SOLVED: Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts – The Complete List

There are four interesting new keyboard shortcut key combinations specifically for Windows 11 and here they are:

New Windows 11 Shortcut Keys:

Windows Key + Z :  Snap Layouts
Windows Key + W:  Widgets
Windows Key + A :  Action Center
Windows Key + N :  Notification Center

 

The most useful short cut key combination added to Windows 10, which still works in Windows 11, was:

Windows Key + .  : Emoji / Symbol Keyboard (yes that is a period)


Here is the complete list of shortcut keys that work in Windows 11:

Alt + D Select the address bar.
Alt + Enter Display properties for the selected item.
Alt + Enter Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item.
Alt + Esc Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened.
Alt + F4 Close the active item, or exit the active app.
Alt + F8 Show your password on the sign-in screen.
Alt + Left arrow Go back.
Alt + Left arrow View the previous folder.
Alt + P Display the preview panel.
Alt + Page Down Move down one screen.
Alt + Page Up Move up one screen.
Alt + Right arrow Go forward.
Alt + Right arrow View the next folder.
Alt + selection key Begin selection in block mode.
Alt + Shift + arrow keys When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified.
Alt + Spacebar Open the shortcut menu for the active window.
Alt + Tab Switch between open apps.
Alt + underlined letter Perform the command for that letter.
Alt + underlined letter Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter.
Alt + Up arrow View the folder that the folder was in.
Arrow keys Move the cursor in the direction specified.
Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.
Backspace Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.
Backspace View the previous folder.
Backspace Go back to the settings home page.
Ctrl + A Select all items in a document or window.
Ctrl + Alt + Tab Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps.
Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop.
Ctrl + arrow keys Resize the Start menu when it’s open.
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) Copy the selected item.
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) Copy the selected text.
Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar button Cycle through the windows of the group.
Ctrl + D (or Delete) Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin.
Ctrl + Down arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.
Ctrl + Down arrow Move down one line in the output history.
Ctrl + E Open Search (in most apps).
Ctrl + E Select the search box.
Ctrl + End (History navigation) If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line.
Ctrl + End (Mark mode) Move the cursor to the end of the buffer.
Ctrl + Esc Open Start.
Ctrl + F Select the search box.
Ctrl + F4 Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time).
Ctrl + Home (History navigation) If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line.
Ctrl + Home (Mark mode) Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer.
Ctrl + Left arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.
Ctrl + M Enter Mark mode.
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons.
Ctrl + N Open a new window.
Ctrl + number (number 1–9) Move to nth tab.
Ctrl + R (or F5) Refresh the active window.
Ctrl + Right arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.
Ctrl + Shift Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available.
Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder.
Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar button Open an app as an administrator.
Ctrl + Shift + E Display all folders above the selected folder.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc Open Task Manager.
Ctrl + Shift + N Create a new folder.
Ctrl + Shift + Tab Move back through tabs.
Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key Select a block of text.
Ctrl + Spacebar Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off.
Ctrl + Tab Move forward through tabs.
Ctrl + Up arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
Ctrl + Up arrow Move up one line in the output history.
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) Paste the selected item.
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) Paste the selected text.
Ctrl + W Close the active window.
Ctrl + X Cut the selected item.
Ctrl + Y Redo an action.
Ctrl + Z Undo an action.
End Display the bottom of the active window.
Esc Stop or leave the current task.
F10 Activate the Menu bar in the active app.
F11 Maximize or minimize the active window.
F2 Rename the selected item.
F3 Search for a file or folder in File Explorer.
F4 Display the address bar list in File Explorer.
F4 Display the items in the active list.
F5 Refresh the active window.
F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
Home Display the top of the active window.
Left arrow Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
Left arrow Collapse the current selection (if it’s expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in.
Num Lock + asterisk (*) Display all subfolders under the selected folder.
Num Lock + minus (-) Collapse the selected folder.
Num Lock + plus (+) Display the contents of the selected folder.
Page down Move the cursor by one page down.
Page up Move the cursor by one page up.
PrtScn Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard.
Right arrow Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.
Right arrow Display the current selection (if it’s collapsed), or select the first subfolder.
