1. Virtual Desktops
1.1. ⊞ Win + Tab ↹
1.1.1. Open Task View
1.2. Ctrl + ⊞ Win + ←/→
1.2.1. Go to the previous/next virtual desktop
1.3. Ctrl + ⊞ Win + D
1.3.1. Create and go to a new virtual desktop
1.4. Ctrl + ⊞ Win + F4
1.4.1. Close the current virtual desktop
2. Manipulating Items (and text): General shortcuts
2.1. Ctrl + C OR Ctrl + Insert
2.1.1. Copy selected item(s)
2.2. Ctrl + V OR Shift + Insert
2.2.1. Paste contents of the clipboard
2.3. Ctrl + Z
2.3.1. Undo the last action
2.4. Ctrl + Y
2.4.1. Redo the last undid action
2.5. Ctrl + A
2.5.1. Select all items in a document or window
2.5.2. e.g. File Explorer
2.6. Ctrl + D OR Delete
2.6.1. Delete the selected item(s)
2.7. ⇧ Shift + Delete
2.7.1. Permanently delete the selected item(s) without moving it to the recycle bin first.
2.8. F2
2.8.1. Rename the selected item
2.9. ⇧ Shift + F10
2.9.1. Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
2.10. ⇧ Shift +
2.10.1. Arrow
2.10.1.1. Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop
2.10.2. Mouse click
2.10.2.1. Select a range of items
2.11. See a more complete guide (and PDF) of text-editing keyboard shortcuts
3. Specific Applications
3.1. Settings
3.1.1. ⊞ Win + I
3.1.1.1. Open Settings
3.1.2. ← Backspace
3.1.2.1. Go back to the settings home page
3.2. File Explorer
3.2.1. General
3.2.1.1. Alt + D
3.2.1.1.1. Select the address bar
3.2.1.2. Ctrl + E OR Ctrl + F
3.2.1.2.1. Select the search box
3.2.1.3. Alt + P
3.2.1.3.1. Display the preview pane
3.2.1.4. Ctrl + N
3.2.1.4.1. Open a new window
3.2.2. Navigating Folders
3.2.2.1. Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + E
3.2.2.1.1. Display all folders above the selected folder
3.2.2.2. Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + N
3.2.2.2.1. Create a new folder
3.2.2.3. Alt + ←/→
3.2.2.3.1. View the previous/next folder
3.2.2.3.2. Go back/forward in the address bar
3.2.2.4. Alt + ↑
3.2.2.4.1. View the folder that the folder was in (go up)
3.2.2.5. ← Backspace
3.2.2.5.1. View the previous folder
3.2.2.6. Home
3.2.2.6.1. Display the top of the active window
3.2.2.7. End
3.2.2.7.1. Display the bottom of the active window
3.2.3. Tree-view pane
3.2.3.1. →
3.2.3.1.1. Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder
3.2.3.2. ←
3.2.3.2.1. Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in
3.2.3.3. Num Lock + Plus (+)
3.2.3.3.1. Display the contents of the selected folder
3.2.3.4. Num Lock + Minus (-)
3.2.3.4.1. Collapse the selected folder
3.2.3.5. Num Lock + Asterisk (*)
3.2.3.5.1. Display all subfolders under the selected folder
3.3. Dialogue box
3.3.1. F4
3.3.1.1. Display the items in the active list
3.3.2. Tab ↹
3.3.2.1. Move forward through options
3.3.3. ⇧ Shift + Tab ↹
3.3.3.1. Move back through options
3.3.4. Space
3.3.4.1. Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
3.3.5. ← Backspace
3.3.5.1. Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
3.3.6. Arrow Keys
3.3.6.1. Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
3.3.7. Tab Navigation
3.3.7.1. Ctrl + Tab ↹
3.3.7.1.1. Move forward through tabs
3.3.7.2. Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + Tab ↹
3.3.7.2.1. Move back through tabs
3.3.7.3. Ctrl + number 1-9
3.3.7.3.1. Move to nth tab
3.4. Command Prompt
3.4.1. Alt + selection key
3.4.1.1. Begin selection in block mode
3.4.2. Page up/down
3.4.2.1. Move the cursor by one page up/down
3.4.3. Ctrl + ↑/↓
3.4.3.1. Move up/down one line in the output history
