Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts — Complete Cheat Sheet
Every Windows 11 shortcut in one searchable, printable list: Win key, Snap, desktops, screenshots, File Explorer.
Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts — freetoolsforweb.com
Last verified: against Windows 11, version 26H2. 300 shortcuts.
Showing all 300 shortcuts in 11 categories
Essentials: clipboard, undo, save and find#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Copy the selection | Control plus Cor Control plus Insert | |
| Cut the selection | Control plus X | |
| Paste | Control plus Vor Shift plus Insert | |
| Paste as plain text (without formatting) | Control plus Shift plus VNot every app supports it. | |
| Open clipboard history | Windows key plus VTurn clipboard history on the first time you press it (Settings > System > Clipboard). | |
| Undo | Control plus Z | |
| Redo | Control plus YSome apps (Google Docs, many editors) also accept Ctrl+Shift+Z. | |
| Select all | Control plus A | |
| Find in the document or page | Control plus F | |
| Find the next match | Control plus GIn browsers and Google Docs. Many Windows desktop apps use F3 instead. | |
| Find the previous match | Control plus Shift plus GIn browsers and Google Docs. | |
| Find and replace | Control plus H | |
| Save | Control plus S | |
| Save As / duplicate the document | F12F12 is the Save As shortcut in Microsoft Office apps. | |
| Control plus P | ||
| Open a file | Control plus O | |
| New window or document | Control plus N | |
| New tab | Control plus T | |
| Close the tab or document | Control plus Wor Control plus F4 | |
| Close the active window / quit the app | Alt plus F4Alt+F4 closes the active window; closing an app’s last window usually exits it. | |
| Bold | Control plus B | |
| Italic | Control plus I | |
| Underline | Control plus U | |
| Add or edit a link | Control plus KIn Office, Google Docs and most editors. | |
| Refresh / reload | F5or Control plus R | |
| Open the context (right-click) menu | Shift plus F10 | |
| Cancel / close a dialog | Escape | |
| Open Help | F1 |
Text navigation, selection and deletion#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Move to the previous word | Control plus Left arrow | |
| Move to the next word | Control plus Right arrowLands at the start of the next word. | |
| Move to the start of the line | Home | |
| Move to the end of the line | End | |
| Move to the start of the document | Control plus Home | |
| Move to the end of the document | Control plus End | |
| Move to the start of the previous paragraph | Control plus Up arrow | |
| Move to the start of the next paragraph | Control plus Down arrow | |
| Page up | Page Up | |
| Page down | Page Down | |
| Extend the selection one character | Shift plus Left arrowor Shift plus Right arrow | |
| Extend the selection one line up or down | Shift plus Up arrowor Shift plus Down arrow | |
| Select to the start of the word | Control plus Shift plus Left arrow | |
| Select to the end of the word | Control plus Shift plus Right arrow | |
| Select to the start of the line | Shift plus Home | |
| Select to the end of the line | Shift plus End | |
| Select to the start of the document | Control plus Shift plus Home | |
| Select to the end of the document | Control plus Shift plus End | |
| Select to the start of the paragraph | Control plus Shift plus Up arrow | |
| Select to the end of the paragraph | Control plus Shift plus Down arrow | |
| Select one page up or down | Shift plus Page Upor Shift plus Page Down | |
| Delete the character before the cursor | Backspace | |
| Forward delete (character after the cursor) | Delete | |
| Delete the previous word | Control plus Backspace | |
| Delete the next word | Control plus Delete | |
| Indent / insert a tab | Tab | |
| Move one character forward | Right arrow | |
| Move one character backward | Left arrow | |
| Move up one line | Up arrow | |
| Move down one line | Down arrow | |
| Align left | Control plus Shift plus LGoogle Docs (Word uses Ctrl+L). | |
