Keyboard shortcuts in Windows Vista
In Windows Vista, as in other Windows Operating Systems (also see Keyboard Shortcuts), you can use many shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier and sometimes a lot faster for you to interact with your computer.
See the following tables for some of the most useful shortcuts:
Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts
|
Right SHIFT for eight seconds |
Turn Filter Keys on and off |
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (or PRTSCRN) |
Turn High Contrast on or off |
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK |
Turn Mouse Keys on or off |
SHIFT five times |
Turn Sticky Keys on or off |
NUM LOCK for five seconds |
Turn Toggle Keys on or off |
Windows logo key +U |
Open the Ease of Access Center |
|
General keyboard shortcuts
|
CTRL+C |
Copy the selected item |
CTRL+X |
Cut the selected item |
CTRL+V |
Paste the selected item |
CTRL+Z |
Undo an action |
DELETE |
Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin |
SHIFT+DELETE |
Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first |
F2 |
Rename the selected item |
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word |
CTRL+LEFT ARROW |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word |
CTRL+DOWN ARROW |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph |
CTRL+UP ARROW |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph |
CTRL+SHIFT with an arrow key |
Select a block of text |
SHIFT with any arrow key |
Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document |
CTRL+A |
Select all items in a document or window |
F3 |
Search for a file or folder |
ALT+ENTER |
Display properties for the selected item |
ALT+F4 |
Close the active item, or exit the active program |
ALT+SPACEBAR |
Open the shortcut menu for the active window |
CTRL+F4 |
Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously) |
ALT+TAB |
Switch between open items |
CTRL+ALT+TAB |
Use the arrow keys to switch between open items |
Windows logo key +TAB |
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D |
CTRL+Windows logo key +TAB |
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D |
ALT+ESC |
Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened |
F6 |
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop |
F4 |
Display the Address bar list in Windows Explorer |
SHIFT+F10 |
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item |
CTRL+ESC |
Open the Start menu |
ALT+underlined letter |
Display the corresponding menu |
ALT+underlined letter |
Perform the menu command (or other underlined command) |
F10 |
Activate the menu bar in the active program |
RIGHT ARROW |
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu |
LEFT ARROW |
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu |
F5 |
Refresh the active window |
ALT+UP ARROW |
View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer |
ES
C |
Cancel the current task |
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC |
Open Task Manager |
SHIFT when you insert a CD |
Prevent the CD from automatically playing |
|
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
|
CTRL+TAB |
Move forward through tabs |
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
Move back through tabs |
TAB |
Move forward through options |
SHIFT+TAB |
Move back through options |
ALT+underlined letter |
Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter |
ENTER |
Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands |
SPACEBAR |
Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box |
Arrow keys |
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons |
F1 |
Display Help |
F4 |
Display the items in the active list |
BACKSPACE |
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box |
|
Microsoft keyboard shortcuts
|
Windows logo key |
Open or close the Start menu |
Windows logo key +BREAK |
Display the System Properties dialog box |
Windows logo key +D |
Display the desktop |
Windows logo key +M |
Minimize all windows |
Windows logo key +SHIFT+M |
Restore minimized windows to the desktop |
Windows logo key +E |
Open Computer |
Windows logo key +F |
Search for a file or folder |
CTRL+Windows logo key +F |
Search for computers (if you are on a network) |
Windows logo key +L |
Lock your computer (if you are connected to a network domain), or switch users (if you’re not connected to a network domain) |
Windows logo key +R |
Open the Run dialog box |
Windows logo key +T |
Cycle through programs on the taskbar |
Windows logo key +TAB |
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D |
CTRL+Windows logo key +TAB |
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D |
Windows logo key +SPACEBAR |
Bring all gadgets to the front and select Windows Sidebar |
Windows logo key +G |
Cycle through Sidebar gadgets |
Windows logo key +U |
Open Ease of Access Center |
Windows logo key +X |
Open Windows Mobility Center |
|
Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
|
END |
Display the bottom of the active window |
HOME |
Display the top of the active window |
NUM LOCK+ASTERISK (*) on numeric keypad |
Display all subfolders under the selected folder |
NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN (+) on numeric keypad |
Display the contents of the selected folder |
NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN (-) on numeric keypad |
Collapse the selected folder |
LEFT ARROW |
Collapse the current selection (if it is expanded), or select the parent folder |
ALT+LEFT ARROW |
View the previous folder |
RIGHT ARROW |
Display the current selection (if it is collapsed), or select the first subfolder |
ALT+RIGHT ARROW |
View the next folder |
ALT+D |
Select the Address bar |
|
Windows Sidebar keyboard shortcuts
|
Windows logo key +SPACEBAR |
Bring all gadgets to the front and select Sidebar |
Windows logo key +G |
Cycle through Sidebar gadgets |
TAB |
Cycle through Sidebar controls |
|
Windows Photo Gallery keyboard shortcuts
|
CTRL+F |
Open the Fix pane |
CTRL+P |
Print the selected picture |
ENTER |
View the selected picture at a larger size |
CTRL+I |
Open or close the Details pane |
CTRL+PERIOD (.) |
Rotate the picture clockwise |
CTRL+COMMA (,) |
Rotate the picture counter-clockwise |
F2 |
Rename the selected item |
CTRL+E |
Search for an item |
ALT+LEFT ARROW |
Go back |
ALT+RIGHT ARROW |
Go forward |
PLUS SIGN (+) |
Zoom in or resize the picture thumbnail |
MINUS SIGN (-) |
Zoom out or resize the picture thumbnail |
CTRL+B |
Best fit |
LEFT ARROW |
Select the previous item |
DOWN ARROW |
Select the next item or row |
UP ARROW |
Previous item (Easel) or previous row (Thumbnail) |
PAGE UP |
Previous screen |
PAGE DOWN |
Next screen |
HOME |
Select the first item |
END |
Select the last item |
DELETE |
Move the selected item to the Recycle Bin |
SHIFT+DELETE |
Permanently delete the selected item |
LEFT ARROW |
Collapse node |
RIGHT ARROW |
Expand node |
J |
Move back one frame |
K |
Pause the playback |
L |
Move forward one frame |
I |
Set the start trim point |
O |
Set the end trim point |
M |
Split a clip |
HOME |
Stop and rewind all the way back to the start trim point |
ALT+RIGHT ARROW |
Advance to the next frame |
ALT+LEFT ARROW |
Go back to the previous frame |
CTRL+K |
Stop and rewind playback |
CTRL+P |
Play from the current location |
HOME |
Move the start trim point |
END |
Move to the end trim point |
PAGE UP |
Seek to nearest split point before the current location |
PAGE DOWN |
Seek to nearest split point after the current location |
|
Windows Help viewer keyboard shortcuts
|
ALT+C |
Display the Table of Contents |
ALT+N |
Display the Connection Settings menu |
F10 |
Display the Options menu |
ALT+LEFT ARROW |
Move back to the previously viewed topic |
ALT+RIGHT ARROW |
Move forward to the next (previously viewed) topic |
ALT+A |
Display the customer support page |
ALT+HOME |
Display the Help and Support home page |
HOME |
Move the to beginning of a topic |
END |
Move to the end of a topic |
CTRL+F |
Search the current topic |
CTRL+P |
Print a topic |
F3 |
Move to the Search box |
|
Links
Keyboard shortcuts in Windows Vista