Windows Keyboard Shortcuts - 50+ Win Key Combos

Windows shortcuts are wildly uneven in value: a handful of chords absorb dozens of actions a day, while most of the rest only matter in narrow situations. This sheet is grouped into General, File Explorer, Screenshots, Window Management, System and Command Line so you can look up the situation you are in rather than read end to end. Three to learn first: Win+arrow to snap a window and Win+Shift+arrow to move it between displays, which solves the problem of never having the window arranged the way you want; Win+Shift+S for screenshots, which lands in the notification where the built-in editor opens directly; and Ctrl+Shift+Esc straight into Task Manager, saving the extra selection step Ctrl+Alt+Delete requires. Learn the rest on demand - the Explorer group covers address bar and Ctrl+T multi-tab navigation for people moving between directories all day, and the Command Line group covers things with no default shortcut such as right-click paste in CMD and history recall. The filter for what to memorise is simple: any action you have repeated more than three times in a week is worth a chord.

Shortcuts·53 commands·Last updated 2026-07-31

Typical Use Case

For heavy Windows users who need multi-monitor snapping and fast window switching. Prioritise Win+arrow for snapping (one second to a two-screen layout), Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Shift+Esc for the Task Manager straight away, and Win+X for the administrative entry points. Organised in six groups: general, File Explorer, screenshots, window management, system and command line. Each entry notes the macOS equivalent so the two systems reinforce rather than conflict.

General 9

Win

Open/close Start menu

Win+S

Open Search

Win+I

Open Settings

Win+D

Show desktop (toggle)

Alt+Tab

Switch between open windows

Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Open Task Manager directly

Alt+F4

Close current window or quit app

Win+L

Lock the computer

Win+E

Open File Explorer

File Explorer 11

Ctrl+N

Open new window

Ctrl+Shift+N

Create new folder

Ctrl+W

Close current window

Ctrl+Shift+E

Expand parent of selected folder

Alt+↑

Go up one level

Alt+←

Back to previous folder

Alt+→

Forward to next folder

Ctrl+A

Select all

F2

Rename selected item

Delete

Delete to Recycle Bin

Shift+Delete

Delete permanently (bypass Recycle Bin)

Screenshots 5

PrtScn

Capture full screen to clipboard

Alt+PrtScn

Capture active window to clipboard

Win+PrtScn

Capture full screen and save to Pictures\Screenshots

Win+Shift+S

Open Snipping Tool (selection/window/full/free-form)

Win+Alt+PrtScn

Screenshot current game/app via Xbox Game Bar

Window Management 10

Win+↑

Maximize window

Win+↓

Minimize or restore window

Win+←

Snap window to left half

Win+→

Snap window to right half

Win+Shift+←

Move window to left monitor

Win+Shift+→

Move window to right monitor

Win+Home

Minimize all windows except the active one

Win+Tab

Open Task View, see all windows and virtual desktops

Ctrl+Win+D

Create new virtual desktop

Ctrl+Win+F4

Close current virtual desktop

System 7

Win+R

Open Run dialog

Win+X

Open Quick Link menu (PowerShell/Device Manager etc.)

Win+A

Open Action Center (notifications and quick settings)

Win+P

Project screen (PC only/Duplicate/Extend/Second screen only)

Win+K

Open Connect devices (Bluetooth/wireless display)

Win+Pause

View system properties

Ctrl+Alt+Delete

Security options screen (Lock/Switch User/Task Manager)

Command Line (CMD / PowerShell) 11

Ctrl+C

Cancel current command or copy selected text

Ctrl+V

Paste

Ctrl+A

Select all in command line

Ctrl+M

Enter mark mode (select text with arrow keys)

↑

Previous command in history

↓

Next command in history

F7

Show command history list

Tab

Auto-complete file name/path

Esc

Clear current input line

Ctrl+Shift+Plus(+)

Increase font size (Windows Terminal)

