There's been a lot of talk recently about use use of shortcut keys in Windows 8, primarily because 90+% of the people who will be using that OS for the next few year won't have access to a touch screen.
What this has brought home though is just how many people still reply on the old shortcut keys, and I'm not just talking about Ctrl+X/C/V here.
With this in mind I thought I'd publish here the definitive list of all Windows 7 shortcut keys as taken from my Microsoft Press book, Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out.
To do this | Press this key |
Copy selected icon(s) | CTRL+C |
Cut selected icons(s) | CTRL+X |
Paste cut or copied text or item(s) to current folder | CTRL+V |
Undo your most recent action | CTRL+Z |
Delete selected icon(s) to Recycle Bin | DELETE or DEL |
Delete selected icons(s) without moving to Recycle Bin | SHIFT+DELETE |
Rename selected icon(s) | F2 |
Extend selection through additional icons | SHIFT+any arrow key |
Select all items in a document or window | CTRL+A |
Search for a file or folder | F3 |
Display properties for selected icon | ALT+ENTER |
Close program in the active window | ALT+F4 |
Open the shortcut menu for the active window | ALT+SPACEBAR |
Close the active document in multiple document program | CTRL+F4 |
Show Flip 3D | ~WS+TAB |
Switch between open programs | ALT+TAB |
Cycle through open programs in the order they were opened | ALT+ESC |
Cycle through screen elements on the desktop or in a window | F6 |
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item | SHIFT+F10 |
Open/close the Start menu | CTRL+ESC or ~WS |
Open menu or perform menu command | ALT+underlined letter |
View menu bar in active program | F10 or Alt |
Move left or right in menu bar | ¬ and ® |
Move up or down in menu | and ¯ |
Select highlighted menu command | ENTER |
Refresh the active window | F5 |
View the folder one level up Windows Explorer | BACKSPACE |
Cancel the current task | ESC |
Open Task Manager | CTRL+SHIFT+ESC |
Copy dragged item to destination | CTRL+drag |
Move dragged item to destination | CTRL+SHIFT+drag |
Description | Key |
Choose option with underlined letter | ALT+letter |
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons | Arrow keys |
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box | BACKSPACE |
Go to previous tab | CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
Go to next tab | CTRL+TAB |
Same as clicking OK | ENTER |
Same as clicking Cancel | ESC |
Help | F1 key |
Display the items in the active list | F4 key |
Move to previous option | SHIFT+TAB |
Select or deselect the check box | SPACEBAR |
Move to next option | TAB |
Description | Key |
Collapse the selected folder | – on numeric keypad |
Display all the subfolders under selected folder | * on numeric keypad |
Select or collapse parent folder | ¬ |
Expand current folder or move to next subfolder | ¯ |
Display the contents of the selected folder | + on numeric keypad |
Display the bottom of the active window | END |
Display the top of the active window | HOME |
Open selected folder in new instance | SHIFT+Double-Click |
Description | Key |
Open Ease ofAccessCenter | ~WS+U |
Switch the MouseKeys either on or off | LEFT ALT+LEFT SHIFT+NUM LOCK |
Switch High Contrast either on or off | LEFT ALT+LEFT SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN |
Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off | NUM LOCK for five seconds |
Switch FilterKeys either on or off | RIGHT SHIFT for eight seconds |
Switch the StickyKeys either on or off | SHIFT five times |
To do this | Press this key |
Open Windows Help and Support | F1 or ~WS+F1 |
Display the Table of Contents | ALT+C |
Display the Connection Settings menu | ALT+N |
Display the Options menu | F10 |
Move back to the previously viewed topic | ALT+¬ |
Move forward to the next (previously viewed) topic | ALT+¯ |
Display the customer support page | ALT+A |
