Although this is an era of GUI and mouse, keyboard shortcuts are still useful, especially if you use the computer for a things more complicated than simple text-processing and web-browsing they can be time-saving. So in this article you can find review of all shortcuts that can be used in the newest version of Windows – Windows 7. Most of them (like famous combinations Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) are the same as in earlier versions of Windows operating systems, but there are some new interesting combinations also.
First of all, next keyboard shortcuts are general and can be used in all Windows programs:
F1 - Display Help
F2 - Rename the selected item
F3 - Search for a file or folder
F4 - Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer
F5 - Refresh the active window. You can use or Ctrl+R for this action also.
F6 - Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 - Activate the menu bar in the active program
Ctrl+C - Copy the selected item. You can use also Shift+Insert.
Ctrl+X - Cut the selected item
Ctrl+V - Paste the selected item. This also can be done with Shift+Insert.
Ctrl+Z - Undo an action
Ctrl+Y - Redo an action
Ctrl+D - Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin. You can also use Delete key
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 ArrowMove - the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key - Select a block of text
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
Ctrl+F4 - Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
Ctrl+Alt+Tab - Use the arrow keys to switch between open items
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel - Change the size of icons on the desktop
Ctrl+Windows logo key+Tab - Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Ctrl+Esc - Open the Start menu
Ctrl+Shift+Esc - Open Task Manager
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
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
Alt+Tab - Switch between open items
Alt+Esc - Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
Alt+Underlined letter - Display the corresponding menu
Alt+Underlined letter - Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)
Alt+Up Arrow - View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer
Left Alt+Shift - Switch the input language when multiple input languages are enabled
Shift+Delete - Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
Shift with any arrow key - Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document
Shift+F10 - Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Shift - When you insert a CD Prevent the CD from automatically playing
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
Esc - Cancel the current task
Following keyboard shortcuts are for use in dialog boxes:
Ctrl+Tab - Move forward through tabs
Ctrl+Shift+Tab - Move back through tabs
Alt+Underlined letter - Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter
Shift+Tab - Move back through options
Tab - Move forward through options
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
Backspace - Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
Shortcuts that you can use in Windows Explorer, but also in most other programs, e.g. Microsoft Office or similar:
Ctrl+N - Open a new window
Ctrl+W - Close the current window
Ctrl+Shift+N - Create a new folder
Ctrl+Period (.) - Rotate a picture clockwise
Ctrl+Comma (,) - Rotate a picture counter-clockwise
Ctrl+Shift+E - Display all folders above the selected folder
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel - Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons
Ctrl+E - Select the search box
Ctrl+F - Select the search box
Alt+Right Arrow - View the next folder
Alt+Up Arrow - View the parent folder
Alt+D - Select the address bar
Alt+Enter - Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item
Alt+P - Display the preview pane
Alt+Left Arrow - View the previous folder
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
End -Display the bottom of the active window
Home -Display the top of the active window
Left Arrow - Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the parent folder
Backspace - View the previous folder
Right Arrow - Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder
F11 - Maximize or minimize the active window
Next section is for shortcuts which begin with Windows logo key. From those I would always recommend combination Windows logo key +Tab, fancy substitution for Alt +Tab shortcut. It is a fast way to switch between different running programs. Another keybord shortcuts which begin with are:
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
And for the end, some of the keyboard combinations that facilitate taskbar operations:
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