303 Keyboard Shortcuts

By | 2018-07-25

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
Windows KeyOpen the Start Menu; start typing to search
Ctrl + XCut text, files, and more
Ctrl + CCopy text and other elements to the clipboard
Ctrl + VPaste the clipboard’s contents
Ctrl + ASelect all
Ctrl + ZUndo your last action
Ctrl + YRedo the last undone action
Ctrl + SSave
Ctrl + OOpen
Ctrl + PPrint
Alt + F4Close current window
Ctrl + WClose current tab
Ctrl + FSearch
F11Get help in most apps
EscCancel current task
F11Enter full screen
Alt + TabSwitch between open programs
Windows Key + Shift + Left/RightMove a window to another monitor
Windows Key + BFocus on the System Tray
Windows Key + UpMaximize current window
Windows Key + DownRestore or minimize current window
Windows Key + TCycle through Taskbar apps
Windows Key + PChange projection settings
Windows Key + ROpen Run menu
Windows Key + PauseOpen System Properties
Windows Key + DShow desktop
Windows Key + MMinimize all windows
Windows Key + HomeMinimize all windows but the active one
Windows Key + LLock your PC
Windows Key + UpOpen Ease of Access Center
Ctrl + Alt + DelOpen Windows Security Screen
Ctrl + Shift + EscOpen Task Manager
Alt + SpaceOpen shortcut menu for the current program
Alt + Underlined letterPerform various commands depending on the app
Alt + Print ScreenTake a screenshot of the active window
Browser
Ctrl + TOpen new tab
Ctrl + Shift + TReopen recently closed tab
Alt + Left arrowGo back one page
Alt + Right arrowGo forward one page
F5Refresh
Alt + HomeOpen homepage
Ctrl + Plus/MinusZoom in or out
Ctrl + 0Reset zoom to default
Ctrl + LFocus cursor on address bar
Ctrl + EnterAdd “www.” and “.com” to text in the address bar and open website
Ctrl + HOpen history
Ctrl + JOpen downloads
Ctrl + DBookmark page
Ctrl + TabCycle through open tabs
Alt + UpGo up one folder level
Windows Explorer
Windows Key + EOpen new File Explorer window
F2Rename an item in File Explorer
Alt + EnterOpen Properties for a File Explorer item
Ctrl + DDelete selected item
Shift + DelPermanently delete an item
Alt + DFocus cursor on address bar
Ctrl + Shift + NCreate new folder
Alt + PToggle preview panel
Text Editing
Ctrl + Move cursor to the Right/Leftnext/previous word
Ctrl + Up/DownMove cursor to the next/previous paragraph
Ctrl + BackspaceDelete an entire word behind the cursor
Ctrl + DelDelete an entire word in front of the cursor
Ctrl + Shift + Arrow keySelect blocks of text
Ctrl + HomeJump to the start of the text field
Ctrl + EndJump to the end of the text field
Windows 10 specific
Windows Key + COpen Charms bar
Windows Key + ZShow Modern App Command Bar
Windows Key + AOpen Action Center
Windows Key + TabOpen the Task View
Windows Key + Ctrl + DCreate new virtual desktop
Windows Key + Ctrl + F4Close current virtual desktop
Windows Key + Ctrl + Left/RightSwitch between virtual desktops
Windows Key + COpen Cortana in listening mode
Windows Key + WOpen Windows Ink
Windows Key + PeriodOpen emoji panel
Windows Key + Left/RightSnap open window to one side of the screen
Windows Key + GOpen Game Bar (when applicable)
Windows Key + OLock device orientation (for tablets)
Windows Key + KOpen device connect panel
Windows Key + SOpen search bar
Windows Key + IOpen Settings
Windows Key + XOpen Power User Menu
Windows Key + CommaPeek through windows to desktop
Remote Desktop
Alt + PageUpMove between apps, left to right
Alt + PageDown>Move between apps, right to left
Alt + InsertCycle through apps in the order that they were started
Alt + HomeDisplay the Start screen
Ctrl + Alt + BreakSwitch between a window and full screen
Ctrl + Alt + EndDisplay the Windows Security dialog box
Ctrl + Alt + HomeIn full-screen mode, activate the connection bar
Alt + DeleteDisplay 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 + OOpen
Ctrl + NNew
Ctrl + OOpen a document
Alt + Ctrl + SSplit the document window.