Display the Help home page | ALT+HOME |
Move to the beginning of a topic | HOME |
Move to the end of a topic | END |
Search the current topic | CTRL+F |
Print a topic | CTRL+P |
Move to the Search box | F3 |
Description | Key |
Display or hide the Start menu | ~WS |
Lock the computer | ~WS+L |
Display the System Properties dialog box | ~WS+BREAK |
Show the desktop | ~WS+D |
Open Computer folder | ~WS+E |
Search for file or folder | ~WS+F |
Search for computers | CTRL+~WS+F |
Display Windows Help | ~WS+F1 |
Minimize all the windows | ~WS+M |
Restore all minimized windows | ~WS+SHIFT+M |
Open the Run dialog box | ~WS+R |
Show Flip 3D | ~WS+TAB |
Open Ease ofAccessCenter | ~WS+U |
OpenWindowsMobility Center | ~WS+X |
Description | Key |
Move cursor down one line | ¯® |
Move cursor left one character | ¬ |
Move cursor right one character | ®¯ |
Move cursor up one line | |
Delete character to left of cursor | BACKSPACE |
Move cursor to start of next paragraph | CTRL+¯® |
Move cursor to start of previous paragraph | CTRL+ |
Move cursor to start of previous word | CTRL+¬ |
Move cursor to start of next word | CTRL+®¯ |
Select all | CTRL+A |
Copy to Clipboard | CTRL+C |
Copy the selected text to destination | CTRL+drag |
Select to end of paragraph | CTRL+SHIFT+® |
Select to end of word | CTRL+SHIFT+Æ |
Select to beginning of word | CTRL+SHIFT+¬ |
Select to beginning of paragraph | CTRL+SHIFT+ |
Select to end of document | CTRL+SHIFT+END |
Select to top of document | CTRL+SHIFT+HOME |
Paste Clipboard contents to cursor position | CTRL+V |
Cut to Clipboard | CTRL+X |
Undo last action | CTRL+Z |
Delete selected text or character at cursor | DEL |
Cancel the current task | ESC |
Select to character in line above | SHIFT+ |
Select to character in line below | SHIFT+¯® |
Select character to left | SHIFT+¬ |
Select character to right | SHIFT+®¯ |
Select from cursor to here | SHIFT+Click |
Select to end of line | SHIFT+END |
Select to beginning of line | SHIFT+HOME |
Select text down one screen | SHIFT+PAGE DOWN |
Select text up one screen | SHIFT+PAGE UP |
Key | Description |
| Move up one row |
¯ | Move down one row |
¬ | Move to the left or to the end of the previous line |
® | Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line |
CTRL+END | Move to the last character |
CTRL+HOME | Move to the first character |
END | Move to the end of the line |
HOME | Move to the beginning of the line |
PAGE DOWN | Move down one screen at a time |
PAGE UP | Move up one screen at a time |
SPACEBAR | Switch between Enlarged and Normal modes |
To do this | Press this |
Add “www.” to the beginning and “.com” to the end of text in address bar | CTRL+ENTER |
Add the current page to favorites | CTRL+D |
Click the Information bar | SPACEBAR |
Close current tab (or the current window if tabbed browsing is disabled) | CTRL+W |
Close other tabs | CTRL+ALT+F4 |
Close Print Preview | ALT+C |
Close the current window (if you have only one tab open) | CTRL+W |
Copy selection to Clipboard | CTRL+C |
Display a list of addresses you’ve typed | F4 |
Display a shortcut menu for a link | SHIFT+F10 |
Display first page to be printed | ALT+HOME |
Display last page to be printed | ALT+END |
Display next page to be printed | ALT+¯ |
Display previous page to be printed | ALT+¬ |
Display zoom percentages | ALT+Z |
Find on this page | CTRL+F |
Go to home page | ALT+HOME |
Go to selected link | ENTER |
Go to the next page | ALT+¯ |
Go to the previous page | ALT+¬ or BACKSPACE |
Go to the Toolbar Search box | CTRL+E |
Help | F1 |
Move back through the items on a Web page, the address bar, or the links bar | SHIFT+TAB |
Move back through the list of AutoComplete matches | ® |
Move backward between frames (if tabbed browsing is disabled) | CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
Move focus to the Information bar | ALT+N |
Move forward through frames and browser elements (if tabbed browsing is disabled) | CTRL+TAB or F6 |