3.4.4. Mark Mode
3.4.4.1. Ctrl + M
3.4.4.1.1. Enter Mark mode
3.4.4.2. Ctrl + Home/End
3.4.4.2.1. Move the cursor to the beginning/end of the buffer
3.4.5. History Navigation
3.4.5.1. Ctrl + Home
3.4.5.1.1. If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer.
3.4.5.1.2. Otherwise, deletes all characters to the left of the cursor in the command line
3.4.5.2. Ctrl + End
3.4.5.2.1. If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line
3.4.5.2.2. Otherwise, deletes all characters to the right of the cursor in the command line
4. General
4.1. Alt + ↵ Enter
4.1.1. Display properties for the selected item
4.2. Alt + ←/→
4.2.1. Go back/forward
4.3. Alt + Page up/down
4.3.1. Move up/down one screen
4.4. Ctrl + F4
4.4.1. Close the current document
4.5. F3
4.5.1. Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
4.5.2. Alternative to find (Ctrl + F) e.g. in web browser
4.6. F4
4.6.1. Display the address bar list in File Explorer
4.6.2. May also work in other applications such as your web browser
4.7. F5 OR Ctrl + R
4.7.1. Refresh the active window
4.7.2. E.g. web browser, File Explorer
4.8. F6
4.8.1. Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
4.9. ⎋ Esc
4.9.1. Stop or leave the current task
4.10. Ctrl + W
4.10.1. Close the current tab
4.11. Ctrl + Scroll Wheel
4.11.1. Zoom in/out or make items larger/smaller
4.12. Press the letter underlined in a menu item to perform the command or select the option associated with said letter
4.12.1. Use Alt or F10 to open menu or show underlined letters in an application
4.12.2. E.g. this can be used after pressing ⊞Win+X to quickly perform an action.
5. Multiple Monitors
5.1. ⊞ Win + P
5.1.1. Choose a display mode
5.1.1.1. PC screen only
5.1.1.2. Duplicate
5.1.1.3. Extend
5.1.1.4. Second screen only
5.1.2. Use ⇧ Shift in conjunction to cycle in reverse order
5.2. ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + ←/→
5.2.1. Move a window from one monitor to the other
6. Using Windows Desktop Features
6.1. ⊞ Win OR Ctrl + ⎋ Esc
6.1.1. Open or hide the Start menu
6.2. ⊞ Win + A
6.2.1. Open the action centre
6.3. ⊞ Win + V
6.3.1. Cycle through notifications
6.3.2. Use ⇧ Shift in conjunction to cycle in reverse order
6.4. ⊞ Win + B
6.4.1. Set focus on the notification area
6.4.2. Use arrow and enter keys to navigate
6.5. ⊞ Win + Alt + D
6.5.1. Show or hide the date and time
6.6. ⊞ Win + , (comma)
6.6.1. Temporarily peek at the desktop
6.6.2. Until Windows key is released
6.7. ⊞ Win + F1
6.7.1. Open Windows Help and Support
6.8. ⊞ Win + L
6.8.1. Lock the PC
7. Ease of Access
7.1. ⊞ Win + U
7.1.1. Open Ease of Access in Settings
7.2. ⊞ Win + Plus (+)
7.2.1. Open magnifier
7.2.2. Zoom in by increment configurable in the settings
7.3. ⊞ Win + Minus (-)
7.3.1. Zoom out by increment configurable in the settings
7.4. Ctrl + ⊞ Win + Enter
7.4.1. Open Narrator
7.5. Ctrl + ⊞ Win + C
7.5.1. Switch to grayscale and back
7.5.2. Check out the Mozilla greyscale challenge—should you be using greyscale more often?
8. Additional Resources and Info
8.1. See the full, official list of Windows keyboard shortcuts at this link
8.2. Go to the Cryptic Butter post about navigating Windows 10 proficiently
8.2.1. Coming soon—23 Apr
8.3. Cryptic Butter
8.3.1. All Posts
8.3.2. Support me
8.3.3. Contact and find the butter on social media
8.4. Mindmap Help
8.4.1. (Use the arrow logos to the right of a branch to follow an attached link)
