After months of Windows 11 insider program, it is now available to its users. Snap layouts, Widgets, centered Start menu, Android apps, and much more are helping you to be more productive and to save time. To help you work faster and more efficiently, this operating system has included some new keyboard shortcuts along with the traditional shortcuts from Windows 10. There are shortcut combinations for practically everything, from accessing a setting & running commands in command prompt to switching between snap layouts & replying to a dialogue box. In the article, we have brought you a comprehensive guide of all Keyboard Shortcuts that you will ever need in Windows 11.
- Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts & Hotkeys
- Newly Introduced Shortcuts – Using Windows Key
- Keyboard Shortcuts – Continued from Windows 10
- Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts
- Taskbar Keyboard Shortcuts
- File Explorer Keyboard Shortcut
- Keyboard Shortcuts in Command Prompt
- Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts
- Keyboard Shortcuts for Accessibility
- Other Commonly Used Hotkeys
Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts & Hotkeys#
Keyboard shortcuts on Windows 11 might help you save time and get things done faster. Furthermore, performing operations with single or multiple key pushes is more convenient than clicking and scrolling endlessly.
Although remembering all of these may seem intimidating, make sure to master only those Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts which you need most frequently.
1. Newly Introduced Shortcuts – Using Windows Key#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Windows + W | Open up the Widgets pane. |
| Windows + A | Toggle up the Quick Settings. |
| Windows + N | Bring up the Notification Centre. |
| Windows + Z | Open the Snap Layouts flyout. |
| Windows + C | Open Teams Chat app from Taskbar. |
2. Keyboard Shortcuts – Continued from Windows 10#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Ctrl + A | Select all contents |
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected items |
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected items |
| Ctrl + V | Paste the copied or cut items |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo an action |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between the running applications |
| Windows + Tab | Open Task View |
| Alt + F4 | Close the active app or If you are on Desktop, open the Shutdown box |
| Windows + L | Lock your computer. |
| Windows + D | Display and hide the desktop. |
| Ctrl + Delete | Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin. |
| Shift + Delete | Delete the selected item permanently. |
| PrtScn or Print | Capture a full screenshot and save it in the clipboard. |
| Windows + Shift + S | Capture part of the screen with Snip & Sketch. |
| Windows + X | Open Start button context menu. |
| F2 | Rename selected item. |
| F5 | Refresh the active window. |
| F10 | Open Menu bar in the current app. |
| Alt + Left arrow | Go back. |
| Alt + Left arrow | Go forward. |
| Alt + Page Up | Move up one screen |
| Alt + Page Down | Move down one screen |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager. |
| Windows + P | Project a screen. |
| Ctrl + P | Print the current page. |
| Shift + Arrow keys | Select more than one item. |
| Ctrl + S | Save the current file. |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Save As |
| Ctrl + O | Open a file in the current app. |
| Alt + Esc | Cycle through the apps on the taskbar. |
| Alt + F8 | Display your password on the login screen |
| Alt + Spacebar | Open the shortcut menu for the current window |
| Alt + Enter | Open properties for the selected item. |
| Alt + F10 | Open the context menu (right-click menu) for the selected item. |
| Windows + R | Open Run command. |
| Ctrl + N | Open a new program window of the current app |
| Windows + Shift + S | Take a screen clipping |
| Windows + I | Open Windows 11 settings |
| Backspace | Go back to the Settings home page |
| Esc | Stop or close the current task |
| F11 | Enter/Exit the full-screen mode |
| Windows + period (.) or Windows + semicolon (;) | Launch Emoji keyboard |
3. Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Window logo key (Win) | Open Start menu |
| Ctrl + Shift | Switch keyboard layout |
| Alt + Tab | View all open apps |
| Ctrl + Arrow keys + Spacebar | Select more than one item on the desktop |