Move forward through the items on a Web page, the address bar, or the links bar | TAB |
Move forward through the list of AutoComplete matches | ¯ |
Move selected item down in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box | ALT+¯ |
Move selected item up in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box | ALT+ |
Move the cursor left to the next punctuation in the address bar | CTRL+¬ |
Move the cursor right to the next punctuation in the address bar | CTRL+® |
Move to the beginning of the page | HOME |
Move to the end of the page | END |
Open a new tab in the foreground | CTRL+T |
Open a new tab in the foreground from the address bar | ALT+ENTER |
Open a new Web site or page | CTRL+O |
Open a new window | CTRL+N |
Open Favorites | CTRL+I |
Open Feeds | CTRL+J |
Open History | CTRL+H |
Open links in a new background tab | CTRL+click |
Open links in a new foreground tab | CTRL+SHIFT+click |
Open search query in a new tab | ALT+ENTER |
Open the Organize Favorites | CTRL+B |
Page Setup | ALT+U |
Paste Clipboard contents | CTRL+V |
Print the current page or active frame | CTRL+P |
Refresh the current Web page | F5 |
Refresh the current Web page regardless of timestamp | CTRL+F5 |
Save the current page | CTRL+S |
Scroll down a line | ¯ |
Scroll down a page | PAGE DOWN |
Scroll up a line | |
Scroll up a page | PAGE UP |
Select all items on the current Web page | CTRL+A |
Select frames to print in framed Web site | ALT+F |
Select the text in the address bar | ALT+D |
Set printing options and print the page | ALT+P |
Stop downloading a page | ESC |
Switch between tabs | CTRL+TAB or CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
Switch to a specific tab number | CTRL+n (where n is a number between 1 and 8) |
Switch to the last tab | CTRL+9 |
Toggle between full-screen and regular views | F11 |
Toggle Quick Tabs on or off | CTRL+Q |
Type the number of the page you want displayed | ALT+A |
Zoom in | ALT+PLUS SIGN |
Zoom in 10 percent | CTRL+PLUS SIGN |
Zoom out | ALT+MINUS SIGN |
Zoom out 10 percent | CTRL+MINUS SIGN |
Zoom to 100 percent | CTRL+0 |
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The Natural Keyboard list only seems to have Windows XP shortcuts.
Windows 7 also allows:
WS+UP – Maximize window
WS+SHIFT+UP – Maximize window only vertically
WS+DOWN – Minimize window
WS+LEFT/RIGHT – Aero Snap window to left/right
WS+SHIFT+LEFT/RIGHT – Move window between monitors
WS+HOME – Minimize all windows except the current one (same as Aero Shake)
WS+[1-0] on main keyboard – Activate or launch corresponding pinned taskbar icon.
WS+G – Bring desktop gadgets to front
WS+P – Open projector/monitor swticher
There’s probably a few more still waiting to be discovered.
I find that alt-F4 does not always work, esp for microsoft office under XP. I have used alt-F4 since forever!!!
Probably a dumb question, but you use non-keyboard characters in this shortcut list, including:
¬
®
¯
~WS
How do I enter these? I assume WS is the Windows key, but does ~ mean the keyboard tilde or something else, and if so what?
Thanks.
I find that the keyboard has become a series of shortcuts. Every letter I hit becomes a command… For example, I hit the “h” key and it brings up the history box. I did not access this feature intentionally, and I don’t know how to turn it on and off (other than restarting the whole computer). I cannot find the easy answer on the microsoft instructional pages…
I would love to disable some of the hotkeys in Win7 but can’t figure out how to do it. Specifically, the “select all” combo of Ctrl + A. I hit those keys accidently all the time, and the next key I hit deletes everything I just typed. It’s seriously driving me crazy!
Any help on this would be much appreciated. Thanks!
To the “General Shortcut Keys” I have one to add:
Create shortcut of selected item(s) in destination : Alt+drag