| Align right | Control plus Shift plus RGoogle Docs (Word uses Ctrl+R). | |
| Align center | Control plus Shift plus EGoogle Docs (Word uses Ctrl+E). | |
| Copy / paste formatting (style) | Control plus Alt plus Cor Control plus Alt plus VGoogle Docs. | |
| Make the selected item bigger / smaller | Control plus Shift plus periodor Control plus Shift plus commaGoogle Docs font size. |
System, search and power#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Search the computer | Windows key plus Sor Windows key plus Q | |
| Lock the screen | Windows key plus L | |
| Open Start / the app launcher | Windows keyor Control plus Escape | |
| Force quit a frozen app | Control plus Shift plus EscapeOpens Task Manager; select the app and choose End task. | |
| Security options (lock, switch user, sign out, Task Manager) | Control plus Alt plus Delete | |
| Sign out / log out | Control plus Alt plus DeleteThen choose Sign out. | |
| Show the shut down / restart dialog | Alt plus F4Press it on the desktop with no windows focused. | |
| Wake the device when the screen is black | Windows key plus Control plus Shift plus BAlso resets the graphics driver, which can fix a black screen. | |
| Open system settings | Windows key plus I | |
| Open the Quick Link (power user) menu | Windows key plus XSame as right-clicking Start. | |
| Open the Run dialog | Windows key plus R | |
| Open notifications | Windows key plus NNotification center and calendar. | |
| Open Quick Settings / Control Center | Windows key plus A | |
| Open Widgets | Windows key plus W | |
| Open the AI assistant | Copilot keyor Windows key plus COpens Microsoft Copilot or Microsoft 365 Copilot (Windows search if Copilot is unavailable). Change it in Settings > Personalization > Text input. | |
| Open Recall | Windows key plus JCopilot+ PCs that meet the requirements. | |
| Start dictation / voice typing | Windows key plus H | |
| Choose a display mode (project / mirror) | Windows key plus P | |
| Cast to a wireless display | Windows key plus K | |
| Open System > About | Windows key plus Pause | |
| Switch keyboard language / input source | Windows key plus Space bar | |
| Switch to the previous keyboard language | Windows key plus Shift plus Space bar | |
| Open Feedback Hub | Windows key plus F | |
| Open Game Bar | Windows key plus G | |
| Open Quick Assist (remote help) | Windows key plus Control plus Q | |
| Choose the sound output device | Windows key plus Control plus V | |
| Mute or unmute the microphone | Windows key plus Alt plus KIn supported calling apps. | |
| Turn HDR on or off | Windows key plus Alt plus B | |
| Show or hide the date and time on the desktop | Windows key plus Alt plus D | |
| Show your password on the sign-in screen | Alt plus F8 |
Windows, Snap and virtual desktops#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Switch between open apps | Alt plus TabHold Alt and keep pressing Tab. Windows shows every window, not just apps. | |
| See all open windows (Task View / Mission Control) | Windows key plus Tab | |
| Open a switcher that stays open | Control plus Alt plus TabUse the arrow keys, then Enter. | |
| Cycle windows in the order they were opened | Alt plus Escape | |
| Show the desktop | Windows key plus DPress again to bring the windows back. | |
| Peek at the desktop while held | Windows key plus comma | |
| Minimize the window | Windows key plus Down arrowOn a maximized window the first press restores it; press again to minimize. | |
| Minimize all windows | Windows key plus M | |
| Restore minimized windows | Windows key plus Shift plus M | |
| Minimize / hide all other windows | Windows key plus HomePress again to restore them. | |
| Maximize / fill the screen | Windows key plus Up arrow | |
| Snap / tile the window to the left half | Windows key plus Left arrow | |
| Snap / tile the window to the right half | Windows key plus Right arrow | |
| Snap / tile the window to the top half | Windows key plus Alt plus Up arrowRecent Windows 11 builds. | |
| Snap / tile the window to the bottom half | Windows key plus Alt plus Down arrowRecent Windows 11 builds. | |
