Despite the user decline of Windows users, plenty of people still use Windows every day. While everyone uses the OS, not everyone knows their way around the popular operating systems. Keyboard shortcuts are an integral part of Windows, and you can get a lot more done if you know them.
There exists a keyboard shortcut for most tasks on Windows, and most users already know the basic ones. However, we have a complete guide to the necessary keyboard shortcuts to improve your experience. Here’s the list of important keyboard combinations that you should memorize.
Useful Windows keyboard shortcuts
While every kind of task has a keyboard shortcut, we have divided the shortcuts into various categories. Read on to check all of them.
Basic keyboard shortcuts compatible with used in applications
| Shortcut | Function |
| ALT + F | Shows the file menu options for the current application |
| ALT + E | Shows the edit options for the current application |
| F1 | Shows the help screen of the current application |
| CTRL + A | Select all the content from the current field or screen |
| CTRL + C | Copy the selected content (item, input, etc.) |
| CTRL + X | Cut the selected content (item, input, etc.) |
| CTRL + V | Paste the selected items to a new location |
| Home | Takes the user to the beginning of the current input field |
| End | Takes the user to the end of the current input field |
| CTRL + End | Go to the end of the document/page |
| Shift + End | Highlights from the prevailing position to the end of the line |
| Shift + Home | Highlights from the prevailing position to the beginning of the line |
Windows system keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Function |
| ALT + Tab | Switch between active applications |
| ALT + Shift + Tab | Switch backward between active applications |
| Windows key + Print Screen | Takes a screenshot of all the screens |
| CTRL + ALT + Del | Brings up the menu with power options and Task Manager |
| F2 | Rename the selected item |
| F3 | Opens the find menu |
| F5 | Refresh content in the file explorer and other applications |
| ALT + F4 | Close the foreground application |
| ALT + ESC | Switch between active applications shown on the Taskbar |
| Shift + Del | Deletes a selected item permanently in the File Explorer |
| Shift + F10 | Perform a right-click function on the selected item |
| Windows key + Shift + S | Open the Snipping Tool to take a selective screenshot of the active screen |
| Windows key + D | Shows the Desktop |
| Windows key + . (Period) | Shows the emoticon menu |
| Windows key + L | Logs out the user |
| Windows key + Tab | Shows multiple desktop screens |
Microsoft Office keyboard shortcuts
Furthermore, certain keyboard shortcuts exist that are exclusive to Microsoft Office applications. Likewise, here’s a list of common and handy shortcuts that you can use in Microsoft Office apps. Also, note that some common shortcuts related to item/text selection work in all these apps.
Microsoft Word shortcut keys
| Shortcut | Function |
| CTRL + B | Bolds the current selection |
| CTRL + N | Opens a new document |
| CTRL + O | Opens the options |
| CTRL + P | Print the document |
| CTRL + G | Opens the Find and Replace window |
| CTRL + I | Italicizes the current selection |
| CTRL + K | Insert a hyperlink |
| CTRL + U | Underlines the current selection |
| CTRL + M | Indent the paragraph |
| CTRL + ] | Increases the font size +1 |
| CTRL + [ | Decrease the font size -1 |
| CTRL + Backpace | Delete the entire word on the left side of the cursor |
| ALT + Shift + D | Insert the current date |
| ALT + Shift + T | Insert the current time |
| CTRL + W | Closing the current document |
| ALT | Highlight all available keyboard shortcuts |
Microsoft Excel shortcut keys
| Shortcut | Function |
| F2 | Edit the selected cell |
| F5 | Go to a specific cell |
| F11 | Create a chart |
| ALT + Shift + F1 | Create a new worksheet |
| Shift + F3 | Open the Excel formula window |
| Shift + F5 | Open the search window |
| CTRL + B | Bolds the current selection |
| CTRL + I | Italicizes the current selection |
| CTRL + U | Underlines the current selection |
| CTRL + F6 | Switches between currently open workbooks |
| ALT + = | Creates a formula to calculate the sum of all the above cells |
| CTRL + Shift + ! | Format the numbers in comma format |
| CTRL + Shift + $ | Format the numbers in currency format |
| CTRL + Shift + # | Format the numbers in date format |
| CTRL + Shift + ^ | Format the numbers in scientific format |
| Shift + Space | Select the entire row |
| CTRL + Space | Select the entire column |
| CTRL + W | Close the document |
Microsoft PowerPoint shortcut keys
| Shortcut | Function |
| CTRL + M | Create a new slide |
| CTRL + N | Open a new slide in a new window |
| CTRL + D | Duplicate the current slide |
| CTRL + Shift + > | Increases the font size +1 |
| CTRL + Shift + < | Decreases the font size +1 |
| CTRL + G | Group items together |
| F5 | Start the slideshow |
| CTRL + B | Bolds the current selection |
| CTRL + I | Italicizes the current selection |
| CTRL + U | Underlines the current selection |
| CTRL + W | Close the document |
| ALT | Highlight all the available keyboard shortcuts |
Finally, the list of keyboard shortcuts that you should use on Windows and Microsoft Office applications is now concluded. We recommend memorizing as many of these shortcut keys as possible to improve your browsing experience.
