By utilizing keyboard shortcuts, or hotkeys, you can use your operating system and applications at a much higher level of productivity and efficiency.
It’s pretty common-sense, if you think about it. By not moving your hands off the keyboard, finding the mouse, clicking around, and moving your hands back to the keyboard to continue typing, you can recover a large amount of time over the course of a day.
This is especially true if you spend a lot of time in, say, a word processor, spreadsheet application, or even surfing around the internet. I myself spend a lot of time in integrated development environments (IDEs), and by becoming a keyboard commando, I’ve saved countless hours.
To get you started on your journey to keyboard zen, I’ve listed 303 commonly used keyboard shortcuts, or hotkeys, below. The areas covered are:
- Windows
- General Shortcuts
- Browser
- Windows Explorer
- Text editing
- Windows 10 specific
- Remote Desktop
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Gmail
- Quick navigation
- Reading messages
- Composition
- Formatting
- YouTube
This is by no means a complete list. If your favorite application or OS is not included, please feel free to drop me a note, and I will find the hotkeys for you, and post them here. Also, you can post your own shortcuts in the comments at the bottom of this post.
| Windows | |
| General Windows Shortcuts | |
 | Open the Start Menu; start typing to search |
| Ctrl + X | Cut text, files, and more |
| Ctrl + C | Copy text and other elements to the clipboard |
| Ctrl + V | Paste the clipboard’s contents |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo your last action |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo the last undone action |
| Ctrl + S | Save |
| Ctrl + O | Open |
| Ctrl + P | |
| Alt + F4 | Close current window |
| Ctrl + W | Close current tab |
| Ctrl + F | Search |
| F11 | Get help in most apps |
| Esc | Cancel current task |
| F11 | Enter full screen |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open programs |
| + Shift + Left/Right | Move a window to another monitor |
| + B | Focus on the System Tray |
| + Up | Maximize current window |
| + Down | Restore or minimize current window |
| + T | Cycle through Taskbar apps |
| + P | Change projection settings |
| + R | Open Run menu |
| + Pause | Open System Properties |
| + D | Show desktop |
| + M | Minimize all windows |
| + Home | Minimize all windows but the active one |
| + L | Lock your PC |
| + Up | Open Ease of Access Center |
| Ctrl + Alt + Del | Open Windows Security Screen |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
| Alt + Space | Open shortcut menu for the current program |
| Alt + Underlined letter | Perform various commands depending on the app |
| Alt + Print Screen | Take a screenshot of the active window |
| Browser | |
| Ctrl + T | Open new tab |
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopen recently closed tab |
| Alt + Left arrow | Go back one page |
| Alt + Right arrow | Go forward one page |
| F5 | Refresh |
| Alt + Home | Open homepage |
| Ctrl + Plus/Minus | Zoom in or out |
| Ctrl + 0 | Reset zoom to default |
| Ctrl + L | Focus cursor on address bar |
| Ctrl + Enter | Add “www.” and “.com” to text in the address bar and open website |
| Ctrl + H | Open history |
| Ctrl + J | Open downloads |
| Ctrl + D | Bookmark page |
| Ctrl + Tab | Cycle through open tabs |
| Alt + Up | Go up one folder level |
| Windows Explorer | |
| + E | Open new File Explorer window |
| F2 | Rename an item in File Explorer |
| Alt + Enter | Open Properties for a File Explorer item |
| Ctrl + D | Delete selected item |
| Shift + Del | Permanently delete an item |
| Alt + D | Focus cursor on address bar |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create new folder |
| Alt + P | Toggle preview panel |
| Text Editing | |
| Ctrl + Move cursor to the Right/Left | next/previous word |
| Ctrl + Up/Down | Move cursor to the next/previous paragraph |
| Ctrl + Backspace | Delete an entire word behind the cursor |
| Ctrl + Del | Delete an entire word in front of the cursor |
| Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key | Select blocks of text |
| Ctrl + Home | Jump to the start of the text field |
| Ctrl + End | Jump to the end of the text field |
| Windows 10 specific | |
| + C | Open Charms bar |
| + Z | Show Modern App Command Bar |