| Restore the window’s previous size | Windows key plus Shift plus Down arrowRestores a snapped or maximized window. | |
| Open Snap layouts | Windows key plus Z | |
| Stretch the window to the full screen height | Windows key plus Shift plus Up arrow | |
| Move the window to another monitor | Windows key plus Shift plus Left arrowor Windows key plus Shift plus Right arrow | |
| Enter or leave full screen | F11In browsers and File Explorer. Win+Shift+Enter makes a Store (UWP) app full screen. | |
| Open the window menu (move, size, close) | Alt plus Space bar | |
| Add a virtual desktop (Space) | Windows key plus Control plus D | |
| Switch to the desktop / Space on the left | Windows key plus Control plus Left arrow | |
| Switch to the desktop / Space on the right | Windows key plus Control plus Right arrow | |
| Close the current virtual desktop | Windows key plus Control plus F4 | |
| Open or switch to a pinned taskbar app | Windows key plus 0 to 9The number is the app’s position on the taskbar. | |
| Start another copy of a pinned taskbar app | Windows key plus Shift plus 0 to 9 | |
| Open a pinned taskbar app as administrator | Windows key plus Control plus Shift plus 0 to 9 | |
| Switch to the last active window of a pinned app | Windows key plus Control plus 0 to 9 | |
| Open the jump list of a pinned app | Windows key plus Alt plus 0 to 9 | |
| Cycle through taskbar apps | Windows key plus TWin+Shift+T goes backwards. |
Screenshots and screen recording#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot of a selected area | Windows key plus Shift plus SCopies to the clipboard; click the notification to edit or save it in Snipping Tool. | |
| Screenshot of the whole screen, saved as a file | Windows key plus Print ScreenSaved to Pictures > Screenshots. | |
| Copy the whole screen to the clipboard | Print ScreenIn Windows 11, Print Screen opens the snipping overlay by default (choose full screen there). Turn this off in Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard to get the classic full-screen copy. | |
| Screenshot of one window | Alt plus Print ScreenCopies the active window to the clipboard. | |
| Record the screen (video) | Windows key plus Shift plus RSnipping Tool recording, saved as MP4 in Videos > Screen Recordings. | |
| Cancel a screenshot in progress | Escape | |
| Snipping Tool: change snipping mode | Alt plus M | |
| Snipping Tool: new snip | Alt plus N | |
| Snipping Tool: delay the snip | Alt plus D | |
| Capture an open menu | Control plus Print ScreenWith Snipping Tool open: open the menu, then press Ctrl+PrtScn. |
File Explorer#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Open File Explorer / a new Finder window | Windows key plus Eor Control plus NCtrl+N opens another window while File Explorer is active. | |
| Create a new folder | Control plus Shift plus N | |
| Rename the selected file | F2 | |
| Move the selected item to the Recycle Bin / Trash | Deleteor Control plus D | |
| Delete permanently (skip the Recycle Bin) | Shift plus Delete | |
| Move files (cut and paste) | Control plus X then Control plus V | |
| Show properties / Get Info | Alt plus Enter | |
| Show or hide the preview pane | Alt plus P | |
| Show or hide the details pane | Alt plus Shift plus P | |
| Go back to the previous folder | Alt plus Left arrowor Backspace | |
| Go forward | Alt plus Right arrow | |
| Go up to the parent folder | Alt plus Up arrow | |
| Open the selected item | Enter | |
| Type a folder path (address bar / Go to Folder) | Alt plus Dor Control plus Lor F4 | |
| Search in the current window | Control plus Eor Control plus For F3 | |
| View as icons | Control plus Shift plus 2Ctrl+Shift+1 to 8 pick a view: 1 extra large, 2 large, 3 medium, 4 small icons, 5 list, 6 details, 7 tiles, 8 content. | |
| View as a list / details | Control plus Shift plus 6 | |
| Change icon size | Control plus scroll wheel | |
| Resize all columns to fit | Control plus PlusPlus on the numeric keypad. | |
| Expand all folders in the navigation pane | Control plus Shift plus E | |
