Windows 7 is the operating system released by Microsoft for
use on personal computers, home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks,
tablet PCs, and media center PCs. It was released worldwide on October 22,
2009. Windows 7 is more focused towards upgrading Windows with the goal of
being compatible with applications and hardware. Most of the Windows standard
applications will remain in the new Windows 7 edition. Windows 7 includes a
number of new features such as advance in touch and handwriting recognition,
support for virtual hard disks, and improved performance on multi-core
processors etc. Windows comes with a rich set of applications and programs
which helps both the computer professionals and layman alike. Windows has
shortcut keys which are combinations of two or more keys when pressed, can be
used to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing
device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier to interact with your computer,
saving you time and effort as you work with Windows and other
programs. Thus Windows shortcut keys come in handy for the ease of use as well
as speed in execution of commands and operations.
Here is a list of all Windows 7 shortcut keys:
General keyboard shortcuts
Photo courtesy: techoologic.com
Press the key Action
F1 Display
Help
Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert) Copy
the selected item
Ctrl+X Cut the selected item
Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert) Paste the selected item
Ctrl+Z Undo an action
Ctrl+Y Redo an action
Delete (or
Ctrl+D) 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 with any
arrow key+Spacebar Select
multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
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
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel Change
the size of icons on the desktop
Windows logo
key +Tab Cycle through
programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Ctrl+Windowslogo
key +Tab Use the arrow keys to
cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero 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 (or Ctrl+R) Refresh the active window
Alt+Up Arrow View the folder one level up
in Windows Explorer
Esc Cancel the current task
Ctrl+Shift+Esc Open Task Manager
Shift when you insert a CD Prevent
the CD from automatically playing
Left Alt+Shift Switch
the input language when multiple input languages are enabled
Ctrl+Shift Switch
the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled
Right or Left
Ctrl+Shift Change
the reading direction of text in right-to-left reading languages
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
Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts
Windows logo key Open or close the Start menu.
Windows logo key +Pause 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're on a network).
Windows logo key +L Lock your computer or switch users.
Windows logo key +R Open the Run dialog box.
Windows logo key +T Cycle through programs on the
taskbar.
Windows logo
key +number Start the program pinned
to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the program is
already running, switch to that program.
Shift+Windowslogo
key +number Start a new instance of the
program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Ctrl+Windows logo
key +number Switch to the last active
window of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the
number.
Alt+Windows logo
key +number Open the Jump List for the
program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows logo
key +Tab Cycle through
programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
Ctrl+Windows logo
key +Tab Use the arrow keys to cycle
through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
Ctrl+Windows logo
key +B Switch to the program
that displayed a message in the notification area.
Windows logo key +Spacebar Preview
the desktop.
Windows logo key +Up
Arrow Maximize the window.
Windows logo
key +Left
Arrow Maximize the window
to the left side of the screen.
Windows logo
key +Right
Arrow Maximize the window
to the right side of the screen.
Windows logo key +Down
Arrow Minimize
the window.
Windows logo key +Home Minimize
all but the active window.
Windows logo key +Shift+Up
Arrow Stretch
the window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Windows logo key +Shift+Left
Arrow or Right
Arrow Move
a window from one monitor to another.
Windows logo key +P Choose a presentation display mode.
Windows logo key +G Cycle through gadgets.
Windows logo key +U Open Ease of Access Center.
Windows logo key +X Open Windows Mobility Center.
Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+N Open a new window
Ctrl+W Close the current window
Ctrl+Shift+N Create a new folder
End Display the bottom of the active
window
Home Display the top of the active window
F11 Maximize or minimize the active
window
Ctrl+Period (.) Rotate a picture clockwise
Ctrl+Comma (,) Rotate a picture counter-clockwise
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's expanded), or select the parent folder
Alt+Enter Open
the Properties dialog box for the selected item
Alt+P Display
the preview pane
Alt+Left Arrow View the
previous folder
Backspace View
the previous folder
Right Arrow Display
the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder
Alt+Right Arrow View the
next folder
Alt+Up Arrow View
the parent folder
Ctrl+Shift+E Display
all folders above the selected folder
Ctrl+Mouse
scroll wheel Change
the size and appearance of file and folder icons
Alt+D Select
the address bar
Ctrl+E Select
the search box
Ctrl+F Select
the search box
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
Shift+Click on
a taskbar button Open
a program or quickly open another instance of a program
Ctrl+Shift+Click on a taskbar button Open a program
as an administrator
Shift+Right-click on a taskbar button Show the window
menu for the program
Shift+Right-click on a grouped taskbar
button Show
the window menu for the group
Ctrl+Click on a grouped taskbar button Cycle through the windows of the
group
Magnifier keyboard shortcuts
Windows logo key +
Plus Sign (+)
or Minus Sign (-) Zoom
in or out
Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar Preview the
desktop in full-screen mode
Ctrl+Alt+F Switch
to full-screen mode
Ctrl+Alt+L Switch
to lens mode
Ctrl+Alt+D Switch
to docked mode
Ctrl+Alt+I Invert
colors
Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys Pan in the
direction of the arrow keys
Ctrl+Alt+R Resize
the lens
Windows logo key +
Esc Exit
Magnifier
Paint keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+N Create a new picture
Ctrl+O Open
an existing picture
Ctrl+S Save
changes to a picture
F12 Save
the picture as a new file
Ctrl+P Print
a picture
Alt+F4 Close a picture and its Paint window
Ctrl+Z Undo
a change
Ctrl+Y Redo
a change
Ctrl+A Select
the entire picture
Ctrl+X Cut
a selection
Ctrl+C Copy
a selection to the Clipboard
Ctrl+V Paste
a selection from the Clipboard
Right Arrow Move
the selection or active shape right by one pixel
Left Arrow Move
the selection or active shape left by one pixel
Down Arrow Move
the selection or active shape down by one pixel
Up Arrow Move
the selection or active shape up by one pixel
Esc Cancel
a selection
Delete Delete
a selection
Ctrl+B Bold
selected text
Ctrl++ Increase
the width of a brush, line, or shape outline by one pixel
Ctrl+- Decrease
the width of a brush, line, or shape outline by one pixel
Ctrl+I Italicize
selected text
Ctrl+U Underline
selected text
Ctrl+E Open
the Properties dialog box
Ctrl+W Open
the Resize and Skew dialog box
Ctrl+Page Up Zoom
in
Ctrl+Page Down Zoom out
F11 View
a picture in full-screen mode
Ctrl+R Show
or hide the ruler
Ctrl+G Show
or hide gridlines
F10 or Alt Display
keytips
Shift+F10 Show
the current shortcut menu
F1 Open
Paint Help
WordPad keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+N Create
a new document
Ctrl+O Open
an existing document
Ctrl+S Save
changes to a document
F12 Save
the document as a new file
Ctrl+P Print
a document
Alt+F4 Close
WordPad
Ctrl+Z Undo
a change
Ctrl+Y Redo
a change
Ctrl+A Select
the entire document
Ctrl+X Cut
a selection
Ctrl+C Copy
a selection to the Clipboard
Ctrl+V Paste
a selection from the Clipboard
Ctrl+B Make
selected text bold
Ctrl+I Italicize
selected text
Ctrl+U Underline selected text
Ctrl+= Make
selected text subscript
Ctrl+Shift+= Make
selected text superscript
Ctrl+L Align
text left
Ctrl+E Align
text center
Ctrl+R Align
text right
Ctrl+J Justify
text
Ctrl+1 Set
single line spacing
Ctrl+2 Set
double line spacing
Ctrl+5 Set
line spacing to 1.5
Ctrl+Shift+> Increase
the font size
Ctrl+Shift+< Decrease
the font size
Ctrl+Shift+A Change
characters to all capitals
Ctrl+Shift+L Change
the bullet style
Ctrl+D Insert a Microsoft Paint drawing
Ctrl+F Find
text in a document
F3 Find
the next instance of the text in the Find dialog box
Ctrl+H Replace
text in a document
Ctrl+Left Arrow Move the
cursor one word to the left
Ctrl+Right Arrow Move the
cursor one word to the right
Ctrl+Up Arrow Move the
cursor to the line above
Ctrl+Down Arrow Move the
cursor to the line below
Ctrl+Home Move
to the beginning of the document
Ctrl+End Move
to the end of the document
Ctrl+Page Up Move
up one page
Ctrl+Page Down Move down
one page
Ctrl+Delete Delete
the next word
F10 Display
keytips
Shift+F10 Show
the current shortcut menu
F1 Open
WordPad Help
Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts
Right Shift for eight seconds Turn
Filter Keys on and off
Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn) 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
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
to the 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
the cursor to the search box