Alt + Shift + C or Alt + Ctrl + SRemove the document window split
Ctrl + KInsert a hyperlink
Alt + Left ArrowGo back one page
Alt + Right ArrowGo forward one page
F9Refresh
Ctrl + SSave
Ctrl + WClose
Ctrl + XCut
Ctrl + CCopy
Ctrl + VPaste
Ctrl + ASelect all
Ctrl + BBold
Ctrl + IItalic
Ctrl + UUnderline
Ctrl + [Decrease font size 1 point
Ctrl + ]Increase font size 1 point
Ctrl + ECenter text
Ctrl + LLeft align text
Ctrl + RRight align text
EscCancel
Ctrl + ZUndo
Ctrl + YRe-do
Alt + W, Q, then tab in
Zoom dialog box to the value you want.
Zoom
Ctrl + PPrint a document
Alt + Ctrl + ISwitch to print preview
Arrow keysMove around the preview page when zoomed in
Page Up or Page DownMove by one preview page when zoomed out
Ctrl + HomeMove to the first preview page when zoomed out
Ctrl + EndMove to the last preview page when zoomed out
Alt + R, CInsert a comment
(in the Revision task pane)
Ctrl + Shift + ETurn change tracking on or off
Alt + Shift + CClose 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, SSelect Spelling & Grammar
Ctrl + FOpen the search box in the Navigation task pane
Ctrl + HReplace text, specific formatting, and special items
Ctrl + GGo to a page, bookmark, footnote, table, comment, graphic, or other location
Alt + Ctrl + ZSwitch between the last four places that you have edited
Alt + Shift + OMark a table of contents entry
Alt + Shift + IMark a table of authorities entry (citation)
Alt + Shift + XMark an index entry
Alt + Ctrl + FInsert a footnote
Alt + Ctrl + DInsert an endnote
Alt + Shift + >Go to next footnote (in Word 2016)
Alt + Shift + <Go to previous footnote (in Word 2016)
Alt + QGo to “Tell me what you want to do” and Smart Lookup (in Word 2016)
Ctrl + DOpen the Font dialog box to change the formatting of characters
Shift + F3Change the case of letters
Ctrl + Shift + AFormat all letters as capitals
Ctrl + BApply bold formatting
Ctrl + UApply an underline
Ctrl + Shift + WUnderline words but not spaces
Ctrl + Shift + DDouble-underline text
Ctrl + Shift + HApply hidden text formatting
Ctrl + IApply italic formatting
Ctrl + Shift + KFormat letters as small capitals
Ctrl + Equal SignApply subscript formatting (automatic spacing)
Ctrl + Shift + Plus SignApply superscript formatting (automatic spacing)
Ctrl + SpacebarRemove manual character formatting
Ctrl + Shift + QChange the selection to the Symbol font
Microsoft Excel
Ctrl + WClose a workbook
Ctrl + OOpen a workbook
Alt + HGo to the Home tab
Ctrl + SSave a workbook
Ctrl + CCopy
Ctrl + VPaste
Ctrl + ZUndo
Delete keyRemove cell contents
Alt + H, HChoose a fill color
Ctrl + XCut
Alt + NGo to Insert tab
Ctrl + BBold
Alt + H, A, then CCenter align cell contents
Alt + PGo to Page Layout tab
Alt + AGo to Data tab
Alt + WGo to View tab
Shift + F10, or Context keyOpen context menu
Alt + H, BAdd borders
Alt + H,D, then CDelete column
Alt + MGo to Formula tab
Ctrl + 9Hide the selected rows
Ctrl + 0Hide the selected columns
Ctrl + 1Open the Format Cells dialog box
Ctrl + Shift + F or Ctrl + Shift + PFormat fonts in the Format Cells dialog box
F2Edit 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 + F2Add 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 + XMove the selected cells
Ctrl + CCopy the selected cells
Ctrl + VPaste content at the insertion point, replacing any selection
Ctrl + Alt + VOpen the Paste Special dialog box
Ctrl + I or Ctrl + 3Italicize text or remove italic formatting
Ctrl + B or Ctrl + 2Bold text or remove bold formatting
Ctrl + U or Ctrl + 4Underline text or remove underline
Ctrl + 5Apply or remove strikethrough formatting
Ctrl + 6Switch 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 + 8Display or hide the outline symbols
Ctrl + DUse 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 + KOpen the Insert hyperlink dialog
F7Check spelling in the active worksheet or selected range
