Common Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Keys

Function

ALT+- (ALT+hyphen)

Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu. 

ALT+ENTER

View properties for the selected item.

ALT+ESC

Cycle through items in the order they were opened.

ALT+F4

Close the active item, or quit the active program.

ALT+SPACEBAR

Display the System menu for the active window.

ALT+TAB

Switch between open items.

ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name

Display the corresponding menu.

BACKSPACE

View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

CTRL+A

Select all.

CTRL+B

Bold

CTRL+C

Copy.

CTRL+I

Italics

CTRL+O

Open an item.

CTRL+U

Underline

CTRL+V

Paste.

CTRL+X

Cut.

CTRL+Z

Undo.

CTRL+F4

Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.

CTRL while dragging an item

Copy selected item.

CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item

Create shortcut to selected item.

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.

CTRL+LEFT ARROW

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.

CTRL+DOWN ARROW

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.

CTRL+UP ARROW

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.

CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys

Highlight a block of text.

DELETE

Delete.

SHIFT+DELETE

Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.

ESC

Cancel the current task.

F1

Displays Help

F2

Rename selected item.

F3

Search for a file or folder.

F4

Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

F5

Refresh the active window.

F6

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.

F10

Activate the menu bar in the active program.

SHIFT+F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.

CTRL+ESC

Display the Start menu.

SHIFT+CTRL+ESC

Launches Task Manager

Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu

Carry out the corresponding command.

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.

SHIFT with any of the arrow keys

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.

SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive

Prevent the CD from automatically playing.