Work & productivity / QUICK REFERENCE

Windows shortcuts

Window management, navigation, screenshots and everyday editing without a maze of menus.

33 entries

Windows and task switching

Switch applications
Alt+Tab

Hold Alt and choose a window. [1]

Task View
Win+Tab

Shows windows and virtual desktops. [1]

Show or restore desktop
Win+D

Toggles the desktop view. [1]

Minimize windows
Win+M

Minimizes supported windows. [1]

Restore minimized windows
Win+Shift+M

Restores windows minimized by Win+M. [1]

Snap left
Win+Left

Arranges the focused window to the left. [1]

Snap right
Win+Right

Arranges the focused window to the right. [1]

Snap layouts
Win+Z

Opens available layouts for the focused window. [1]

Move window to another monitor
Win+Shift+Left / Right

Requires more than one display. [1]

Lock the session
Win+L

Locks Windows without signing out. [1]

Navigation and system tools

File Explorer
Win+E

Opens the file manager. [1]

Settings
Win+I

Opens Windows Settings. [1]

Run dialog
Win+R

Only run commands you understand. [1]

Search
Win+S

Opens Windows search. [1]

Quick Link menu
Win+X

Opens shortcuts to system tools. [1]

Task Manager
Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Opens process and performance information. [1]

Notifications and calendar
Win+N

Opens the Windows 11 notification/calendar panel. [1]

Quick Settings
Win+A

Opens available quick controls. [1]

Project display mode
Win+P

Selects projection/display arrangements. [1]

Capture and input

Screenshot region
Win+Shift+S

Opens the snipping selection interface. [1]

Save full-screen screenshot
Win+PrtScn

Usually saves under Pictures/Screenshots; Fn may be needed. [1]

Capture active window
Alt+PrtScn

Copies the active window image to the clipboard. [1]

Clipboard history
Win+V

Requires the optional history feature to be enabled. [1]

Emoji and symbols
Win+.

Opens the character/emoji panel. [1]

Voice typing
Win+H

Availability and data processing depend on configured speech features. [1]

Switch input layout
Win+Space

Cycles installed input methods. [1]

Editing and virtual desktops

Copy
Ctrl+C

Application selection and focus matter. [1]

Paste
Ctrl+V

Pasting can execute text in a terminal; inspect it first. [1]

Undo
Ctrl+Z

Depends on the active application's undo support. [1]

Find
Ctrl+F

Opens application search where supported. [1]

New virtual desktop
Win+Ctrl+D

Creates another workspace. [1]

Switch virtual desktops
Win+Ctrl+Left / Right

Moves between existing virtual desktops. [1]

Close current virtual desktop
Win+Ctrl+F4

Moves its windows to another desktop; it does not sign out. [1]

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Updated Windows 11 · common defaults

Sources

  1. Keyboard shortcuts in Windows ↗