| Windows + M | Minimize all open windows |
| Windows + Shift + M | Maximize all minimized windows on the desktop. |
| Windows + Home | Minimize or maximize all but the active window |
| Windows + Left Arrow Key | Snap the current app or window to the Left |
| Windows + Right Arrow Key | Snap the current app or window to the Right. |
| Windows + Shift + Up arrow key | Stretch the active window to the top and bottom of the screen. |
| Windows + Shift + Down arrow key | Restore or minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width. |
| Windows + Tab | Open Desktop view |
| Windows + Ctrl + D | Add a new virtual desktop |
| Windows + Ctrl + F4 | Close the active virtual desktop. |
| Win key + Ctrl + Right arrow | Toggle or switch to the virtual desktops you have created on the Right |
| Win key + Ctrl + Left arrow | Toggle or switch to the virtual desktops you have created on the Left |
| CTRL + SHIFT while dragging icon or file | Create a shortcut |
| Windows + S or Windows + Q | Open Windows Search |
| Windows + Comma (,) | Take a peek look at the desktop until you release the WINDOWS key. |
4. Taskbar Keyboard Shortcuts#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + Left Click app button or icon | Run an app as administrator from the taskbar |
| Windows + 1 | Open the app in the first position on your taskbar. |
| Windows + Number (0 – 9) | Open the app in the number position from the taskbar. |
| Windows + T | Cycle through apps in the taskbar. |
| Windows + Alt + D | View Date and Time from the taskbar |
| Shift + Left Click app button | Open another instance of an app from the taskbar. |
| Shift + Right-click grouped app icon | Show the window menu for the group apps from the taskbar. |
| Windows + B | Highlight the first item in the Notification Area and use the Arrow key switch between the item |
| Alt + Windows key + number keys | Open the application menu on the taskbar |
5. File Explorer Keyboard Shortcut#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Windows + E | Open the File Explorer. |
| Ctrl + E | Open the search box in the file explorer. |
| Ctrl + N | Open the current window in a new window. |
| Ctrl + W | Close active window. |
| Ctrl + M | Start the mark mode |
| Ctrl + Mouse Scroll | Change the file and folder view. |
| F6 | Switch between left and right panes |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create a new folder. |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Expand all subfolders in the navigation pane on the left. |
| Alt + D | Select the address bar of the File Explorer. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Number (1-8) | Changes folder view. |
| Alt + P | Display the preview panel. |
| Alt + Enter | Open the Properties settings for the selected item. |
| Num Lock + plus (+) | Expand the selected drive or folder |
| Num Lock + minus (-) | Collapse the selected drive or folder. |
| Num Lock + asterisk (*) | Expand all the subfolders under the selected drive or folder. |
| Alt + Right arrow | Go to the next folder. |
| Alt + Left arrow (or Backspace) | Go to the previous folder |
| Alt + Up arrow | Go to the parent folder the folder was in. |
| F4 | Switch focus to address bar. |
| F5 | Refresh the File Explorer |
| Right Arrow key | Expand the current folder tree or select the first subfolder (if it is expanded) in the left pane. |
| Left Arrow Key | Collapse the current folder tree or select the parent folder (if it is collapsed) in the left pane. |
| Home | Move to the top of the active window. |
| End | Move to the bottom of the active window. |
6. Keyboard Shortcuts in Command Prompt#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Ctrl + Home | Scroll to the top of the Command Prompt (cmd). |
| Ctrl + End | Scroll to the bottom of the cmd. |
| Ctrl + A | Select everything on the current line |
| Page Up | Move the cursor up a page |
| Page Down | Move the cursor down a page |
| Ctrl + M | Enter Mark mode. |
| Ctrl + Home (in Mark mode) | Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer. |
| Ctrl + End (in Mark mode) | Move the cursor to the end of the buffer. |
| Up or Down arrow keys | Cycle through command history of active session |
| Left or Right arrow keys | Move cursor left or right in the current command line. |
| Shift + Home | Move your cursor to the start of the current line |
| Shift + End | Move your cursor to the end of the current line |
| Shift + Page Up | Move the cursor up one screen and select text. |