| + A | Open Action Center |
| + Tab | Open the Task View |
| + Ctrl + D | Create new virtual desktop |
| + Ctrl + F4 | Close current virtual desktop |
| + Ctrl + Left/Right | Switch between virtual desktops |
| + C | Open Cortana in listening mode |
| + W | Open Windows Ink |
| + Period | Open emoji panel |
| + Left/Right | Snap open window to one side of the screen |
| + G | Open Game Bar (when applicable) |
| + O | Lock device orientation (for tablets) |
| + K | Open device connect panel |
| + S | Open search bar |
| + I | Open Settings |
| + X | Open Power User Menu |
| + Comma | Peek through windows to desktop |
| Remote Desktop | |
| Alt + PageUp | Move between apps, left to right |
| Alt + PageDown | >Move between apps, right to left |
| Alt + Insert | Cycle through apps in the order that they were started |
| Alt + Home | Display the Start screen |
| Ctrl + Alt + Break | Switch between a window and full screen |
| Ctrl + Alt + End | Display the Windows Security dialog box |
| Ctrl + Alt + Home | In full-screen mode, activate the connection bar |
| Alt + Delete | Display the system menu |
| Ctrl + Alt + – | Place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard (similar to Alt + Print Screen on a local PC) |
| Ctrl + Alt + + | Place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard (similar to Print Screen on a local PC) |
| Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow | Tab out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host app (for example, a button or a text box). |
| Microsoft Word | |
| Ctrl + O | Open |
| Ctrl + N | New |
| Ctrl + O | Open a document |
| Alt + Ctrl + S | Split the document window. |
| Alt + Shift + C or Alt + Ctrl + S | Remove the document window split |
| Ctrl + K | Insert a hyperlink |
| Alt + Left Arrow | Go back one page |
| Alt + Right Arrow | Go forward one page |
| F9 | Refresh |
| Ctrl + S | Save |
| Ctrl + W | Close |
| Ctrl + X | Cut |
| Ctrl + C | Copy |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + B | Bold |
| Ctrl + I | Italic |
| Ctrl + U | Underline |
| Ctrl + [ | Decrease font size 1 point |
| Ctrl + ] | Increase font size 1 point |
| Ctrl + E | Center text |
| Ctrl + L | Left align text |
| Ctrl + R | Right align text |
| Esc | Cancel |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Y | Re-do |
| Alt + W, Q, then tab in Zoom dialog box to the value you want. | Zoom |
| Ctrl + P | Print a document |
| Alt + Ctrl + I | Switch to print preview |
| Arrow keys | Move around the preview page when zoomed in |
| Page Up or Page Down | Move by one preview page when zoomed out |
| Ctrl + Home | Move to the first preview page when zoomed out |
| Ctrl + End | Move to the last preview page when zoomed out |
| Alt + R, C | Insert a comment (in the Revision task pane) |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Turn change tracking on or off |
| Alt + Shift + C | Close the Reviewing Pane if it is open |
| Alt + R, then Down Arrow to move to commands on this tab. | Select Review tab on ribbon |
| Alt + R, S | Select Spelling & Grammar |
| Ctrl + F | Open the search box in the Navigation task pane |
| Ctrl + H | Replace text, specific formatting, and special items |
| Ctrl + G | Go to a page, bookmark, footnote, table, comment, graphic, or other location |
| Alt + Ctrl + Z | Switch between the last four places that you have edited |
| Alt + Shift + O | Mark a table of contents entry |
| Alt + Shift + I | Mark a table of authorities entry (citation) |
| Alt + Shift + X | Mark an index entry |
| Alt + Ctrl + F | Insert a footnote |
| Alt + Ctrl + D | Insert an endnote |
| Alt + Shift + > | Go to next footnote (in Word 2016) |
| Alt + Shift + < | Go to previous footnote (in Word 2016) |
| Alt + Q | Go to “Tell me what you want to do” and Smart Lookup (in Word 2016) |
| Ctrl + D | Open the Font dialog box to change the formatting of characters |
| Shift + F3 | Change the case of letters |
| Ctrl + Shift + A | Format all letters as capitals |
| Ctrl + B | Apply bold formatting |
| Ctrl + U | Apply an underline |
| Ctrl + Shift + W | Underline words but not spaces |
| Ctrl + Shift + D | Double-underline text |
| Ctrl + Shift + H | Apply hidden text formatting |
| Ctrl + I | Apply italic formatting |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | Format letters as small capitals |
