Windows Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet — Complete Reference

Practical Windows keyboard shortcuts reference — system-wide combos that work across most apps. Tested on Windows 11; the vast majority work back to Windows 10.

The Windows key (Win) — the most-used modifier

The key with the Windows logo. Often written Win, ⊞, or "Windows key" in tutorials.

Screenshots

Shortcut	What it captures
PrtScn	Full screen → clipboard (paste into anything)
Win + PrtScn	Full screen → saved to Pictures\Screenshots
Win + Shift + S	Snipping Tool — choose rectangle, freeform, window, or full screen
Alt + PrtScn	Active window → clipboard
Win + Alt + PrtScn	Active window → saved as PNG
Win + G	Game Bar (screenshots + video recording of any app)
Win + Alt + R	Start/stop screen recording (Game Bar)

Windows + key combos (the power-user shortcuts)

Shortcut	Action
Win	Open/close Start menu
Win + D	Show desktop / restore
Win + E	Open File Explorer
Win + L	Lock the computer
Win + I	Open Settings
Win + A	Open Action Center / Quick Settings
Win + N	Notification Center (Windows 11)
Win + W	Widgets
Win + X	Power User menu (admin links)
Win + R	Run dialog
Win + S / Win + Q	Open Search
Win + . or Win + ;	Emoji panel
Win + V	Clipboard history
Win + K	Cast / connect to wireless display
Win + P	Project to another display
Win + +/-	Open Magnifier / zoom out
Win + U	Accessibility settings
Win + Ctrl + Q	Quick Assist
Win + Pause/Break	System Properties

Window management (Snap)

Shortcut	Action
Win + ← / Win + →	Snap to left / right half
Win + ↑	Maximize
Win + ↓	Restore / minimize
Win + ⇧ + ←/→	Move window to other monitor
Win + Home	Minimize all except active
Win + M	Minimize all
Win + Shift + M	Restore all minimized
Win + Z	Snap Layouts menu (Windows 11)
Alt + F4	Close active window (or shut-down dialog on desktop)

Virtual desktops (Task View)

Shortcut	Action
Win + Tab	Open Task View
Win + Ctrl + D	Create new desktop
Win + Ctrl + F4	Close current desktop
Win + Ctrl + ←/→	Switch desktops
Alt + Tab	Switch windows
Ctrl + Alt + Tab	Persistent app switcher (arrow keys to pick)

File Explorer

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + N	New window
Ctrl + T	New tab (Windows 11)
Ctrl + Shift + N	New folder
F2	Rename selected item
F5 / Ctrl + R	Refresh
Alt + Enter	Properties
Alt + ↑	Up one folder
Alt + ← / Alt + →	Back / Forward
Ctrl + Shift + E	Expand all folders in tree
Backspace	Up one folder
Shift + Delete	Permanently delete (skip Recycle Bin)
End	Bottom of folder

Text editing (works in most apps)

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + X / Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V	Cut / Copy / Paste
Ctrl + Shift + V	Paste as plain text (varies)
Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y	Undo / Redo
Ctrl + A	Select all
Ctrl + F	Find
Ctrl + H	Find & Replace
Ctrl + B / I / U	Bold / Italic / Underline
Home / End	Start / end of line
Ctrl + Home / Ctrl + End	Start / end of document
Ctrl + ← / Ctrl + →	Previous / next word
Ctrl + Backspace	Delete previous word
Ctrl + Delete	Delete next word
Shift + any move	Extend selection

Browser (Chrome / Edge / Firefox)

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + T	New tab
Ctrl + Shift + T	Reopen closed tab
Ctrl + W	Close tab
Ctrl + L or F6	Focus address bar
Ctrl + Tab / Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Next / previous tab
Ctrl + 1-8	Switch to nth tab
Ctrl + 9	Switch to last tab
Ctrl + R / F5	Reload
Ctrl + Shift + R / Ctrl + F5	Hard reload (skip cache)
Ctrl + + / Ctrl + - / Ctrl + 0	Zoom in / out / reset
F12 / Ctrl + Shift + I	DevTools
Ctrl + Shift + N (Chrome) / Ctrl + Shift + P (FF)	Private/incognito window
Space / Shift + Space	Page down / up

System & troubleshooting

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + Shift + Esc	Task Manager (direct)
Ctrl + Alt + Delete	Security screen (lock, switch, etc.)
Win + Ctrl + Shift + B	Reset graphics driver (fix display freeze)
Win + Pause	System info
F11	Toggle full screen (browser, Explorer)

Related tools

For text manipulation across what you copy/paste: word counter, character counter, case converter.