| Expand / collapse the selected folder | Right arrowor Left arrow | |
| Open a new tab | Control plus T | |
| Close the tab | Control plus W | |
| Next / previous tab | Control plus Tabor Control plus Shift plus Tab | |
| Open the context menu for the selection | Shift plus F10 | |
| Refresh the window | F5 | |
| Select several items | Shift plus arrow keysor Control plus clickCtrl+arrow keys move without selecting; Space adds the focused item. | |
| Copy while dragging | Control plus drag | |
| Move while dragging | Shift plus drag | |
| Create a shortcut / alias while dragging | Alt plus drag |
Web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox)#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Open a private (Incognito / InPrivate) windowChrome and Edge. Firefox uses Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) and Cmd+Shift+P (Mac). | Control plus Shift plus N | |
| Reopen the last closed tab | Control plus Shift plus T | |
| Next tab | Control plus Tabor Control plus Page Down | |
| Previous tab | Control plus Shift plus Tabor Control plus Page Up | |
| Go to tab 1–8 | Control plus 1 to 8 | |
| Go to the last tab | Control plus 9 | |
| Close the browser window | Control plus Shift plus Wor Alt plus F4 | |
| Back | Alt plus Left arrow | |
| Forward | Alt plus Right arrow | |
| Reload, ignoring the cache (hard refresh) | Control plus Shift plus Ror Shift plus F5 | |
| Jump to the address bar | Control plus Lor Alt plus Dor F6 | |
| Search the web from anywhere on the page | Control plus Kor Control plus E | |
| Add www. and .com to what you typed in the address bar | Control plus Enter | |
| Open what you typed in the address bar in a new tab | Alt plus EnterChrome runs it as a search in a new tab. | |
| Bookmark the page | Control plus D | |
| Bookmark all open tabs in a new folder | Control plus Shift plus D | |
| Show or hide the bookmarks (favorites) bar | Control plus Shift plus B | |
| Open the bookmark manager | Control plus Shift plus O | |
| Open history | Control plus H | |
| Open downloads | Control plus J | |
| Open developer tools | F12or Control plus Shift plus ICtrl+Shift+I in Edge; Ctrl+Shift+J or F12 in Chrome. | |
| Open the JavaScript console | Control plus Shift plus J | |
| View page source | Control plus U | |
| Clear browsing data | Control plus Shift plus Delete | |
| Zoom in | Control plus Plus | |
| Zoom out | Control plus Minus | |
| Reset zoom to 100% | Control plus 0 | |
| Open the home page | Alt plus Home | |
| Scroll down / up one screen | Space baror Shift plus Space bar | |
| Go to the top / bottom of the page | Homeor End | |
| Open a link in a new background tab | Control plus click | |
| Open a link in a new tab and switch to it | Control plus Shift plus click | |
| Open a link in a new window | Shift plus click | |
| Download the linked file | Alt plus click | |
| Stop loading the page | Escape | |
| Move the tab left or rightChrome. | Control plus Shift plus Page Upor Control plus Shift plus Page Down | |
| Open split view in the active tabChrome. | Alt plus Shift plus N | |
| Turn caret browsing on or offChrome and Edge. | F7 | |
| Switch profile or browse as a guest | Control plus Shift plus M | |
| Open the browser task manager | Shift plus EscapeChrome and Edge. | |
| Open the browser menu | Alt plus For Alt plus E | |
| Reader / Immersive Reader | F9Edge Immersive Reader. | |
| Read the page aloud | Control plus Shift plus UEdge. | |
| Mute the tab | Control plus MEdge. | |
| Duplicate the tab | Control plus Shift plus KEdge. |
Accessibility and keyboard focus#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Turn on the screen magnifier / zoom in | Windows key plus Plus | |
| Zoom the magnifier out | Windows key plus Minus | |
| Turn the magnifier / zoom off (toggle) | Windows key plus EscapeCloses Magnifier. | |
| Open magnifier settings | Windows key plus Control plus M | |
| Zoom with the scroll wheel | Control plus Alt plus scroll wheel | |
| Magnifier views: full screen / lens / docked | Control plus Alt plus For Control plus Alt plus Lor Control plus Alt plus DCtrl+Alt+M cycles views. | |