| Ctrl + Equal Sign | Apply subscript formatting (automatic spacing) |
| Ctrl + Shift + Plus Sign | Apply superscript formatting (automatic spacing) |
| Ctrl + Spacebar | Remove manual character formatting |
| Ctrl + Shift + Q | Change the selection to the Symbol font |
| Microsoft Excel | |
| Ctrl + W | Close a workbook |
| Ctrl + O | Open a workbook |
| Alt + H | Go to the Home tab |
| Ctrl + S | Save a workbook |
| Ctrl + C | Copy |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Delete key | Remove cell contents |
| Alt + H, H | Choose a fill color |
| Ctrl + X | Cut |
| Alt + N | Go to Insert tab |
| Ctrl + B | Bold |
| Alt + H, A, then C | Center align cell contents |
| Alt + P | Go to Page Layout tab |
| Alt + A | Go to Data tab |
| Alt + W | Go to View tab |
| Shift + F10, or Context key | Open context menu |
| Alt + H, B | Add borders |
| Alt + H,D, then C | Delete column |
| Alt + M | Go to Formula tab |
| Ctrl + 9 | Hide the selected rows |
| Ctrl + 0 | Hide the selected columns |
| Ctrl + 1 | Open the Format Cells dialog box |
| Ctrl + Shift + F or Ctrl + Shift + P | Format fonts in the Format Cells dialog box |
| F2 | Edit the active cell and put the insertion point at the end of its contents Or, if editing is turned off for the cell, move the insertion point into the formula bar If editing a formula, toggle Point mode off or on so you can use arrow keys to create a reference |
| Shift + F2 | Add or edit a cell comment |
| Ctrl + Shift + Plus (+) | Open the Insert dialog to insert blank cells |
| Ctrl + Minus (-) | Open the Delete dialog box to delete selected cells |
| Ctrl + Shift + colon (:) | Enter the current time |
| Ctrl + semi-colon (;) | Enter the current date |
| Ctrl + grave accent (`) | Switch between displaying cell values or formulas in the worksheet |
| Ctrl + apostrophe (‘) | Copy a formula from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the Formula Bar |
| Ctrl + X | Move the selected cells |
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected cells |
| Ctrl + V | Paste content at the insertion point, replacing any selection |
| Ctrl + Alt + V | Open the Paste Special dialog box |
| Ctrl + I or Ctrl + 3 | Italicize text or remove italic formatting |
| Ctrl + B or Ctrl + 2 | Bold text or remove bold formatting |
| Ctrl + U or Ctrl + 4 | Underline text or remove underline |
| Ctrl + 5 | Apply or remove strikethrough formatting |
| Ctrl + 6 | Switch between hiding objects, displaying objects, and displaying placeholders for objects |
| Ctrl + Shift + ampersand (&) | Apply an outline border to the selected cells |
| Ctrl + Shift + underline (_) | Remove the outline border from the selected cells |
| Ctrl + 8 | Display or hide the outline symbols |
| Ctrl + D | Use the Fill Down command to copy the contents and format of the topmost cell of a selected range into the cells below |
| Ctrl + Shift + tilde (~) | Apply the General number format |
| Ctrl + Shift + dollar sign ($) | Apply the Currency format with two decimal places (negative numbers in parentheses) |
| Ctrl + Shift + percent (%) | Apply the Percentage format with no decimal places |
| Ctrl + Shift + caret (^) | Apply the Percentage format with no decimal places |
| Ctrl + Shift + number sign (#) | Apply the Date format with the day, month, and year |
| Ctrl + Shift + at sign (@) | Apply the Date format with the day, month, and year |
| Ctrl + Shift + exclamation point (!) | Apply the Number format with two decimal places, thousands separator, and minus sign (-) for negative values |
| Ctrl + K | Open the Insert hyperlink dialog |
| F7 | Check spelling in the active worksheet or selected range |
| Ctrl + Q | Display the Quick Analysis options for selected cells that contain data |
| Ctrl + L or Ctrl + T | Display the Create Table dialog box |
| Ctrl + A or Ctrl + Shift + Spacebar | Select the entire worksheet |
| Ctrl + Shift + Page Down | Select the current and next sheet in a workbook |
| Ctrl + Shift + Page Up | Select the current and previous sheet in a workbook |
| Shift + arrow key | Extend the selection of cells by one cell |
| Ctrl + Shift + arrow key | Extend the selection of cells to the last nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell, or if the next cell is blank, to the next nonblank cell |
