45 Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts To Speed Things Up

Since its release in July, Windows 10 has enjoyed rave reviews from critics and users alike, and for good reason. The latest iteration of Microsoft’s desktop operating system takes the best features from the widely popular Windows 7 and the somewhat controversial Windows 8, adding several new features of its own for good measure. Along with these new features come a slew of new keyboard shortcuts as well as improvements in the way the OS reacts to certain existing ones. What follows is a list of new and essential existing hotkeys to help speed things up for Windows 10 users.

Windows-10-Keyboard-shortcuts-hotkeys

Windows Global Shortcuts

Windows Key +  A: Opens Action center, allowing you to view your notifications and access quick settings.

Windows Key +  S: Opens search.

Windows Key + C: Launches Cortana, ready for voice input.

Windows Key + G: Brings up the Game bar, allowing you to record a video of your screen or take a screenshot .

Windows Key + E: Launches File Explorer.

Windows Key + I: Open Windows Settings.

Windows Key + H: Opens the Share charm, allowing you to share a screenshot of the current window or supported media through Mail, OneNote or any third-party apps that integrate with the global share feature.

Windows Key + Print Screen: Takes a screenshot and saves it to the Screenshots folder located inside the Pictures special folder by default.

Windows Key + K: Opens the Connect feature, allowing you to connect to wireless displays and audio devices.

Windows Key + P: Opens the Project pane, allowing you to select a display mode for your multi-monitor setup or a presentation method for a connected projector.

Windows Key + Plus (+) / Minus (-): Launches Windows Magnifier, allowing you to zoom in and out of the display.

Windows Key + Esc: Closes Windows Magnifier.

Windows Key + U: Launches Ease of Access Center.

Windows Key + O: Locks and unlocks display orientation. This can be used to lock the orientation of your Windows 10 tablet or hybrid device in portrait or landscape orientation.

Windows Key + L: Locks your device and allows you to switch between user accounts.

Window Management

Alt + Space: Opens the title bar shortcut menu for the active window, which presents a list of window management and app-specific options.

F11: Launches full-screen view for the active window, provided the app supports said feature.

Alt + Tab: Lets you quickly switch between last used apps windows. Holding Alt and continuing to hit Tab will allow you to cycle through all opened windows.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to quickly switch between windows.

Windows Key + Tab: Shows Task view for quick switching between all opened windows. An alternative to Alt + Tab that doesn’t require you to hold down on the key combination.

Windows Key + Left: Snaps a window to the left of the screen, allowing you to select another window for the right half of the screen. Without letting go of the Windows Key, you can hit Up or Down to snap the same window to the top-left or bottom-left corner respectively.

Windows Key + Right: Snaps a window to the right of the screen, allowing you to select another window for the left half of the screen. Without letting go of the Windows Key, you can hit Up or Down to snap the same window to the top-right or bottom-right corner respectively.

Windows Key + Up: Maximizes a window.

Windows Key + Down: Minimizes a window.

Windows Key + Shift + Left: Moves the active window to the display on the left (for multiple monitor setups).

Windows Key + Shift + Right: Moves the active window to the display on the right (for multiple monitor setups).

Windows Key + Home: Minimizes or restore all windows other than the active window.

Windows Key + T: Lets you cycle through Taskbar apps, offering a preview of each as you do.

Windows Key + M: Minimizes all windows.

Windows Key + Shift + M: Restores all windows.

Desktop Management

Windows Key + Ctrl + D: Adds a new virtual desktop.

Windows Key  + Ctrl + Right (→) / Left (←): Allows quick switching between virtual desktops on the right or left of the current desktop respectively.

Windows Key + Ctrl + F4: Closes the current virtual desktop.

Windows Key + D: Shows or hides the desktop.

Windows Key + Comma (,): Allows you to peek at the desktop for as long as you hold the key combination.

Notification Management

Windows Key + V: Lets you cycle between notifications.

Windows Key + Shift + V: Lets you cycle between notifications in reverse.

Command Prompt Hotkeys

Ctrl + Shift + Plus (+) / Minus (-): Decrease or increase the transparency of the Command Prompt window respectively.

Ctrl + M: Launches Mark mode, allowing you to select text with your mouse. You can turn this on permanently by right-clicking the Command Prompt title bar, selecting Properties and enabling  the “QuickEdit Mode” option.

With Windows 10, the following commonplace text editing shortcuts will work with the Command Prompt provided the “Enable Ctrl key shortcuts” and “Extended text selection keys” options are enabled from within its Properties.

Shift + Left (←) / Right (→) / Up () / Down (↓): Add/remove one character to/from the left/right or one line above/below the current selection respectively.

Ctrl + Shift + Left (←) / Right (→): Add or remove one word to or from the left or right of the current selection respectively.

Shift + Home / End: Extends the selection to the beginning or end of the current line respectively.

Shift + Page Up / Page Down: Extends the selection up or down one screen respectively.

Ctrl + Shift + Home / End: Extends the selection to the beginning or end of the screen buffer, that is, to the top or bottom of the Command Prompt respectively.

Ctrl + A: Selects all characters after the prompt if the cursor is within the current line. If it isn’t or if the line is empty, the shortcut selects everything within the screen buffer, that is, all text within the prompt.

Sameed Khan

I write, game, design at times, and revel in sarcasm. You can find me on Twitter.