| Pan the magnified view | Control plus Alt plus arrow keys | |
| Turn the screen reader on or off | Windows key plus Control plus EnterNarrator. Win+Ctrl+N opens Narrator settings. | |
| Open accessibility settings / shortcuts panel | Windows key plus U | |
| Invert colours | Control plus Alt plus IWhile Magnifier is on. | |
| Turn colour filters on or off | Windows key plus Control plus CTurn the shortcut on in Settings > Accessibility > Color filters. | |
| Turn high contrast on or off | Alt plus Shift plus Print ScreenLeft Alt + left Shift. | |
| Turn Sticky Keys on or off | Shift then Shift then Shift then Shift then ShiftPress Shift five times. | |
| Turn Filter Keys on or off | ShiftHold the right Shift key for eight seconds. | |
| Turn Toggle Keys on or off | Num LockHold Num Lock for five seconds. | |
| Turn Mouse Keys on or off | Alt plus Shift plus Num LockLeft Alt + left Shift. | |
| Open the on-screen keyboard | Windows key plus Control plus O | |
| Turn on Windows Speech Recognition | Windows key plus Control plus S | |
| Move focus to the menu bar | F10 | |
| Move focus to the taskbar / Dock | Windows key plus T | |
| Move focus to the notification area / status menus | Windows key plus B | |
| Cycle through elements in a window | F6 | |
| Move to the next / previous control | Tabor Shift plus Tab | |
| Run a menu command by its underlined letter | Alt plus underlined letter | |
| Move between tabs in a dialog | Control plus Tabor Control plus Shift plus Tab |
Emoji, symbols and accented letters#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Open the emoji picker | Windows key plus periodor Windows key plus semicolonThe panel also has symbols and kaomoji. | |
| Type an accented letter (é, ñ, ü) | Alt plus 1 3 0 on the numeric keypadAlt codes: hold Alt and type the code on the numeric keypad (Alt+130 = é, Alt+0241 = ñ). Num Lock must be on. | |
| Copyright sign © | Alt plus 0 1 6 9 on the numeric keypadHold Alt and type the digits on the numeric keypad. | |
| Registered sign ® | Alt plus 0 1 7 4 on the numeric keypad | |
| Trademark sign ™ | Alt plus 0 1 5 3 on the numeric keypad | |
| Degree sign ° | Alt plus 0 1 7 6 on the numeric keypad | |
| Euro sign € | Alt plus 0 1 2 8 on the numeric keypad | |
| Pound sign £ | Alt plus 0 1 6 3 on the numeric keypad | |
| Yen sign ¥ | Alt plus 0 1 6 5 on the numeric keypad | |
| Cent sign ¢ | Alt plus 0 1 6 2 on the numeric keypad | |
| Section sign § | Alt plus 0 1 6 7 on the numeric keypad | |
| Micro sign µ | Alt plus 0 1 8 1 on the numeric keypad | |
| Inverted question mark ¿ | Alt plus 0 1 9 1 on the numeric keypad | |
| Guillemets « » | Alt plus 0 1 7 1 on the numeric keypador Alt plus 0 1 8 7 on the numeric keypad | |
| Fraction ½ | Alt plus 0 1 8 9 on the numeric keypad | |
| Fractions ¼ and ¾ | Alt plus 0 1 8 8 on the numeric keypador Alt plus 0 1 9 0 on the numeric keypad | |
| Type any character by its Unicode code | Alt plus XWord and WordPad: type the hex code (e.g. 221A) and press Alt+X to get √. |
Windows Terminal and Command Prompt#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| New terminal tab | Control plus Shift plus TWindows Terminal. | |
| New terminal window | Control plus Shift plus NWindows Terminal. | |
| Close the pane or tab | Control plus Shift plus WCloses the pane; with one pane, the tab. | |
| Split into panes | Alt plus Shift plus Plusor Alt plus Shift plus Minusor Alt plus Shift plus DVertical, horizontal, or automatic split. | |
| Move between panes | Alt plus arrow keys | |
| Resize the focused pane | Alt plus Shift plus arrow keys | |
| Open the command palette | Control plus Shift plus P | |
| Find text in the terminal | Control plus Shift plus F | |
| Copy in the terminal | Control plus Cor Control plus Shift plus CIn Windows Terminal, Ctrl+C copies when text is selected; otherwise it interrupts the running command. | |
| Paste in the terminal | Control plus Vor Control plus Shift plus V | |
| Stop the running command | Control plus C | |