Shift + click a taskbar button Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app.
Shift + Delete Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first.
Shift + F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button Show the window menu for the group.
Shift + right-click a taskbar button Show the window menu for the app.
Shift + Tab Move back through options.
Shift with any arrow key Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document.
Spacebar Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.
Tab Move forward through options.
Type on any page with search box Search settings.
Windows logo key Open or close Start.
Windows logo key  + A Open Quick Settings. (🆕 with Windows 11).
Windows logo key  + Alt + Down arrow Snap window in focus to bottom half of screen (🆕 with Windows 11).
Windows logo key  + Alt + number Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows logo key  + Alt + PrtScn Save screenshot of game window in focus to file (using Xbox Game Bar).
Windows logo key  + Alt + R Record video of game window in focus (using Xbox Game Bar).
Windows logo key  + Alt + Up arrow Snap window in focus to top half of screen (🆕 with Windows 11).
Windows logo key  + C Open Chat from Microsoft Teams.
Windows logo key  + comma (,) Temporarily peek at the desktop.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + C Turn on color filters (enable this shortcut first in Color Filter settings).
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + D Add a virtual desktop.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Enter Turn on Narrator.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + F Search for PCs (if you’re on a network).
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + F4 Close the virtual desktop you’re using.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Left arrow Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + number Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Right arrow Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Shift + B Wake PC from blank or black screen.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Shift + number Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Spacebar Change to a previously selected input.
Windows logo key  + D Display and hide the desktop.
Windows logo key  + D Display and hide the desktop.
Windows logo key  + Down arrow Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window.
Windows logo key  + E Open File Explorer.
Windows logo key  + Esc Close Magnifier.
Windows logo key  + F Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot.
Windows logo key  + forward slash (/) Begin IME reconversion.
Windows logo key  + G Open Xbox Game Bar when a game is open.
Windows logo key  + H Launch voice typing.
Windows logo key  + Home Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke).
Windows logo key  + I Open Settings.
Windows logo key  + I Open settings.
Windows logo key  + J Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available.
Windows logo key  + K Open Cast from Quick Settings.
Windows logo key  + L Lock your PC.
Windows logo key  + L Lock your PC or switch accounts.
Windows logo key  + Left arrow Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen.
Windows logo key  + M Minimize all windows.
Windows logo key  + Minus (-) Zoom out in Magnifier.
Windows logo key  + N Open notification center and calendar. (🆕 with Windows 11).
Windows logo key  + number Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app.
Windows logo key  + O Lock device orientation.
Windows logo key  + P Choose a presentation display mode.
Windows logo key  + Pause Display the System Properties dialog box.
Windows logo key  + period (.) or semicolon (;) Open emoji panel.
Windows logo key  + Plus (+) Open Magnifier and zoom in.
Windows logo key  + PrtScn Save full screen screenshot to file.
Windows logo key  + R Open the Run dialog box.
Windows logo key  + Right arrow Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen.
Windows logo key  + S Open search.
Windows logo key  + Shift + C Open the charms menu.
Windows logo key  + Shift + Down arrow Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width.
Windows logo key  + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another.
Windows logo key  + Shift + M Restore minimized windows on the desktop.
Windows logo key  + Shift + number Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows logo key  + Shift + S Take a screenshot of part of your screen.
Windows logo key  + Shift + Spacebar Cycle backwards through language and keyboard layout.
Windows logo key  + Shift + Up arrow Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Windows logo key  + Shift + V Set focus to a notification.
Windows logo key  + Spacebar Switch input language and keyboard layout.
Windows logo key  + T Cycle through apps on the taskbar.
Windows logo key  + Tab Open Task view.
Windows logo key  + Tab Open Task view.
Windows logo key  + U Open Accessibility Settings.
Windows logo key  + Up arrow Maximize the window.
Windows logo key  + V Open the clipboard history.
Windows logo key  + W Open Widgets. (🆕 with Windows 11).
Windows logo key  + X Open the Quick Link menu.
Windows logo key  + Y Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop.
Windows logo key  + Z Open the snap layouts.  (🆕 with Windows 11).
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Q Open Quick Assist.
Windows logo key  + B Set focus for the Show hidden icons dropdown menu.
Published by
Ian Matthews

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