General keyboard shortcuts

F1: Display Help

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert): Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X: Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert): Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z: Undo an action

Ctrl+Y: Redo an action

Delete (or Ctrl+D): Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Shift+Delete: Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

F2: Rename the selected item

Ctrl+Right Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

Ctrl+Left Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

Ctrl+Down Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

Ctrl+Up Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key: Select a block of text

Shift with any arrow key: Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar: Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

Ctrl+A: Select all items in a document or window

F3: Search for a file or folder

Alt+Enter: Display properties for the selected item

Alt+F4: Close the active item, or exit the active program

Alt+Spacebar: Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Ctrl+F4: Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

Alt+Tab: Switch between open items

Ctrl+Alt+Tab: Use the arrow keys to switch between open items

Ctrl+Mouse Scroll wheel: Change the size of icons on the desktop

Windows logo key +Tab: Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D

Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab: Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D

Alt+Esc: Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

F6: Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F4: Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer

Shift+F10: Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Ctrl+Esc: Open the Start menu

Alt+underlined letter: Display the corresponding menu

Alt+underlined letter: Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)

F10: Activate the menu bar in the active program

Right Arrow: Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

Left Arrow: Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

F5 (or Ctrl+R): Refresh the active window

Alt+Up Arrow: View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

Esc: Cancel the current task

Ctrl+Shift+Esc: Open Task Manager

Shift when you insert a CD: Prevent the CD from automatically playing

Left Alt+Shift: Switch the input language when multiple input languages are enabled

Ctrl+Shift: Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled

Right or Left Ctrl+Shift: Change the reading direction of text in right-to-left reading languages

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl+Tab: Move forward through tabs

Ctrl+Shift+Tab: Move back through tabs

Tab: Move forward through options

Shift+Tab: Move back through options

Alt+underlined letter: Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter

Enter: Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands

Spacebar: Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

Arrow keys: Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

F1: Display Help

F4: Display the items in the active list

Backspace: Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box