One of the best changes in Windows 7 is the ability to "snap" windows to the side of the screen, maximize them by dragging to the top of the screen, or even move them to another monitor with a shortcut key. Check out the video for a demonstration of how some of the keys work.
The full list of keyboard shortcuts includes:
- Win+Home: Clear all but the active window.
- Win+Space: All windows become transparent so you can see through to the desktop.
- Win+Up arrow: Maximize the active window.
- Shift+Win+Up arrow: Maximize the active window vertically.
- Win+Down arrow: Minimize the window/Restore the window if it's maximized.
- Win+Left/Right arrows: Dock the window to each side of the monitor.
- Shift+Win+Left/Right arrows: Move the window to the monitor on the left or right.
You can also interact with windows by dragging them with the mouse:
- Drag window to the top: Maximize
- Drag window left/right: Dock the window to fill half of the screen.
- Shake window back/forth: Minimize everything but the current window.
- Double-Click Top Window Border (edge): Maximize window vertically.
Taskbar Shortcuts
In Windows 7, using the Windows key along with the numbers 1-9 will let you interact with the applications pinned to the taskbar in those positions – for example, the Windows key + 4 combination would launch Outlook in this example, or Win+Alt+4 can be used to get quick access to the Outlook Jump List from the keyboard.
You can use any of these shortcut combinations to launch the applications in their respective position on the taskbar, or more:
- Win+number (1-9): Starts the application pinned to the taskbar in that position, or switches to that program.
- Shift+Win+number (1-9): Starts a new instance of the application pinned to the taskbar in that position.
- Ctrl+Win+number (1-9): Cycles through open windows for the application pinned to the taskbar in that position.
- Alt+Win+number (1-9): Opens the Jump List for the application pinned to the taskbar.
- Win+T: Focus and scroll through items on the taskbar.
- Win+B: Focuses the System Tray icons.
In addition, you can interact with the taskbar using your mouse and a modifier key:
- 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 (like XP does).
- 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.
More Useful Hotkeys You Should Know
The new hotkey goodness didn't stop with the taskbar and moving windows around—one of the best new hotkeys in Windows 7 is the fact that you can create a new folder with a hotkey. Just open up any Windows Explorer window, hit the Ctrl+Shift+N shortcut key sequence, and you'll be rewarded with a shiny "New Folder" ready for you to rename.
Here's a few more interesting hotkeys for you:
- Ctrl+Shift+N: Creates a new folder in Windows Explorer.
- Alt+Up: Goes up a folder level in Windows Explorer.
- Alt+P: Toggles the preview pane in Windows Explorer.
- Shift+Right-Click on a file: Adds Copy as Path, which copies the path of a file to the clipboard.
- Shift+Right-Click on a file: Adds extra hidden items to the Send To menu.
- Shift+Right-Click on a folder: Adds Command Prompt Here, which lets you easily open a command prompt in that folder.
- Win+P: Adjust presentation settings for your display.
- Win+(+/-): Zoom in/out.
- Win+G: Cycle between the Windows Gadgets on your screen.
Windows 7 definitely makes it a lot easier to interact with your PC from your keyboard—so what are your favorite shortcuts, and how do they save you time? Share your experience in the comments.
Top 20 shortcuts for taming your windows
Managing windows is probably one of the most fertile areas for keyboard shortcuts because otherwise, you manipulate them solely with the mouse. Here’s my top-20 list of must-know shortcuts for taming your windows; you’ll never have to move your hands from the keyboard. For completeness, I’ve included many keyboard shortcuts you might already be familiar with; skip down the list to see the ones you don’t know.
Managing windows is probably one of the most fertile areas for keyboard shortcuts because otherwise, you manipulate them solely with the mouse. Here’s my top-20 list of must-know shortcuts for taming your windows; you’ll never have to move your hands from the keyboard. For completeness, I’ve included many keyboard shortcuts you might already be familiar with; skip down the list to see the ones you don’t know.