Ctrl + QDisplay the Quick Analysis options for selected cells that contain data
Ctrl + L or Ctrl + TDisplay the Create Table dialog box
Ctrl + A or Ctrl + Shift + SpacebarSelect the entire worksheet
Ctrl + Shift + Page DownSelect the current and next sheet in a workbook
Ctrl + Shift + Page UpSelect the current and previous sheet in a workbook
Shift + arrow keyExtend the selection of cells by one cell
Ctrl + Shift + arrow keyExtend 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 F8Turn extend mode on and use the arrow keys to extend a selection Press again to turn off
Shift + F8Add a non-adjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys
Alt + EnterStart a new line in the same cell
Ctrl + EnterFill the selected cell range with the current entry
Shift + EnterComplete a cell entry and select the cell above
Ctrl + SpacebarSelect an entire column in a worksheet
Shift + SpacebarSelect an entire row in a worksheet
Ctrl + Shift + SpacebarSelect all objects on a worksheet when an object is selected
Ctrl + Shift + HomeExtend the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet
Ctrl + A or Ctrl + Shift + SpacebarSelect 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
HomeSelect the first command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible
Ctrl + YRepeat the last command or action, if possible
Ctrl + ZUndo the last action
Gmail
Quick Navigation
G, then AGo to All Mail
G, then CGo to Contacts
G, then DGo to Drafts
G, then IGo to Inbox
G, then KGo to Tasks
G, then SGo to Starred Conversations
G, then TGo to Sent Messages
G, then LGo to label…
Reading Messages
AReply all
EArchive
FForward
MMute conversation
NNext message in open conversation
PPrevious message in open conversation
RReply
SToggle star
XSelect conversation
ZUndo last action
CommaMove 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 + AReply all in a new window
Shift + FForward in a new window
Shift + IMark as read
Shift + NUpdate conversation
Shift + RReply in a new window
Shift + TAdd conversation to Tasks
Shift + UMark as unread
Composition
CCompose message
Ctrl + KInsert a link
Ctrl + MOpen spelling suggestions
Ctrl + EnterSend
Shift + Ctrl + BAdd BCC recipients
Shift + Ctrl + CAdd CC recipients
Formatting
Ctrl + BBold
Ctrl + IItalics
Ctrl + UUnderline
Ctrl + [Indent less
Ctrl + ]Indent more
Ctrl + \Remove formatting
Shift + Ctrl + 7Numbered list
Shift + Ctrl + 8Bulleted list
Shift + Ctrl + 9Quote
Shift + Ctrl + EAlign center
Shift + Ctrl + LAlign left
Shift + Ctrl + RAlign right
YouTube
SpacebarPlay/Pause when the seek bar is selected. Also activates a button if a button has focus
Play/Pause Media Key on keyboardsPlay / Pause
KPause/Play in player
Stop Media Key on keyboardsStop
Next Track Media Key on keyboardsMoves to the next track in a playlist
Left/Right arrow on the seek barSeek backward/forward 5 seconds
JSeek backward 10 seconds in player
LSeek forward 10 seconds in player
Home/End on the seek barSeek to the beginning/last seconds of the video
Up/Down arrow on the seek barIncrease/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+1Move between H1 headers
/Go to search box
FActivate full screen. If full screen mode is enabled, activate F again or press escape to exit full screen mode.
CActivate closed captions and subtitles if available. To hide captions and subtitles, activate C again.
Shift + NMove 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 + PMove to the previous video. Note that this shortcut only works when you are using a playlist.
Author: dwirch

Derek Wirch is a seasoned IT professional with an impressive career dating back to 1986. He brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience that is invaluable to those embarking on their journey in the tech industry.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.