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Tech Tip 34 - Windows Hot Keys:

By Jason Kohrs - 07.JUL.05

Most people think they know the ins and outs of using their favorite software (and maybe they do), but there are hundreds of little shortcuts that can be used to make common tasks even easier. This Tech Tip is going to follow a different format than the norm and will list a few dozen of these hot keys that can be used to make working in Microsoft Windows even easier.

The shortcuts covered are broken up into groups based on the main key involved in activating them. So, let’s take a look at what we can do with the ALT, CTRL, SHIFT, and Windows Keys, as well as a few combo moves…

General Keyboard 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)
     
  • CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
     
  • CTRL+SHIFT while 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+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
     
  • SHIFT with 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)
     
  • F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
     
  • F4 key (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)