| Switch between open windows | Alt + Tab |
| Minimize/restore all but the active window | Windows key + Home |
| Minimize all windows | Windows key + M |
| Maximize window | Windows key + up-arrow |
| Minimize/restore window | Windows key + down-arrow |
| Make all windows transparent so you can see the desktop | Windows key + spacebar |
| Dock window to left or right half of screen | Windows key + left- or right-arrow |
| Zoom in/out (In the default view, you must zoom in before zooming out.) | Windows key + plus/minus sign |
| Lock screen | Windows key + L |
| Open Run dialog | Windows key + R |
| Open Search box | Windows key + F |
| Open Windows Explorer to computer | Windows key + E |
| Expand Folders view in Win Explorer to show where you are | Control + Shift + E |
| Go up a level in Windows Explorer | Alt + up-arrow |
| Choose display mode/switch monitors (Especially useful for presenters or dual-monitor users) | Windows key + P |
| Launch apps pinned to the Taskbar (1 is the left-most app; Windows Key+T cycles through all apps.) | Windows key + (number 1-9) |
| Cycle through Gadgets | Windows key + G |
| Rotate a picture clockwise (Or use comma for counterclockwise) | Control + period |
Use Control-click to select the pictures in a folder you need to rotate, then rotate them all at once.
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| Turn Sticky Keys on and off | Press Shift five times |
Although keyboard shortcuts can be real time-savers, sometimes it’s hard to press multiple keys at once, (especially while you’re eating a sandwich or holding your phone in one hand). The Windows Sticky Keys feature lets you press one key at a time as you enter a shortcut. You can turn on Sticky Keys permanently by using the Control Panel’s Ease of Access Center options.
| |
| Turn Mouse Keys on and off | Left-Alt + left-Shift + Num Lock |
The Windows Mouse Keys feature is a really useful shortcut that lets you control the cursor with the arrow keys on your numeric keypad. Like Sticky Keys, it can be turned on permanently in the Control Panel’s Ease of Access Center, but you can also invoke it at any time by pressing this key combination. This gesture turns you into a true keyboard jockey.
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The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with the Help viewer.
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
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
|
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
Ctrl+N
|
Start a new note
|
Ctrl+O
|
Open a recently used note
|
Ctrl+S
|
Save changes to a note
|
Ctrl+Shift+V
|
Move a note to a specific folder
|
Ctrl+P
|
Print a note
|
Alt+F4
|
Close a note and its Journal window
|
Ctrl+Z
|
Undo a change
|
Ctrl+Y
|
Redo a change
|
Ctrl+A
|
Select all items on a page
|
Ctrl+X
|
Cut a selection
|
Ctrl+C
|
Copy a selection to the Clipboard
|
Ctrl+V
|
Paste a selection from the Clipboard
|
Esc
|
Cancel a selection
|
Delete
|
Delete a selection
|
Ctrl+F
|
Start a basic find
|
Ctrl+G
|
Go to a page
|
F5
|
Refresh find results
|
F5
|
Refresh the note list
|
F6
|
Toggle between a note list and a note
|
Ctrl+Shift+C
|
Display a shortcut menu for column headings in a note list
|
F11
|
View a note in full-screen mode
|
F1
|
Open Journal Help
|
Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that, 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.
Most programs also provide accelerator keys that can make it easier to work with menus and other commands. Check the menus of programs for accelerator keys. If a letter is underlined in a menu, that usually means that pressing the Alt key in combination with the underlined key will have the same effect as clicking that menu item.
Pressing the Alt key in some programs, such as Paint and WordPad, shows commands that are labeled with additional keys that you can press to use them.
You can also create new keyboard shortcuts to open programs. For more information, see Create keyboard shortcuts to open programs.
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Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that can help make your computer easier to use.
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
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
|
General keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts.
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
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+Windows logo 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
Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows logo key .
.| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
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+Windows logo 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
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
Magnifier keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Magnifier.
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
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
|
Remote Desktop Connection keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Remote Desktop Connection.
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
Alt+Page Up
|
Move between programs from left to right.
|
Alt+Page Down
|
Move between programs from right to left.
|
Alt+Insert
|
Cycle through programs in the order that they were started in.
|
Alt+Home
|
Display the Start menu.
|
Ctrl+Alt+Break
|
Switch between a window and full screen.
|
Ctrl+Alt+End
|
Display the Windows Security dialog box.
|
Alt+Delete
|
Display the system menu.
|
Ctrl+Alt+Minus Sign (-) on the numeric keypad
|
Place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing Alt+PrtScn on a local computer).
|
Ctrl+Alt+Plus Sign (+) on the numeric keypad
|
Place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PrtScn on a local computer).
|
Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow
|
“Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) program.
|
Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow
|
“Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) program.
|
Note
Ctrl+Alt+Break and Ctrl+Alt+End are available in all Remote Desktop sessions, even when you've set up the remote computer to recognizeWindows keyboard shortcuts.
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