| Shift + Page Down | Move cursor down one screen and select text. |
| Ctrl + Up arrow | Move the screen up one line in the output history. |
| Ctrl + Down arrow | Move the screen down one line in the output history. |
| Shift + Up | Move the cursor up one line and select the text. |
| Shift + Down | Move the cursor down one line and select the text. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Keys | Move the cursor one word at a time. |
| Ctrl + F | Open search for Command Prompt. |
7. Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Ctrl + Tab | Move forward through tabs. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Move back through tabs. |
| Ctrl + N (number 1–9) | Switch to nth tab. |
| F4 | Show the items in the active list. |
| Tab | Move forward through options of the dialog box |
| Shift + Tab | Move back through options of the dialog box |
| Alt + underlined letter | Execute the command (or select the option) that is used with the underlined letter. |
| Spacebar | Check or uncheck the check box if the active option is a check box. |
| Arrow keys | Select or move to a button in a group of active buttons. |
| Backspace | Open the parent folder if a folder is selected in the Open or Save As dialog box. |
Also Read : How to Turn off Narrator Voice in Windows 10
8. Keyboard Shortcuts for Accessibility#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Windows + U | Open Ease of Access Centre |
| Windows + plus (+) | Turn on Magnifier and Zoom in |
| Windows + minus (-) | Zoom out using Magnifier |
| Windows + Esc | Exit Magnifier |
| Ctrl + Alt + D | Switch to docked mode in Magnifier |
| Ctrl + Alt + F | Switch to full-screen mode in Magnifier |
| Ctrl + Alt + L | Switch to lens mode in Magnifier |
| Ctrl + Alt + I | Invert colors in Magnifier |
| Ctrl + Alt + M | Cycle through views in Magnifier |
| Ctrl + Alt + R | Resize the lens with the mouse in Magnifier. |
| Ctrl + Alt + arrow keys | Pan in the direction of the arrow keys in the Magnifier. |
| Ctrl + Alt + mouse scroll | Zoom in or out using mouse |
| Windows + Enter | Open Narrator |
| Windows + Ctrl + O | Open on-screen keyboard |
| Press Right Shift for eight seconds | Turn Filter Keys on and off |
| Left Alt + left Shift + PrtSc | Turn High Contrast on or off |
| Left Alt + left Shift + Num Lock | Turn Mouse Keys on or off |
| Press Shift five times | Turn Sticky Keys on or off |
| Press Num Lock for five seconds | Turn Toggle Keys on or off |
| Windows + A | Open Action Center |
9. Other Commonly Used Hotkeys#
| SHORTCUTS KEYS | ACTION |
|---|
| Windows + G | Open Game bar |
| Windows + Alt + G | Record the last 30 seconds of the active game |
| Windows + Alt + R | Start or stop recording the active game |
| Windows + Alt + PrtSc | Take a screenshot of the active game |
| Windows + Alt + T | Show/hide recording timer of the game |
| Windows + forward-slash (/) | Start IME reconversion |
| Windows + F | Open Feedback Hub |
| Windows + H | Launch Voice Typing |
| Windows + K | Open the Connect quick setting |
| Windows + O | Lock your device orientation |
| Windows + Pause | Display the System Properties Page |
| Windows + Ctrl + F | Search for PCs (if you are on a network) |
| Windows + Shift + Left or Right arrow key | Move an app or window from one monitor to another |
| Windows + Spacebar | Switch input language and keyboard layout |
| Windows + V | Open Clipboard History |
| Windows + Y | Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop. |
| Windows + C | Launch Cortana app |
| Windows + Shift + Number key (0-9) | Open another instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the number position. |
| Windows + Ctrl + Number key (0-9) | Switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the number position. |
| Windows + Alt + Number key (0-9) | Open Jump List of the app pinned to the taskbar in the number position. |
| Windows + Ctrl + Shift + Number key (0-9) | Open another instance as an administrator of the app pinned to the taskbar in the number position. |
Recommended:
- How to Disable Microsoft Edge in Windows 11
- How to Enable God Mode in Windows 11
- How to Record your Screen in Windows 11
- How to Change Wallpaper on Windows 11
We hope you found this article interesting and helpful about Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts . You can send your suggestions and queries in the comment section down below. Check our website for more such cool tips and tricks!