Ctrl+Shift+Minus(-)

Decrease font size (Windows Terminal)

Parameter matrix

Parameter	Effect	Example
`Win+D`	Show the desktop (press again to restore).	`Win+D`
`Win+E`	Open File Explorer.	`Win+E`
`Win+R`	Open the Run dialog.	`Win+R → cmd`
`Win+X`	Open the Quick Link menu (PowerShell/Task Manager, etc.).	`Win+X`
`Win+← / Win+→`	Snap the window to the left/right half of the screen.	`Win+→`
`Win+Shift+← / →`	Move the window to the left/right monitor.	`Win+Shift+→`
`Alt+Tab`	Switch windows.	`Alt+Tab (add Shift to reverse)`
`Ctrl+Shift+Esc`	Open Task Manager directly.	`Ctrl+Shift+Esc`
`Win+Shift+S`	Snipping tool (region/window/full screen).	`Win+Shift+S`
`PrtScn / Alt+PrtScn`	Full screen / current window to the clipboard.	`Alt+PrtScn`
`Ctrl+M (command line)`	Enter mark mode to select scrollback output.	`Arrow keys to select after Ctrl+M`
`Win+P`	Switch projection/multi-monitor mode.	`Win+P`

Common pitfalls

SymptomWin+arrow keys do nothing and the window does not move.

CauseThe classic context menu (with an icon not selected) or certain full-screen apps block this shortcut.

FixFirst move focus to an ordinary desktop; inside a full-screen app you must exit full screen first.

SymptomPressing Ctrl+C in the command line does not copy; it interrupts the running command.

CauseIn the command line Ctrl+C is the interrupt signal, not copy.

FixIn the command line use Ctrl+Shift+C / Ctrl+Shift+V, or paste with the right mouse button.

SymptomThe screenshot went to the clipboard but there is no file to find.

CausePrtScn only copies to the clipboard; it does not save to disk.

FixPaste and save with Ctrl+V, or use Win+PrtScn to save directly to the "Screenshots" folder.

SymptomAfter Ctrl+M the terminal behaves abnormally and you cannot type normally.

CauseYou entered mark mode, where the meaning of the keys changes.

FixPress Esc to leave mark mode and return to normal input.

SymptomWith multiple monitors the window always appears on the primary screen.

CauseThe system remembered the window position, or the GPU output configuration is off.

FixUse Win+Shift+arrow keys to push it to the target screen manually; if necessary check recognition under Settings → System → Display.

SymptomWhen snapping, a window just will not stick to the target position, or it occupies only a small patch.

CauseDifferent resolutions and scaling make Windows believe the available screen area differs from reality.

FixSet both monitors to the same scaling (both 100% or both 125%), then snap again.

Troubleshooting

1Open high-frequency management entry points.
Win+X
It gathers PowerShell (admin), Terminal, Task Manager, Device Manager and more, with no need to dig through the Start menu.
2Split left and right in one second.
Win+→ then Win+←
The first window snaps right, the second snaps left; add Win+↑ to maximize for the common dual-pane layout.
3Open Task Manager directly to see resource usage.
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
The "Performance" tab shows live curves; the "Details" tab sorts by the memory column to find the big consumers.
4Select scrollback output in the command line.
Ctrl+M
After entering mark mode, use the arrow keys to select; it selects the scrollback history, not just the current input line.
5Save a screenshot straight to disk.
Win+PrtScn
The whole screen is saved to "Pictures → Screenshots"; Win+Shift+S instead goes to the clipboard for easy pasting.

Command Examples

Complete file paths from any app

Win+R (type explorer)
Tab (completes the path)

Tab completion in the Run box finishes directory names faster than typing them, and the same key completes paths in File Explorer. It is the most useful bridge between the shell and the GUI.

