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Complete List of Computer Keyboard Shortcut Keys

Larry FrankBy 8 Mins Read

You probably must have been using your computer for a long time now, but you are ignorant of the keyboard shotcuts, your keyboard shortcut, help you navigate easily through your computer using your keyboard. Here I’ve come up with a list of keyboard shortcuts every computer literate must know, please if there are any you know that are not listed here, I’ll appreciate if you’ll let us about it.

Here I’ve categorized this list, firstly let me list the category, you can see below.

  1. The General Shortcuts
  2. Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts
  3. Microsoft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts
  4. Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts
  5. Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
  6. Shortcut Keys for Character Map
  7. Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts
  8. MMC Console Window Keyboard Shortcuts
  9. Remote Desktop Connection Navigation
  10. Internet Explorer navigation
  11. Special Characters

The General Shortcuts

  • CTRL+C (Copy)
  • CTRL+X (Cut)
  • CTRL+V (Paste)
  • CTRL+Z (Undo)
  • Delete (Delete)
  • Shift+Delete (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
  • CTRLwhile dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
  • CTRL+Shiftwhile dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
  • F2 key (Rename the selected item)
  • CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
  • CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
  • CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
  • CTRL+UP ARROW(Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
  • CTRL+Shiftwith any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
  • Shiftwith any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
  • CTRL+A (Select all)
  • F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
  • Alt+Enter (View the properties for the selected item)
  • Alt+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
  • Alt+Enter (Display the properties of the selected object)
  • Alt+Spacebar (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
  • CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
  • Alt+Tab (Switch between the open items)
  • Alt+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
  • F6key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
  • F4key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
  • Shift+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
  • Alt+Spacebar (Display the System menu for the active window)
  • CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
  • Alt+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
  • Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
  • F10 key (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 key (Update the active window)
  • Backspace (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
  • ESC (Cancel the current task)
  • Shift when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)

Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts

  • CTRL+Tab(Move forward through the tabs)
  • CTRL+Shift+Tab (Move backward through the tabs)
  • Tab (Move forward through the options)
  • Shift+Tab(Move backward through the options)
  • Alt+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
  • Enter (Perform the command for the active option or button)
  • 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)
  • F1key (Display Help)
  • F4key (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)

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Win (Display or hide the Start menu)
  • Win+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
  • Win+D (Display the desktop)
  • Win+M (Minimize all of the windows)
  • Win+Shift+M (Restore the minimized windows)
  • Win+E (Open My Computer)
  • Win+F (Search for a file or a folder)
  • CTRL+Win+F (Search for computers)
  • Win+F1 (Display Windows Help)
  • Win+ L (Lock the keyboard)
  • Win+R (Open the Run dialog box)
  • Win+U (Open Utility Manager)

Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts

  • RightShiftfor eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
  • LeftAlt+leftShift+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
  • LeftAlt+leftShift+NUM LOCK(Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
  • Shiftfive times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
  • NUM LOCKfor five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
  • Win+U(Open Utility Manager)

Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

  • END(Display the bottom of the active window)
  • HOME (Display the top of the active window)
  • NUM LOCK+* (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
  • NUM LOCK++ (Display the contents of the selected folder)
  • NUM LOCK+- (Collapse the selected folder)
  • LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
  • RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)

Shortcut Keys for Character Map

If you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard, lets see the shortcuts:

  • RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
  • LEFT ARROW(Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
  • UP ARROW (Move up one row)
  • DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
  • PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
  • PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
  • HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
  • END (Move to the end of the line)
  • CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
  • CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
  • Spacebar (Switch between Enlarged and Nor mal mode when a character is selected)

Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts

  • CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
  • CTRL+N (Open a new console)
  • CTRL+S (Save the open console)
  • CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
  • CTRL+W (Close window/tab)
  • F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
  • Alt+Spacebar(Display the MMC window menu)
  • Alt+F4 (Close the console)
  • Alt+A (Display the Action menu)
  • Alt+V (Display the View menu)
  • Alt+F(Display the File menu)
  • Alt+O(Display the Favorites menu)

MMC Console Window Keyboard Shortcuts

  • CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
  • Alt+- (Display the window menu for the active console window)
  • Shift+F10(Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
  • F1key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
  • F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
  • CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
  • CTRL+F5(Restore the active console window)
  • Alt+Enter(Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
  • F2 key (Rename the selected item)
  • CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)

Remote Desktop Connection Navigation

  • CTRL+Alt+END (Open the micro$oft Windows NT Security dialog box)
  • Alt+PAGE UP(Switch between programs from left to right)
  • Alt+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
  • Alt+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
  • Alt+HOME (Display the Start menu)
  • CTRL+Alt+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
  • Alt+Delete (Display the Windows menu)
  • CTRL+Alt+- (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
  • CTRL+Alt++ (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing Alt+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)

