You can navigate Windows 10 with the click of a mouse or the swipe of a finger. There’s a way to control it with the sound of your voice. And, of course, there’s the handy keyboard shortcut. Whether you're using a desktop, laptop, or Windows tablet, keyboard shortcuts are always available to you as a quick way to run a command, open a program, or perform a certain task.
The problem with keyboard shortcuts, though? With so many of them scattered across different programs and operating systems, they can be difficult to remember. Certain universal shortcuts, such as Ctrl + Z for undo or Ctr l+ C for copy, get burned into your brain after years of repetition. But other useful ones—such as Alt + Tab to switch to another open window, or Ctrl + Y to redo your last action—can be harder to remember, since you don't use them as often.
And those are just the "standard" ones that have been around through several versions of Windows. Windows 10 introduced a host of new keyboard shortcuts to tap into its vast array of features, such as the reincarnated Start menu, the Microsoft Edge browser, and the Virtual Desktop function. So, now you have even more shortcuts to remember.
If you’re having trouble keeping them all straight, here's a guide to Windows shortcuts. Some arrived with Windows 10, and some are old standbys that you may have forgotten. We've organized them according to key features and categories. You won't be able to remember them all, but you'll be able to recall some. And you can always keep this guide handy while you're working in Windows 10.
General Windows Shortcuts
Some keyboard shortcuts have been around Windows for a long time, and Windows 10 carries on with their grand tradition. Many of these help you navigate or select text, so you'll find most of these to be handy in a text-based application or word processor, such as Notepad, WordPad, or Microsoft Word. But they're universal, so they should work in any Windows application.
Virtual Desktops Shortcuts
Windows 10 offers a feature called Virtual Desktops through which you can create multiple desktop screens and switch among them at will. Why would you do that? Think about how many times you have so many windows and apps open that you can hardly keep them straight.
With Virtual Desktops, you can create separate desktop areas that each house their own apps and windows. You can then move each one to the side until you need it. This way, you don't have to sift through a giant mishmash of apps or documents scattered across your desktop.
For example, you may want to create one virtual desktop to organize your current documents and other work, another for your Mail and Calendar apps, and a third for your web browser. You keep one virtual desktop open while you’re working and then switch to the other when you need to check your messages or appointments or browse to a website.
In this scenario, knowing how to switch between Virtual Desktops quickly and efficiently is key, so these keyboard shortcuts can help.
Microsoft Edge Shortcuts
As the replacement for Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge comes complete with a long list of keyboard shortcuts, which you can use to run its array of features and navigate the web.
Command Prompt Shortcuts
You can open a command prompt window in Windows 10 to type a system-level command. Though the command prompt isn't as popular as it was years ago, it still comes in handy if you need to run certain more technical commands that aren't directly accessible through Windows.
For example, running the command ipconfig at a command prompt displays your current internet address, the address of your router, and more. Running the command ping followed by a website, such as ping www.yahoo.com, tells you how long it takes for you to get to Yahoo. This is helpful if you're having trouble reaching the site.
Copying and pasting commands into a command prompt used to be a hassle. But with Windows 10, you can use the standard Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V shortcuts to copy and paste text back and forth. To open a command prompt, type Command Prompt into the search box on the bottom left of the screen. Here's a set of keyboard shortcuts you can now use with it.
Snap Assist Shortcuts
The ability to snap, or lock, windows to a certain section of your screen is such a handy feature that it deserves its own section. Snapping is helpful if you have more than one window open and you want to snap one to the right and the other to the left, with both occupying an equal amount of space on your display. (Windows 10 added support for up to four snap windows.)
You can cycle through the different positions of a window using these shortcuts. For example, continually pressing Windows Key + Left Arrow snaps your current window from the right side to a restored position and then to the left side, while pressing Windows Key + Right Arrow snaps your current window from the left side to a restored position and then to the right side.
Assorted Shortcuts in Windows 10
The following shortcuts work across Windows 10 as a whole, or with specific features, such as Cortana and File Explorer. Consider these a miscellaneous collection of helpful shortcuts.