Capture a region and paste it without writing a file

Win+Shift+S (drag-select a region)
Ctrl+V (paste into the chat window)

Win+Shift+S is the right default for quick sharing: no file is produced and nothing accumulates under Pictures\Screenshots. PrtScn writes full-screen files, which pile up over time with sensitive content.

Compare two documents side by side

Win+← (snap left)
Open another document → Win+→ (snap right)

Halved windows still allow line-by-line comparison with live updates on both sides. With multiple monitors, Win+Shift+Left/Right throws a window to the other display outright — more room than half-screen.

Copy a block of terminal output reliably

Ctrl+M (enter mark mode)
Arrow keys to select text → Enter to copy
Esc (cancel mark mode)

Ctrl+M is mark mode in cmd.exe and the legacy console: select across lines with the arrow keys and press Enter to copy. Drag-selecting wrapped log output very easily drops lines and characters.

Common Pitfalls

Shift+Delete bypasses the Recycle Bin permanently — a mis-selected batch of files is unrecoverable, so check the selection count first.
Alt+F4 on an unsaved window can quit the whole application (some give no prompt). Save first, and remember that closing a terminal window kills whatever was still running in it.
Win+PrtScn writes plaintext PNGs into Pictures\Screenshots. Screenshots with accounts, chats, or customer data sit on disk and may be uploaded by a sync client — prefer Win+Shift+S for anything sensitive.
The Win+R box executes what you type. A pasted path or command with arguments runs on Enter with no confirmation step.
Virtual desktops are not a security boundary: windows of the same app can follow you across desktops, so "a fresh desktop for this project" does not hide what you already had open.
Ctrl+Win+F4 closing a virtual desktop closes every window on it. Unsaved documents on that desktop are gone — sweep each desktop with Win+Tab before closing.

Tips

Win+Shift+S is the most-used screenshot shortcut — click the notification to open Snip & Sketch for editing.
Win+Arrow keys are snap masters — pair with Win+Shift+Arrow to move windows between monitors.
Ctrl+Shift+Esc opens Task Manager faster than Ctrl+Alt+Delete, skipping the selection step.
In CMD, right-click to copy selected text and right-click again to paste — often faster than shortcuts.

FAQ

What is the difference between Win+Arrow and Win+Shift+Arrow?

Win+Left or Win+Right snaps the current window to the left or right half of the screen for quick tiling. Win+Shift+Left or Win+Shift+Right moves the whole window to the monitor on the left or right. The first resizes within one display; the second relocates across displays, which is what matters in a multi-monitor setup.

When should I use Win+PrtScn versus Win+Shift+S?

Win+PrtScn captures the whole screen and saves a file into Pictures → Screenshots. Win+Shift+S opens the snipping tool where you choose region, window or freeform, and the result goes to the clipboard for pasting. Use the former to quickly save evidence; the latter when you need to crop and paste into a document or chat.

How do I select text the command line already printed?

Press Ctrl+M to enter mark mode, then select with the arrow keys — this selects from the scrollback, not just the current input line, which makes copying a fragment out of a long log far more reliable than dragging. Note that some keys change meaning in mark mode; Ctrl+C, for instance, no longer copies.

Which admin tools does Win+X surface?

Win+X opens the Quick Link menu, grouping a few high-traversal entry points: PowerShell (Admin), Terminal, Task Manager, Device Manager, Disk Management, Event Viewer and Settings. It saves digging through the Start menu, which matters when troubleshooting. After opening the menu you can jump straight to an item with its letter key.

How do I quickly see what is consuming resources?

Ctrl+Shift+Esc opens Task Manager directly, one step faster than right-clicking the taskbar. The Performance tab shows live CPU, memory, disk and network graphs plus totals, which tells you which resource is actually saturated. The Details tab, sorted by column, pinpoints the specific process holding the memory.

Official References

Each command links to its official documentation below, so you can verify the latest usage and read deeper.

Windows Support

Maintained by LaoHand

Publicly updated on Jul 31, 2026, continuously proofread against official docs.

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