General keyboard-only commands
* F1: Starts Windows Help
* F10: Activates menu bar options
* SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the
same as right-clicking an object
* CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an
item)
* CTRL+ESC or ESC: Selects the Start button (press TAB to select the
taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu)
* CTRL+SHIFT+ESC: Opens Windows Task Manager
* ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box
* ALT+TAB: Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key
and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window)
* SHIFT: Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM
to bypass the automatic-run feature
* ALT+SPACE: Displays the main window's System menu (from the System
menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the
window)
* ALT+- (ALT+hyphen): Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI)
child window's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu,
you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child
window)
* CTRL+TAB: Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document
Interface (MDI) program
* ALT+underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu
* ALT+F4: Closes the current window
* CTRL+F4: Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI)
window
* ALT+F6: Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for
example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches
between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)
Shell objects and general folder/Windows Explorer shortcuts
For a selected object:
* F2: Rename object
* F3: Find all files
* CTRL+X: Cut
* CTRL+C: Copy
* CTRL+V: Paste
* SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the
item to the Recycle Bin
* ALT+ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object
To copy a file
Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another
folder.
To create a shortcut
Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a
folder.
Back to the top
General folder/shortcut control
* F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the
entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
* F5: Refreshes the current window.
* F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
* CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows
Explorer only)
* CTRL+Z: Undo the last command
* CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window
* BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder
* SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder
plus all parent folders
Windows Explorer tree control
* Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection
* Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection
* Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.
* RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded,
otherwise goes to the first child
* LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded,
otherwise goes to the parent
Properties control
* CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Move through the property tabs
Accessibility shortcuts
* Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off
* Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles
FilterKeys on and off
* Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles
ToggleKeys on and off
* Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on and off
* Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off
Microsoft Natural Keyboard keys
* Windows Logo: Start menu
* Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box
* Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
* SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
* Windows Logo+F1: Help
* Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
* Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders
* Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the
desktop
* CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer
* CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch
toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move
focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
* Windows Logo+TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
* Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box
* Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item
Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType software installed
* Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows
* Windows Logo+P: Starts Print Manager
* Windows Logo+C: Opens Control Panel
* Windows Logo+V: Starts Clipboard
* Windows Logo+K: Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box
* Windows Logo+I: Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
* Windows Logo+A: Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)
* Windows Logo+SPACEBAR: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType
shortcut keys
* Windows Logo+S: Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off
Dialog box keyboard commands
* TAB: Move to the next control in the dialog box
* SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous control in the dialog box
* SPACEBAR: If the current control is a button, this clicks the
button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check
box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.
* ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with
the outline)
* ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
* ALT+underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the
corresponding item
ALT+SPACEBAR: Displays system menu.
SHIFT+F10: Displays the Help Viewer shortcut menu.
ALT+TAB: Switches between Help Viewer and other open windows.
ALT+O: Displays the Options menu.
ALT+O, T: Hides or shows the navigation pane.
CTRL+TAB: Switches to the next tab stop in the navigation pane.
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Switches to the previous tab stop in the navigation
pane.
UP ARROW: Moves up one topic in the table of contents, index, or search
results list.
DOWN ARROW: Moves down one topic in the table of contents, index, or
search results list.
PAGE UP: Moves up one page in the table of contents, index, or search
results list.
PAGE DOWN: Moves down one page in the table of contents, index, or
search results list.
F6: Switches focus between the navigation pane and the topic pane.
ALT+O, R: Refreshes the topic that appears in the topic pane.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW: Scrolls through a topic.
CTRL+HOME: Moves to the beginning of a topic.
CTRL+END: Moves to the end of a topic.
CTRL+A: Highlights all text in the topic pane.
ALT+O, P: Prints a topic.
ALT+O, B: Moves back to the previously viewed topic.
ALT+O, F: Moves forward to the next (previously viewed) topic.
ALT+F4: Closes the Help Viewer.
Keyboard Shortcuts Specific to the Contents Tab
ALT+C: Displays the Contents tab
RIGHT ARROW: Opens a book.
LEFT ARROW: Closes a book.
BACKSPACE: Returns to the previous open book.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW: Selects a topic.
ENTER: Displays the selected topic.
Keyboard Shortcuts Specific to the Index Tab
ALT+N: Displays the Index tab.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW: Selects a keyword in the list.
ALT+D or ENTER: Displays the associated topic.
Keyboard Shortcuts Specific to the Search Tab
ALT+S: Displays the Search tab.
ALT+L: Starts a search.
ALT+D or ENTER: Displays the selected topic.
Keyboard Shortcuts Specific to the Favorites Tab
ALT+I: Displays the Favorites tab.
ALT+A: Adds a topic to the Topics list.
ALT+P: Selects a topic in the Topics list.
ALT+R: Removes a topic from the Topics list.
ALT+D: Displays a topic from the Topics list.