Windows 10: The 45 most useful keyboard shortcuts

Maria Baeta | October 26, 2015

• General

Now that you have a good understanding of Windows 10, how about learning the keyboard shortcuts to make using your computer much faster?

The good thing about Windows 10 shortcuts is that they are very simple: most of them consist of the Windows key + one other key. Moreover, this second key is often easily related back to the action in question – making them really easy to remember.

Don't believe me? Read the following list and you will see how easy it is! To help, we havedivided the shortcuts according to use or function.

Windows Snap

Windows key + Arrow key (up, down, left, or right)

Virtual desktops

Windows key + CTRL + D creates a new virtual desktop

Windows key + CTRL + F4 closes a virtual desktop

Windows key + CTRL + Arrow key switches between virtual desktops

Windows key + SHIFT + Arrow key moves the current window from one screen to another

Windows key + TAB scans through all your virtual desktops using the task view

Cortana

Windows key + C activates Cortana's voice recognition

Windows key + S activates Cortana for text searches

View

Windows key + P switches between view modes

Windows key + "+" (plus) zooms in

Windows key + "-" (minus) zooms out

Images, video, and multimedia

Windows key + "Print Screen" takes a screenshot and saves it in the Images folder

Windows key + G activates Game DVR, the screen capture utility

Windows key + Alt + G starts recording with Game DVR

Windows key + Alt + R stops recording with Game DVR

Settings and system

Windows key + I opens the system settings

Windows key + A opens the activity center

Windows key + X opens the advanced options menu

Ctrl + Shift + Esc opens the Task Manager

Windows key + U opens the Ease of Access Center (Universal Access to help you remember)

Windows key + R executes a command

Windows key + Space bar changes the language and the keyboard

Command prompt controls

Shift + Right highlights the text to the right of the cursor

Shift + Left highlights the text to the left of the cursor

Ctrl + Shift + Right or Left arrow highlights blocks of text

Ctrl + A selects all text in the command prompt (just like regular text Windows)

Ctrl + C copies the selected text to the clipboard (just like regular text Windows)

Ctrl + V pastes the text in the clipboard to the command prompt (just like regular text Windows)

Advanced controls, only for more proficient users!

Shift + Del deletes a file directly, without putting it in the Recycle Bin

Windows key + Shift + Any Numeric Key opens a new instance of an app and docks it to the position you determine for it in the taskbar

Windows key + Control + Shift + Any Numeric Key repeats the previous command but with Administrator permissions

Up to here, all of the commands are new. But some survived the Window 10 upgrade. If by any chance you do not recall them, here is a quick refresh:

Various commands that are old acquaintances of ours

Windows key + D shows the desktop

Windows key + Home minimizes all windows except the active one

Windows key + L locks your PC

Ctrl + Shift + M maximizes all minimized windows (useful after Win + D)

Windows key + E opens Windows Explorer

Alt + Up arrow goes up one level in Windows Explorer

Alt + Down arrow goes down one level in Windows Explorer

Alt + Right arrow goes to the next folder in Windows Explorer

Alt + Tab switches from one window to the next

Alt + F4 closes the active window

Windows key + Shift + Left or Right arrow moves a window to another screen (if you have one)

Windows key + "," (comma key) closes apps temporarily to show you the desktop

Windows key + T shows a small view of the windows in the taskbar

Windows key + Any Number Key opens the window docked in the taskbar in the