8.4.2. ←/→/↑/↓ represent the left/right/up/down arrow keys
8.4.3. ⊞ Win represents the Windows key
8.4.4. Hold each key in a shortcut, except for the final key which you can then press to trigger the action.
8.4.4.1. E.g. You can hold Alt and press Tab 3 times to switch the window 3 times
8.4.4.2. Holding the modifier keys might retain a menu like above.
9. Screen Capture
9.1. Print Screen
9.1.1. Capture entire screen and save to clipboard
9.2. ⊞ Win + Print Screen
9.2.1. Capture entire screen and save to \Pictures\Screenshots in user folder
9.3. Alt + Print Screen
9.3.1. Capture active window only and save to clipboard
10. Window Functions
10.1. F10 OR Alt
10.1.1. Activate the Menu bar in the active app
10.1.2. Press a letter underlined to access a specific menu or function
10.2. Alt + Space
10.2.1. Show the active window's shortcut menu
10.3. F11
10.3.1. Fullscreen or restore the active window (if available)
11. Administrative Functions
11.1. Ctrl + Alt + Delete
11.1.1. Shows the Windows Security screen when logged in
11.1.2. Can optionally be used to access log-in screen (tutorial at the link attached)
11.2. Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + ⎋ Esc
11.2.1. Open the Task Manager
11.3. ⊞ Win + R
11.3.1. Open the Run box
11.4. ⊞ Win + X
11.4.1. Open the Quick Link menu
12. Input
12.1. WIN + Space
12.1.1. Switch the input method and keyboard layout
12.1.2. Use ⇧ Shift in conjunction to cycle in reverse order OR
12.1.3. Use Ctrl to switch to previously selected input
12.2. Ctrl + ⇧ Shift
12.2.1. Switch the keyboard layout if available
12.3. Why should you use 2 keyboard layouts minimum? Find out about Colemak at this link
12.4. ⊞ Win + . OR ⊞ Win + ;
12.4.1. Open emoji panel
12.4.2. If not US, download and use Winaero tweaker to enable it
13. Managing the Windows on the Desktop
13.1. Windows Snap
13.1.1. ⊞ Win +
13.1.1.1. ←/→
13.1.1.1.1. Snap window to the left/right side of the screen
13.1.1.2. ↑
13.1.1.2.1. Maximise window or
13.1.1.2.2. Take out of minimised state
13.1.1.3. ↓
13.1.1.3.1. Minimise the window or
13.1.1.3.2. Restore from maximised state
13.1.1.4. Move the window around the desktop using Windows Snap
13.1.2. ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + ↑
13.1.2.1. Stretch the window to the top and bottom edges of the screen
13.1.3. ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + ↓
13.1.3.1. Restore/minimise window vertically, maintaining width
13.2. Minimising windows
13.2.1. ⊞ Win + D
13.2.1.1. Show the desktop or
13.2.1.2. Reshow the windows
13.2.2. ⊞ Win + M
13.2.2.1. Minimise all windows
13.2.2.2. Use ⇧ Shift to restore all minimised windows
13.2.3. ⊞ Win + Home
13.2.3.1. Minimise all unfocused windows
13.3. Alt + F4
13.3.1. Close the active window
13.3.2. When at desktop (⊞ Win+D) show the shutdown dialogue
13.4. Alt + Tab ↹
13.4.1. Switch between applications
13.4.2. Use ⇧ Shift in conjunction to cycle in reverse order AND/OR
13.4.3. Use Ctrl to keep the view open
13.4.3.1. Enter to select window
13.4.3.2. Arrow keys to navigate
13.5. Alt + ⎋ Esc
13.5.1. Cycle though windows in the order in which they were opened
13.6. ⊞ Win + Tab ↹
13.6.1. Open Task View
14. Access Applications/Tasks
14.1. Taskbar
14.1.1. Use number on number row to access pinned item/window
14.1.1.1. ⊞ Win + Number
14.1.1.1.1. Open an application on the taskbar
14.1.1.1.2. Use ⇧ Shift in conjunction to open a new window
14.1.1.2. Ctrl + ⊞ Win + Number
14.1.1.2.1. Switch to last active window of an application on the taskbar
14.1.1.3. ⊞ Win + Alt + Number
14.1.1.3.1. Open jump list of item in the taskbar
14.1.1.4. Ctrl + ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + Number
14.1.1.4.1. Open application on taskbar as administrator
14.1.1.5. The number corresponds to the position of the taskbar item
14.1.2. Clicking taskbar items
14.1.2.1. ⇧ Shift + Click
14.1.2.1.1. Open another instance of an app
14.1.2.2. Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + Click
14.1.2.2.1. Open application as administrator
14.1.2.3. ⇧ Shift + Right-Click
14.1.2.3.1. Show the window menu for the app or group
14.1.2.4. Ctrl + Click
14.1.2.4.1. Cycle through the windows of a group
14.2. ⊞ Win + S
14.2.1. Open the search/Contana
14.3. ⊞ Win + T
14.3.1. Cycle through taskbar items
14.3.2. Use ⇧ Shift in conjunction to cycle in reverse order
14.4. ⊞ Win + E
14.4.1. Open File Explorer
14.5. ⊞ Win + I
14.5.1. Open Settings