| Make the font bigger / smaller | Control plus Plusor Control plus MinusCtrl+0 resets. | |
| Next / previous tab | Control plus Tabor Control plus Shift plus Tab | |
| Go to tab by number | Control plus Alt plus 1 to 9 | |
| New tab with the first profile | Control plus Shift plus 1Ctrl+Shift+1–9 open each profile from the dropdown. | |
| Open terminal settings | Control plus comma | |
| Full screen | F11or Alt plus Enter | |
| Scroll one line up / down | Control plus Shift plus Up arrowor Control plus Shift plus Down arrow | |
| Scroll one page up / down | Control plus Shift plus Page Upor Control plus Shift plus Page Down | |
| Scroll to the top / bottom | Control plus Shift plus Homeor Control plus Shift plus End | |
| Move to the start of the command line | Home | |
| Move to the end of the command line | End | |
| Move one word left / right | Control plus Left arrowor Control plus Right arrow | |
| Delete to the end of the line | Control plus EndCommand Prompt. | |
| Delete to the start of the line | Control plus HomeCommand Prompt. | |
| Delete the previous word | Control plus Backspace | |
| Enter mark (keyboard selection) mode | Control plus Mor Control plus Shift plus MCtrl+M in Command Prompt, Ctrl+Shift+M in Windows Terminal. | |
| Scroll the output history | Control plus Up arrowor Control plus Down arrowCommand Prompt. |
Google Docs formatting#
| Action | Windows | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Show all keyboard shortcuts | Control plus slash | |
| Strikethrough | Alt plus Shift plus 5 | |
| Superscript | Control plus period | |
| Subscript | Control plus comma | |
| Clear formatting | Control plus backslashor Control plus Space bar | |
| Apply heading 1–6 | Control plus Alt plus 1 to 6 | |
| Apply normal text | Control plus Alt plus 0 | |
| Numbered list | Control plus Shift plus 7 | |
| Bulleted list | Control plus Shift plus 8 | |
| Checklist | Control plus Shift plus 9 | |
| Justify | Control plus Shift plus J | |
| Increase / decrease indent | Control plus right bracketor Control plus left bracket | |
| Insert a page break | Control plus Enter | |
| Move the paragraph up / down | Control plus Shift plus Up arrowor Control plus Shift plus Down arrow | |
| Search the menus (tool finder) | Alt plus slashor Alt plus Shift plus Z | |
| Switch to suggesting mode | Control plus Alt plus Shift plus X | |
| Switch to editing mode | Control plus Alt plus Shift plus Z | |
| Repeat the last action | Control plus Y | |
| Small caps | Control plus Shift plus K | |
| Hide the menus (compact mode) | Control plus Shift plus F | |
| Open the link under the cursor | Alt plus Enter |
Sources (24 official pages)
- Microsoft Support: Keyboard shortcuts in Windows
- Microsoft Support: Windows keyboard shortcuts for accessibility
- Microsoft Support: Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots
- Microsoft Support: Keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Learn: Windows Terminal actions and panes
- Microsoft Support: Insert ASCII or Unicode Latin-based symbols and characters
- Microsoft Support: Keyboard shortcuts in Word
- Apple Support: Mac keyboard shortcuts
- Apple: Mac window tiling icons and keyboard shortcuts
- Apple Support: Take a screenshot on Mac
- Apple: View open windows and spaces in Mission Control
- Apple: Work in multiple spaces on Mac
- Apple: Spotlight keyboard shortcuts on Mac
- Apple: Keyboard shortcuts and gestures in Safari on Mac
- Apple: Keyboard shortcuts in Terminal on Mac
- Apple: Use emoji and symbols on Mac
- Apple: Enter characters with accent marks on Mac
- Apple: Zoom in on your Mac screen
- Apple: Turn VoiceOver on or off on Mac
- Apple: Rename files, folders and disks on Mac
- macOS U.S. keyboard layout (as shown in Keyboard Viewer)
- Google Chrome Help: Chrome keyboard shortcuts
- Google Docs Editors Help: Keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs
- Mozilla Support: Firefox keyboard shortcuts
Everything runs in your browser; searches are not sent anywhere. Shortcuts are checked against Microsoft, Apple and Google documentation. Browse all free tools.
