Mastering keyboard shortcuts in the Windows Command Prompt can significantly enhance your productivity and efficiency. Here’s a compilation of 36 essential keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate and perform tasks more effectively:
Navigation Shortcuts
- Tab: Auto-complete file or folder names.
- Ctrl + C: Copy selected text to the clipboard.
- Ctrl + V: Paste text from the clipboard.
- Ctrl + A: Select all text in the Command Prompt.
- Shift + Arrow Keys: Select text character by character.
- Shift + Home/End: Select text to the beginning or end of the current line.
- Ctrl + Arrow Keys: Move the cursor one word at a time.
- Ctrl + Home/End: Move the cursor to the beginning or end of the command line.
- Up/Down Arrow Keys: Scroll through command history.
Editing Shortcuts
- Ctrl + Backspace: Delete the word to the left of the cursor.
- Ctrl + Delete: Delete the word to the right of the cursor.
- Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Keys: Select text word by word.
- Ctrl + Shift + Left/Right Arrow Keys: Select text character by character.
- Ctrl + X: Cut selected text.
- Ctrl + Z: Undo the last action.
- Ctrl + Y: Redo the last undone action.
- Alt + Enter: Toggle full-screen mode.
Window Management Shortcuts
- Alt + Space: Open the system menu for the Command Prompt window.
- Alt + Enter: Toggle full-screen mode.
- Alt + F4: Close the Command Prompt window.
- Alt + Up/Down Arrow Keys: Scroll through the Command Prompt window’s command history.
Text Selection Shortcuts
- Shift + Home/End: Select text to the beginning or end of the current line.
- Shift + Page Up/Page Down: Select text one screen at a time.
- Shift + Ctrl + Home/End: Select all text from the cursor position to the beginning or end of the Command Prompt window.
Other Useful Shortcuts
- F1: Copy the previously executed command one character at a time.
- F2: Copy the previously executed command up to the entered character.
- F3: Copy the previously executed command.
- F4: Delete characters from the current command up to the entered character.
- F5: Cycle through previously executed commands.
- F7: Display a list of previously executed commands.
- F8: Cycle through previously executed commands starting with the current input.
- Ctrl + D: End input and close the Command Prompt window.
- Ctrl + R: Search command history (type part of a command and cycle through matches).
- Ctrl + L: Clear the Command Prompt window.
- Ctrl + T: Swap the last two characters before the cursor.
- Ctrl + W: Delete the word to the left of the cursor.
By incorporating these keyboard shortcuts into your workflow, you’ll be able to navigate the Command Prompt more efficiently and accomplish tasks with greater ease. Practice using these shortcuts regularly to become a Command Prompt power user.