Internet Explorer navigation

  • CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
  • CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
  • CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
  • CTRL+H(Open the History bar)
  • CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
  • CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
  • CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
  • CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same asCTRL+L)
  • CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
  • CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
  • CTRL+W (Close the current window)

EXTRA – Special Character Shortcut Keys

  • Alt + 0224 (à)
  • Alt + 0232 (è)
  • Alt + 0236 (ì)
  • Alt + 0242 (ò)
  • Alt + 0241 (ñ)
  • Alt + 0228 (ä)
  • Alt + 0246 (ö)Alt + 0252 (ü)
  • Alt + 0248′(ø)Alt + 0223 (ß)
  • Alt + 0198 (Æ)
  • Alt + 0231 (ç)
  • Alt + 0191 (¿)
  • Alt + 0176 ° (degree symbol)
  • Alt + 0177 ± (plus/minus symbol)
  • Alt + 0153 (™)
  • Alt + 0169 (©)
  • Alt + 0174 (®)
  • Alt + 0128 € (Euro currency)
  • Alt + 0162 ¢ (Cent symbol)
  • Alt + 0163 £ (British Pound currency)
  • Alt + 0165 ¥ (Japanese Yen currency)

I guess this list comprises of almost every shotcut if not all, and make sure you bookmark this for future use. Like I said earlier, if you know any other shortcut that isn’t listed here, you can let us know using the comment box.

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View 19 Comments

19 Comments

  1. ikechi on

    Hi Larry

    I had to bookmark this post because you have done a cool job of listing all the shortcuts in the keyboard. Sometimes the mouse could make work slow, so it is good to be able to do things on the PC with a keyboard shortcut.

    I also want to note that I am amazed with all the shortcuts. I didn’t know that they were so many. Thanks for sharing this info.

    Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hello Ikechi,
      Sure the mouse can make your work slow sometimes, the keyboard is one tool that if well utilised will surely make your job easy.
      Thanks for stopping by, and do have a wonderful day ahead.

      Reply
  2. Emmanuel on

    There is no doubt I have being using the computer for sometime now but when it comes to short-cut keys, the least said about what I can the better. I guess I need to print this out and really be practicing as time goes on.

    Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hello Emmanuel,
      Sure it’s esseincial for every computer literate to have knowledge of the computer keyboard shortcuts, and it really would be of help to you if you do print it out.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  3. umapathy on

    Hi Larry,

    WOW!! Its a long list of short cuts. You must have researched a lot to bring this post. I have bookmarked this post for reference.
    Thank you for sharing this wonderful list of shortcuts

    ~Umapathy

    Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hello Umapathy,
      Sure I did researches for this whole list to be live here, it’s good you bookmarked it for reference purpose, I’m sure it’s gonna be of help to you.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  4. Dennis Seymour on

    I would love to see this with OSX and Ubuntu shortcuts! That will turn this complete list to the ultimate list! 🙂

    Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hello Dennis,
      Sure I’ll create an article where I’ll write the whole shortcuts for OSX and Ubuntu, probably that might be next year though, because I’ve planed my articles for this month. Just stay tuned.
      Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  5. Gracia on

    Already trying out some of this shortcuts which I never knew until now on my pc. Works quite well, thanks for sharing ehh, no more long cuts. Twill save me a whole lot of time.

    Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hello Nate,
      It’s good you found some shortcuts which you neelver knew, here in my list.
      I hope they were helpful aswell.

      Thanks for stopping bt, and do have a wonderful day ahead. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Rohan Chaubey on

    Hi Larry,

    “A long list of short cuts” – This should be the title of the post. lol.

    Thanks for sharing. Got to know many short cuts which I didn’t knew before. f one masters the art of using short-cuts we can use computers like a ninja.

    Again thanks I really needed some of those.
    Regards,
    Rohan Chaubey.

    Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hello Rohan,
      You really are funny, using computer like a ninja? 🙂 lols.. All thesame it’s good you could pick out some of these shortcuts which you didn’t know before.

      Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the weekend.

      Reply
  9. victor chioke on

    Thanks Sir Larry for this post I will try to print it out immediately before I leave I’m very grateful but I want a shortcut to short down the system and not to close the console (Alt +F4)

    Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hello Victor,
      Welcome to my blog, it’s so good that you want to print this out for future use, owing to your question, I think the ALT F4 is the only akternative for windows, while for Ubunti you can use Ctrl Alt Del.
      Which OS do you you want to know so as I can tell you.
      Thanks for stopping, I wait to hear from you.

      Reply
    • Larry Frank on

      Hey Victor,
      Wow! I guess you made some researches to find this 🙂 It feels really good that you could add your contribution to this list.
      Thanks and have a wonderful day ahead

      Reply
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