Found a problem, or something that could be better? We read every message and we fix things quickly.
This Windows keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet lists the shortcuts built into Windows 11, from the everyday ones (Ctrl+C, Alt+Tab, Win+L) to the ones most people never find: Win+Z for Snap layouts, Win+V for clipboard history, Win+Ctrl+D for a new virtual desktop, Win+Shift+R to record the screen. Each row says what the shortcut does and, where it matters, which version or setting it needs. Search by what you want to do ("screenshot", "lock") or by the keys themselves ("win shift s").
The list was checked on 2026-10-18 against Microsoft’s own pages for Windows 11, version 26H2: Keyboard shortcuts in Windows, the accessibility shortcuts, Snipping Tool, Microsoft Edge and Windows Terminal, plus Google’s Chrome help. Anything Microsoft does not document was left out instead of copied from other lists. Apps can override shortcuts, so a few (Ctrl+Shift+V for plain-text paste, for example) do not work everywhere. If you also use a Mac, the Mac and side-by-side versions are linked at the top.
How to use
- Scroll the categories, or click a chip (Screenshots, Files, Browser...) to show just that group.
- Type in the search box. Words find actions ("virtual desktop"); key names find combinations ("ctrl alt del", "win+.").
- Tick "Essentials only" for the short list worth memorising first.
- Click Copy on a row to copy it, or the action name to get a link to that row.
- Press "Print / Save as PDF" for a compact two-column sheet to keep by your desk.
Frequently asked questions
How do I take a screenshot on Windows 11?
Press Win+Shift+S, choose a rectangle, window, full screen or freeform area, and the capture goes to the clipboard; click the notification to edit or save it in Snipping Tool. Win+PrtScn saves the whole screen straight to Pictures > Screenshots, and Alt+PrtScn copies only the active window. On Windows 11 the Print Screen key opens the same snipping overlay by default; you can switch that off in Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard. Win+Shift+R records a video of an area instead.
How do I switch between virtual desktops in Windows 11?
Press Win+Ctrl+Left or Win+Ctrl+Right to move to the neighbouring desktop. Win+Ctrl+D creates a new desktop, Win+Ctrl+F4 closes the one you are on, and Win+Tab opens Task View, where you can see, rename and reorder desktops.
How do I snap windows with the keyboard?
Win+Left and Win+Right snap the active window to half of the screen, Win+Up maximizes it and Win+Down restores or minimizes it. Win+Z opens Snap layouts for the active window, so you can choose a layout from the keyboard. Recent Windows 11 builds also have Win+Alt+Up and Win+Alt+Down for the top and bottom halves, and Win+Shift+Left or Right moves the window to another monitor.
How do I see clipboard history in Windows?
Press Win+V. The first time, Windows asks you to turn clipboard history on (or turn it on in Settings > System > Clipboard). After that Win+V shows the last items you copied, text and images, and you can pin the ones you reuse. Items that are not pinned are cleared when you restart.
