Best Windows Hotkey

I found a couple new windows hotkeys that I don’t think I’ve ever used before.  Decided to put up a poll to see what most people use on a day to day basis. All the useful windows hotkeys with explanations are right under the poll.

Whats the Best Windows Hotkey?

View Results

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CTRL and A             Select All
CTRL and C             Copy
CTRL and F             Find
CTRL and G             Go To
CTRL and N             New
CTRL and O             Open
CTRL and P             Print
CTRL and S             Save
CTRL and V             Paste
CTRL and X             Cut
CTRL and Z             Undo
CTRL and F4             Close
CTRL+ESC             Start menu

ALT+ENTER             View Properties
ALT+F4                 Close Item
ALT+SPACEBAR             Open Shortcut Menu
ALT+TAB             Switch Programs
ALT+ESC             Cycle Through Programs

F1 key                 Help
F2 key                 Rename in Windows Explorer
F3 key                 Search (Same as CTRL and F)
F4 key                 Display Address Bar
F5 key              Update/Refresh
F10 key             Activate Menu Bar

Windows Key             Display or hide the Start menu
Windows Key+BREAK         Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows Key+D             Display the desktop
Windows Key+M             Minimize all of the windows
Windows Key+SHIFT+M         Restore the minimized windows
Windows Key+E             Open My Computer
Windows Key+F             Search for a file or a folder
Windows Key+CTRL+F         Search for computers
Windows Key+F1             Display Windows Help
Windows Key+ L             Lock the keyboard
Windows Key+R              Open the Run dialog box
Windows Key+U             Open Utility Manager

TAB                 Move forward through the options
SHIFT+TAB             Move backward through the options
CTRL+TAB             Move forward through the tabs
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB             Move backward through the tabs

If I missed any then let me know

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4 Responses to “Best Windows Hotkey”

  • Joe Enos Says:
    May 23rd, 2009 at

    Well, since most of these are application-specific hotkeys, not Windows hotkeys, I’d have to say the majority of this list is invalid. Just because most applications accept Ctrl-F as “Find”, doesn’t mean that it’s part of Windows.

    The Windows Key ones really do belong to Windows. Some clarification: Win+L locks the computer, not just the keyboard. Not to be picky, but it’s Win+Pause, not Win+Break that opens system properties. The key itself is Pause – Break is the key modified with Ctrl.

    If you google windows hotkeys, you’ll find hundreds of lists out there with the ones that you missed, like Win+B, Win+Tab, and one I’ve found very useful, the old-fashioned PrintScreen button.

  • admin Says:
    May 23rd, 2009 at

    Some are application specific but these are global among all applications. There are a lot of hotkeys out there for windows that I didn’t include. That is why I named it “Best Windows Hotkey” as opposed to “Every Windows Hotkey That You Can Possibly Find”. Can you imagine the huge poll that that would require. I know about the hundreds of lists…Do you really think I typed all that?

  • josh Says:
    May 23rd, 2009 at

    Nice list. I doubt the results of the poll would be that interesting, but a pdf/png cheat sheet might be :).

  • Rodney Reid Says:
    May 28th, 2009 at

    What about Shift+Ctrl F10 for the right click menu? (predates the windows key)

    Also, Ctrl-F10 — closes a document in an application — a tab in a browser, or a source file in an editor with multiple files open.