Work & productivity / QUICK REFERENCE
Windows shortcuts
Window management, navigation, screenshots and everyday editing without a maze of menus.
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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Sources
cheatsheetatlas.com/sheets/windows-shortcuts/ · Updated 2026-10-19 · Windows 11 · common defaults