Keyboard shortcuts are a boon to productivity on Windows. Many things that require multiple mouse clicks, such as taking a screenshot, can be easily done with a few keystrokes. Windows 11 has several new keyboard shortcuts, but it pays to know all of the best keyboard shortcuts for the platform. Some of them have been around for years but are not used often enough. I bet there's at least one shortcut you don't know about but wish you did.
Keyboard shortcuts for Windows settings
If you're a Windows 11 user, you're no stranger to tweaking settings as the operating system comes with some not-so-good default options. Here's how to make your system faster:
Windows-i : Open Windows settings.
Backspace : If you're a few pages into Windows Settings, press the backspace key to go up a level. Keep pressing it and it will eventually take you back to the settings home page.
Windows-A : Opens Quick Settings (equivalent to Mac’s Control Center).
Windows-L : Lock the computer.
Windows-D : Show the desktop.
Windows-N : Open Notification Center and display Calendar.
Windows-R : Opens a Run window and lets you quickly launch applications.
Windows-S : Allows you to use Windows Search.
Windows-V : Shows your clipboard history.
Windows-Spacebar : Switch between keyboards or input languages.
Screenshot keyboard shortcuts
Taking a screenshot on Windows is very simple, but there are some keyboard shortcuts to help you do it quickly.
PrtScn : If your keyboard has a Print Screen button, this is the easiest way to take a screenshot in Windows.
Windows-PrtScn : Take a screenshot of everything visible on the screen.
Alt-PrtScn : Capture a screenshot of the active window.
Windows-F : Take a screenshot and open Windows 11’s Feedback Center. Allows you to report any bugs or other problems with your computer to Microsoft.
Windows-Shift-S : Take a screenshot of a portion of the screen. You can define a custom area where Windows will take screenshots.
Windows-Alt-PrtScn : Take a screenshot of the active game window using the Windows Game Bar.
If the default tools don't suit your needs, then you should switch to ShareX, the best screenshot app for Windows.
Window management keyboard shortcuts
There are many shortcuts to make it easier to manage open windows in various applications:
Alt-Tab : Perhaps the most famous window management shortcut. Lets you cycle through all open applications and switch between them.
Shift-Alt-Tab : Cycle through open applications in reverse order.
Ctrl-Tab : Cycle through open tabs in a browser, File Explorer, or other application.
Shift-Ctrl-Tab : Cycle through tabs in reverse.
Ctrl-1 : Open the first tab in the browser. Change the number to any number between 1 and 9 and you will jump to the corresponding tab.
Tab : Cycle through all clickable elements on the screen. Continue clicking on it to proceed to the next available option.
Ctrl-Tab : Same as Tab, but in the opposite direction.
Windows-Tab : Open Task View to view the virtual desktop.
Windows-Ctrl-D : Add a virtual desktop.
Windows-Ctrl-Right Arrow : Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.
Windows-Ctrl-Left Arrow : Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
Windows-Ctrl-F4 : Close the virtual desktop you are using.
F11 : Maximize an open window or restore it to its original size.
Alt-F4 : Close the open window.
File Explorer shortcut
Windows’ File Explorer has many great shortcuts for increasing productivity:
F2 : Quickly rename files. You can also select multiple files and use F2 to create a sequentially numbered naming scheme, such as Grand-Canyon-Trip (1), Grand-Canyon-Trip (2), and so on.
F3 : Quickly go to the search bar in File Explorer. Ctrl-E and Ctrl-F also do the same thing.
Ctrl-L : Select the address bar. Also available for your browser. In File Explorer, you can also use F4 to do this.
F5 : Refresh the active window.
Alt-Enter : This shortcut will open Properties when you select any file or folder.
Alt-Left Arrow : Return to the previous page.
Alt-right arrow : Forward.
Ctrl-T : Open a new tab.
Ctrl-Shift-N : Create a new folder.
Alt-P : Open the preview pane.
Various useful shortcut keys
There are also many, many keyboard shortcuts in Windows. Here are some of the most useful:
Ctrl-C : Copy.
Ctrl-X : Cut.
Ctrl-V : Paste
Ctrl-Shift-V : Paste without formatting.
Ctrl-Z : Undo.
Ctrl-Y : Redo.
Ctrl-D : Delete selected items and send them to the Recycle Bin. You can also press Delete to do this.
Ctrl-Esc : Open the Start menu. This is a useful alternative if your keyboard's Windows key doesn't work.
Ctrl-Shift-Esc : Open Task Manager.
Shift-F10 : Keyboard version of right click.
Shift-Delete : Permanently delete selected items.
Esc : Helps you escape many things, such as pop-ups or actions performed accidentally.
Looking for a new Windows laptop? Our friends at PCMag have compiled a list of the best laptops of 2024, including:
HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2023, AMD): $831.27
Acer Aspire 3 (A315-24P): $414 (normally $499.99)
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420): $838
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12: $1,999 (normally $2,099)
Dell XPS 15 (9530) (2023): $1,650
