| |

Essential Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows includes a wide range of keyboard shortcuts that help you work faster and navigate the system more efficiently. The shortcuts below cover the most commonly used features across modern versions of Windows.

Core system shortcuts

  • Windows Key + R
    Opens the Run dialog, allowing you to launch programs or tools by name.
  • Windows Key + E
    Opens File Explorer.
  • Windows Key + D
    Shows the desktop (press again to restore windows).
  • Windows Key + L
    Locks your PC.
  • Windows Key + A
    Opens Quick Settings (Windows 11) or Action Center (Windows 10).
  • Windows Key + I
    Opens Settings.
  • Windows Key + X
    Opens the Quick Link menu with access to Device Manager, Disk Management, Terminal/PowerShell, and more.

Window and multitasking shortcuts

  • Windows Key + Tab
    Opens Task View to switch between apps and virtual desktops.
  • Alt + Tab
    Quickly switch between open apps.
  • Windows Key + Arrow Keys
    Snap windows to the left, right, top, or corners of the screen.
  • Windows Key + M
    Minimises all windows.
  • Windows Key + Shift + M
    Restores minimised windows.

Taskbar shortcuts

  • Windows Key + Number Key (1–9)
    Opens or focuses the Nth app pinned to the taskbar (1 = leftmost).

Search and navigation shortcuts

  • Windows Key + S or Windows Key + Q
    Opens Search.
  • Windows Key + . (Full Stop)
    Opens the emoji and symbol picker.

Useful extras

  • Windows Key + V
    Opens the Clipboard History (if enabled).
  • Windows Key + Shift + S
    Opens the Snipping Tool capture overlay for screenshots.
  • Windows Key + P
    Opens display projection options (useful for monitors and projectors).

Reviewed 12/01/2026

How useful was this article?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Similar Posts

  • How to configure your Google Chromebook to use a Proxy Server

    Posted on Updated on

    Some networks require you to use a proxy server to access the Internet. A proxy server is another computer or device that acts as an intermediary between you and the Internet by relaying your requests to a server and the servers responses back to you. Unfortunately, this type of setup requires you to specify certain…

  • How do I open an Elevated Command Prompt?

    Posted on Updated on

    I need to run a Command Prompt as a an administrator, how do I open an Elevated Command Prompt? There will need to be a user that has Administrative rights associated with the machine. Type cmd.exe into the search box on the Start menu. Right click on it and choose Run As or Run As…

  • Firewall and proxy settings for Google Drive

    Posted on Updated on

    Before users on your network will be able to access Google Drive and Google Docs editors, your firewall rules should connect to the following hosts and ports. Otherwise, users may be blocked or denied access from these services. For the following hosts, [N] means any single decimal digit and * means any string not containing a…

  • How to Check Whether a Computer Is Reachable on the Network (macOS)

    Posted on Updated on

    Modern versions of macOS no longer include the old Network Utility app. Instead, you can use Terminal or built‑in Finder tools to send a ping — a small packet of data used to test whether another device is reachable on the network. Method 1: Use Terminal (recommended) Open Terminal Go to Applications → Utilities →…