| Turn extend mode on and use the arrow keys to extend a selection Press again to turn off F8 | Turn extend mode on and use the arrow keys to extend a selection Press again to turn off |
| Shift + F8 | Add a non-adjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys |
| Alt + Enter | Start a new line in the same cell |
| Ctrl + Enter | Fill the selected cell range with the current entry |
| Shift + Enter | Complete a cell entry and select the cell above |
| Ctrl + Spacebar | Select an entire column in a worksheet |
| Shift + Spacebar | Select an entire row in a worksheet |
| Ctrl + Shift + Spacebar | Select all objects on a worksheet when an object is selected |
| Ctrl + Shift + Home | Extend the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet |
| Ctrl + A or Ctrl + Shift + Spacebar | Select the current region if the worksheet contains data Press a second time to select the current region and its summary rows Press a third time to select the entire worksheet |
| Ctrl + Shift + asterisk (*) | Select the current region around the active cell or select an entire PivotTable report |
| Home | Select the first command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible |
| Ctrl + Y | Repeat the last command or action, if possible |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo the last action |
| Gmail | |
| Quick Navigation | |
| G, then A | Go to All Mail |
| G, then C | Go to Contacts |
| G, then D | Go to Drafts |
| G, then I | Go to Inbox |
| G, then K | Go to Tasks |
| G, then S | Go to Starred Conversations |
| G, then T | Go to Sent Messages |
| G, then L | Go to label… |
| Reading Messages | |
| A | Reply all |
| E | Archive |
| F | Forward |
| M | Mute conversation |
| N | Next message in open conversation |
| P | Previous message in open conversation |
| R | Reply |
| S | Toggle star |
| X | Select conversation |
| Z | Undo last action |
| Comma | Move focus to toolbar |
| ! | Report as spam |
| # | Delete |
| – | Mark as not important |
| = | Mark as important |
| [ | Archive conversation and go to previous message |
| ] | Archive conversation and go to next message |
| ; | Expand entire conversation |
| : | Collapse entire conversation |
| Shift + A | Reply all in a new window |
| Shift + F | Forward in a new window |
| Shift + I | Mark as read |
| Shift + N | Update conversation |
| Shift + R | Reply in a new window |
| Shift + T | Add conversation to Tasks |
| Shift + U | Mark as unread |
| Composition | |
| C | Compose message |
| Ctrl + K | Insert a link |
| Ctrl + M | Open spelling suggestions |
| Ctrl + Enter | Send |
| Shift + Ctrl + B | Add BCC recipients |
| Shift + Ctrl + C | Add CC recipients |
| Formatting | |
| Ctrl + B | Bold |
| Ctrl + I | Italics |
| Ctrl + U | Underline |
| Ctrl + [ | Indent less |
| Ctrl + ] | Indent more |
| Ctrl + \ | Remove formatting |
| Shift + Ctrl + 7 | Numbered list |
| Shift + Ctrl + 8 | Bulleted list |
| Shift + Ctrl + 9 | Quote |
| Shift + Ctrl + E | Align center |
| Shift + Ctrl + L | Align left |
| Shift + Ctrl + R | Align right |
| YouTube | |
| Spacebar | Play/Pause when the seek bar is selected. Also activates a button if a button has focus |
| Play/Pause Media Key on keyboards | Play / Pause |
| K | Pause/Play in player |
| Stop Media Key on keyboards | Stop |
| Next Track Media Key on keyboards | Moves to the next track in a playlist |
| Left/Right arrow on the seek bar | Seek backward/forward 5 seconds |
| J | Seek backward 10 seconds in player |
| L | Seek forward 10 seconds in player |
| Home/End on the seek bar | Seek to the beginning/last seconds of the video |
| Up/Down arrow on the seek bar | Increase/Decrease volume 5% |
| Numbers 1 to 9 on the seek bar (not on the numeric pad) | Seek to the 10% to 90% of the video |
| Number 0 on the seek bar (not on the numeric pad) | Seek to the beginning of the video |
| Number 1 or Shift+1 | Move between H1 headers |
| / | Go to search box |
| F | Activate full screen. If full screen mode is enabled, activate F again or press escape to exit full screen mode. |
| C | Activate closed captions and subtitles if available. To hide captions and subtitles, activate C again. |
| Shift + N | Move to the next video (If you are using a playlist, it moves to the next video of the playlist. If not using a playlist, it will move to the next YouTube suggested video) |
| Shift + P | Move to the previous video. Note that this shortcut only works when you are using a playlist. |