What does the Copilot key do, and can I change it?
On newer laptops the Copilot key (and Win+C) opens Microsoft Copilot or Microsoft 365 Copilot; if Copilot is not available it opens Windows search, or Settings so you can choose what the key does. To change it, go to Settings > Personalization > Text input > Customize Copilot key on keyboard.
How do I type emoji or symbols like © on a Windows PC?
Win+. (period) or Win+; opens the emoji panel, which also has tabs for symbols and kaomoji; type to search it. For a specific symbol, hold Alt and type its code on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on: Alt+0169 for ©, Alt+0174 for ®, Alt+0153 for ™, Alt+0128 for €, Alt+0176 for °. Laptops without a numeric keypad need the emoji panel instead.
The Windows key, letter by letter
Most Windows-only shortcuts hang off the Windows logo key. These are the ones Microsoft documents for Windows 11:
• Win+A Quick Settings · Win+B focus the notification area · Win+C Copilot · Win+D show desktop · Win+E File Explorer
• Win+F Feedback Hub · Win+G Game Bar · Win+H voice typing · Win+I Settings · Win+J Recall (Copilot+ PCs) · Win+K Cast
• Win+L lock · Win+M minimize all · Win+N notifications and calendar · Win+P display mode · Win+R Run · Win+S search
• Win+T cycle taskbar apps · Win+U Accessibility settings · Win+V clipboard history · Win+W Widgets · Win+X Quick Link menu · Win+Z Snap layouts
• Win+. emoji · Win+Tab Task View · Win+1 to 9 pinned taskbar apps · Win+arrow keys snap and resize · Win+PrtScn screenshot to a file
Win on its own opens Start. Many keyboards have a second Windows key on the right; both work the same way.
How to customise Windows shortcuts (Settings, shortcut keys and PowerToys)
Windows has no central screen for changing system shortcuts, but there are four places that matter:
• Copilot key: Settings > Personalization > Text input > Customize Copilot key on keyboard.
• Print Screen: Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, "Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping", to get the old full-screen copy back.
• Launch any app with keys: right-click its shortcut on the desktop or in the Start menu folder, choose Properties, click the "Shortcut key" box and press a letter. Windows makes it Ctrl+Alt+that letter.
• Remap keys and shortcuts system-wide: Microsoft PowerToys (free, from the Microsoft Store or GitHub) has a Keyboard Manager that can swap keys (for example Caps Lock to Ctrl) or turn one shortcut into another, globally or for one app. It only works while PowerToys is running.
Inside apps, check the app’s own settings: Windows Terminal, VS Code and Office all let you rebind their shortcuts.
Snap, Task View and desktops: a working routine
Three shortcuts cover most window management. Win+Left or Win+Right snaps a window to half the screen; Windows then offers the other open windows to fill the other half (Snap Assist). Win+Z gives the full set of layouts (thirds, quarters) for the active window. Win+Tab shows everything open and every desktop.
Virtual desktops are worth using for separate jobs, such as one for email and chat and one for focused work. Win+Ctrl+D adds one, Win+Ctrl+Left and Right move between them,. Settings > System > Multitasking controls whether the taskbar and Alt+Tab show windows from all desktops or only the current one.
Related free tools
- Mac Keyboard Shortcuts — Every macOS shortcut with ⌘ ⌥ ⌃ ⇧ symbols explained: screenshots, window tiling, Finder, Safari and special characters.
- Windows to Mac Shortcuts — Every Windows shortcut next to its Mac equivalent, with the Ctrl-to-⌘ key mapping for people switching.
- Typing Speed Test — Timed or word-count typing test with live WPM, accuracy, error highlighting and a speed chart.
- Online Timer — Countdown timer with alarm, stopwatch with laps and a Pomodoro timer, with a big fullscreen display.
- Word Counter — Count words, characters, sentences and reading time, and check X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, SEO and SMS limits as you type.