| Shortcut Keys | Supported Window Versions | Description |
| Alt + e | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Pull down the top Edit menu. |
| Alt + f | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Pull down the top File menu |
| Ctrl + a | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Select all text. |
| Ctrl + c | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Copy selected item(s) (to clipboard). |
| Ctrl + f | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Find. |
| Ctrl + v | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Paste copied item(s) from clipboard |
| Ctrl + x | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Cut. |
| Ctrl + Ins | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Same as Ctrl + c |
| Ctrl + (left arrow) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Move one word to the left at a time. |
| Ctrl + (right arrow) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Move one word to the right at a time. |
| Shift + Ins | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Same as Ctrl + v |
| Shift + Delelte (or Del) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Cut. Or permanently delete selected item(s) on Windows Explorer. |
| F1 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Help. |
| Home | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Jump to the beginning of the line or page. |
| Ctrl + Home | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Jump to the beginning of the document or page. |
| End | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Jump to the end of the line or page. |
| Ctrl + End | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | ump to the end of the document or page. |
| Shift + Home | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Set selection (highlight) from current position to beginning of the line or page. |
| Shift + End | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Set selection (highlight) from current position to end of the line or page. |
| Shift + (left arrow) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Set selection (highlight) from current position to the left, one character at a time. |
| Shift + (right arrow) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Set selection (highlight) from current position to the right, one character at a time. |
| Shift + (down arrow) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Set selection (highlight) from current position to the next line down. |
| Shift + (up arrow) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Set selection (highlight) from current position to the next line up. |
Microsoft Windows Shortcut Keys
This is a listing of some common shortcut keys in different versions Microsoft Windows.Some shortcut keys below are not supported in all versions of Windows.
The shortcut keys on this page are only applicable for Windows in general, if you are looking for shortcut keys for a specific application (i.e. Excel, Word, etc..) please see the links at the bottom of this page.
Use at your own risk.
| Shortcut Key | Supported Window Versions | Short Key Description |
| Alt + (double-click) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Open Properties dialog of selected item. |
| Alt + Enter | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Opens properties window of selected item. |
| Alt + Esc | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Switch Between open tasks available on the taskbar. |
| Alt + F4 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Close the top (focused) window. |
| Alt + Tab | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Switch between open windows. |
| Alt + Tab + Shift | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Switch between open windows, backward. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Delete (or Del) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Bring up the Windows Task Manager, or reboot computer. |
| Ctrl + Esc | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Bring up the Windows Start menu. |
| Ctrl + '+' ('+' key on the keypad) | 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Autofit the widths of all columns (if available) in current window. |
| Ctrl + F4 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Close sub window/tab. |
| Ctrl + Tab | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Switch between existing tabs (within a window). |
| Ctrl + Tab + Shift | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Switch between existing tabs (within a window), backward |
| F1 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Open Help for Windows or focused application. |
| F2 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Rename. |
| F3 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Find/Search. |
| F4 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Select drives or display the list of drives |
| F5 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Refresh. |
| F6 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Switch focus to the address bar (if exists). |
| F10 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Switch focus to the top menu bar. |
| Shift + F10 | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Same as mouse right-click on the select item. |
| Print Screen | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Capture a screenshot of the entire desktop to clipboard. |
| Print Screen + Alt | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Capture a screenshot of just the top(focused) window to clipboard. |
| Shift + Delete (or Del) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Permanently delete selected file(s)/folder(s) (bypass recycle bin) |
| Shift (hold while inserting an audio CD to drive) | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Prevent autoplay. |
| * (keypad) on Windows Explorer. | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Expand all sub-directories from the selected item. |
| + (keypad) on Windows Explorer. | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Expand only the first level of selected item. |
| - (keypad) on Windows Explorer. | 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista | Collapse |
| Shortcut Keys | Description |
| WINDOWS-KEY | Bring up the Windows Start menu. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + F1 | Bring up the Windows Help. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + e | Open Microsoft Explorer. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + f | Windows Search. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + Ctrl + f | Search for computers |
| WINDOWS-KEY + d | Minimizes all and bring up desktop, or restore all |
| WINDOWS-KEY + l | Lock the computer (Windows XP & newer). |
| WINDOWS-KEY + m | Minimizes all windows. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + Shift + M | Restore all. Opposite with WINDOWS-KEY + M and WINDOWS-KEY + D. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + r | Open the run window. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + u | Utility Manager. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + Tab | Cycle through the programs on task bar. |
| WINDOWS-KEY + Pause/Break | Open the System Properties window. |
