Without the Mouse
| Shortcut | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Win | Open or close the Start menu | Start typing right away to search for any app |
| Win + E | Open File Explorer | The fastest way to get to your files |
| Win + S | Open Windows Search | Search apps, files and settings from one box |
| Win + R | Open the Run box | Type notepad, calc or a folder path and press Enter |
| Win + I | Open Settings | Skip the Start menu when you need a setting |
| Win + X | Open the Quick Link menu | Task Manager, Device Manager and Terminal live here |
| Win + U | Open Accessibility settings | Text size, contrast and narrator in one place |
| Win + Pause | Open System > About | See your Windows version and PC name |
| Win + L | Lock your PC | Do it every time you walk away from your desk |
Windows and Monitors: Switch, Snap and Move
| Shortcut | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open windows (add Shift to go backward) | Hold Alt and keep tapping Tab to pick a window |
| Win + D | Show or hide the desktop | Press it again to bring every window back |
| Win + M | Minimize all windows (Win + Shift + M brings them back) | Clears the screen when someone walks up |
| Win + Up Arrow | Maximize the active window | Fills the screen without hunting for the button |
| Win + Down Arrow | Restore or minimize the active window | Press twice to minimize a maximized window |
| Win + Shift + Left/Right Arrow | Move the window to your other monitor | Keeps the window’s size and position |
| Win + Plus or Minus | Zoom in or out with Magnifier | Great for tiny text or showing something on a screen share |
Screenshots, Clipboard History and Voice Typing
| Shortcut | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Win + Shift + S | Snip part of the screen to the clipboard | Then paste the picture straight into an email or chat |
| Win + PrtScn | Save a full screenshot to Pictures > Screenshots | No paste needed, the file is saved for you |
| Win + V | Open clipboard history | Paste something you copied 10 copies ago (turn it on the first time) |
| Win + . (period) | Open the emoji panel | Works in any program you can type in |
| Win + H | Start voice typing | Talk instead of typing, in almost any text box |
| Shift + F10 | Open the right-click menu | Right-click without touching the mouse |
Copy, Paste and Undo: The Editing Keys
| Shortcut | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + A | Select all | Selects everything in the document, box or folder |
| Ctrl + X | Cut | Moves the selection to the clipboard |
| Ctrl + C | Copy | Copies the selection to the clipboard |
| Ctrl + V | Paste | Add Shift (Ctrl + Shift + V) to paste plain text in many apps |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo | Press it more than once to keep going back |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo | Brings back what you just undid |
| Ctrl + F | Find | Works in browsers, Word, PDFs and most programs |
| Ctrl + H | Find and replace | In Word and Notepad; in browsers it opens History |
Move Around Text Without the Mouse
| Shortcut | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + Left Arrow | Jump one word to the left | Much faster than tapping the arrow key |
| Ctrl + Right Arrow | Jump one word to the right | Add Shift to select word by word |
| Home | Go to the start of the line | Add Shift to select back to the start |
| End | Go to the end of the line | Add Shift to select to the end |
| Ctrl + Home | Go to the top of the document | Works in long emails, documents and web pages |
| Ctrl + End | Go to the bottom of the document | Jump straight to where you left off |
| Page Up | Scroll up one screen | Easier on the wrist than the scroll wheel |
| Page Down | Scroll down one screen | Great for reading long documents |
Select and Delete Text Faster
| Shortcut | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Shift + End | Select from the cursor to the end of the line | Then type to replace it |
| Shift + Home | Select from the cursor to the start of the line | Then press Delete to clear it |
| Ctrl + Delete | Delete the next word | In most apps, Ctrl + Backspace deletes the word before it |
| Double-click | Select a whole word | No need to drag the mouse across it |
| Triple-click | Select the whole paragraph (Word) or line (most apps) | Handy before copying a full paragraph |
Files and Formatting
| Shortcut | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + B | Bold | In Word, just click inside a word, no need to select it |
| Ctrl + U | Underline | Press it again to turn it off |
| Ctrl + O | Open a file | Works in almost every program |
| Ctrl + N | New document or window | In File Explorer it opens a new window |
| Ctrl + S | Save | Press it often, it costs nothing |
| Ctrl + P | Also the fastest way to Save as PDF |
Good to know: Most of these work on Windows 10 and 11. The Ctrl shortcuts work in most programs, but each program decides exactly what they do.
Get the Printable PDF and Excel Version
Everything above is free. Bookmark this page and come back anytime.
If you want it on your desk, the download below is a one-page printable PDF of all 49 shortcuts plus a sortable Excel file, for $0.99.
Want One Key to Do More?
Built-in shortcuts are a great start, but you can’t add your own. These let you:
- Prompt Assistant: paste your signature, address or any text you type often with a hotkey or a short abbreviation you pick
- Windows 11 Power User Tools: our tools for the taskbar, context menu and File Explorer
- The full Windows 11 shortcut list: 52 keys, including virtual desktops and snap layouts
