Shortcut Keys and Key Modifiers for the Windows Shell
Key Description
Delete key or Delete on the shortcut menu Deletes the file
Shift + Delete key or Shift + Delete on the shortcut menu Deletes the file and doesn't place it in the Reycle Bin
Dbl Click a drive shortcut, Rycycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer Opens an folder view of the double clicked item
Shift + Dbl Click a drive shortcut, Rycycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer Open an explorer view with the double clicked item selected
Shift + Close Button Closes the current folder and all parent folders
Shift + Drag Move a file (default when dragging on the same drive)
Shift + Right Click Opens the object's context menu with hidden verbs shown, if any
Shift + Send To menu Moves a file (default when sending on the same drive)
Shift + Insert a CD Prevents the CD from auto running
Shift + Starting Windows Doesn't run the programs in the startup folder
Shift + No in a file confirmation dialog Means No To All (XP)
Shift + View menu - Thumbnails Hides the label for the thumbnails. Repeat to Show (XP)
Ctrl + Dbl Click an object (such as a document file) Opens in the object behind other windows. Doesn't work on all objects
Ctrl + Drag Copies a file (default for dragging between drives)
Ctrl + Send To menu Copies the file (default when sending between drives)
Ctrl + Send To menu Powertoys (except Send Contents to Clipboard) Sends the short name to the clipboard or run dialog
Ctrl + Send To menu Send Contents to Clipboard Powertoy Opens a dialog box to specify the data format
Ctrl + Close button Sets the system default settings, mainly sort order. Icon style is not affected
Ctrl + Close button in Picture & Fax Viewer Resets "Don't Show ... Again" dialog settings
Ctrl + Shift + Drag
(also Alt + Drag) Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file (default when dragging only program files in 95, default for dragging files called setup.exe and install.exe later versions)
Ctrl + Shift + Send To menu Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file
Ctrl + Plus Key in Explorer Auto sizes all columns
Ctrl + Alt + Delete Starts the Close Program dialog box (Windows 9x), Security dialog (NT, 2000, XP if Welcome Screen disabled), and Switch User (XP with Welcome Screen enabled)
Ctrl + Shift + Escape Starts the Close Program dialog box (Windows 9x) or Task Manager (NT, 2000, XP)
Ctrl + Click a Taskbar Button Select multiple Windows to tile or cascade (by right clicking the taskbar)
Alt + Space Opens the System menu
Alt + Enter or Alt + Dbl Click Open the Property dialog
Alt + Left Arrow Moves forward through the history list
Alt + Right Arrow Moves backwards through the history list
Alt + Tab Cycles through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt key is released
Alt + Shift + Tab Cycles backwards through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt key is released
Alt + Esc Switches to the next open window
Alt + Shift + Esc Switches to the previous open window
Alt + Home Home Page
Left Arrow Collapse the current selection if it is expanded or Select the parent folder
Right Arrow Expand the current selection if it is collapsed or Select the first subfolder
Num Lock On + Minus Sign (-) Collapse the selected folder
Num Lock On + * Expand all folders below the current selection
Num Lock On + Plus Sign (+) Expand the selected folder
Home Top of File List
End Bottom of File List
[Characters] tyed without a pause Goto the object that starts with the characters that were typed
[Single Character] after a pause Goto the next object starting with that character
Backspace Go to the parent folder
Right Click the System Menu or the Folder Icon in Web View Pops up the context menu for the container
Drag an object onto a Windows Titlebar Opens that object in that window (dragging into the window will often work, but in OLE documents this will insert the object into the current document)
Drag an object over, then hover over a collapsed folder in Explorer's tree view Expands the folder display
Drag an object over, then hover over, a taskbar button Brings the Window attached to the Taskbar button to the top
Drag an object over, then hover over, a blank part of the taskbar Minimises all open windows
Function Keys
Key Description
F1 Starts Windows Help
F2 Renames the selected file
F3 Starts Find Files or Folders
F4 Opens the drop down address bar
Alt + F4 Closes the current window in Explorer, exits an application, or if the shell has the focus (ie Start Menu or the Desktop), exits Windows
F5 Refreshes the view in Explorer, Desktop, or Start Menu
F6 or Tab Switch between left and right panes
F10 Menu access key (same to pressing Alt by itself)
Shift + F10 or the Application key Context menu access key
Shift + Ctrl + F10 or Shift + Right Click Add Open With.. to Right Click Menu
F11 Toggles full screen view
Control Keys
Key Description
Ctrl + A Selects all files
Ctrl + B Organise Favourites (in an Explorer window)
Ctrl + C Copies a file
Ctrl + D If a file isn't selected adds the current folder to Favourites
Ctrl + E or Ctrl + F Opens the Search pane in Explorer
Ctrl + G Goto (older versions only)
Ctrl + H Opens the History pane in Explorer
Ctrl + H Opens the Favourites pane in Explorer
Ctrl + P Prints the Web View template part of the view if the Web View has the focus (this isn't a useful feature)
Ctrl + R Refreshes the view
Ctrl + V Pastes a file
Ctrl + W Closes an Explorer window
Ctrl + X Cuts a file
Ctrl + Z Undoes the last operation (if possible)
The Winkey
The Winkey works even if Explorer or the Shell doesn't have the focus.
Key Description
Winkey or Ctrl + Esc Opens the Start Menu
Winkey + D Minimises and hides windows that can't be minimised or Unminimises/unhides all windows
Winkey + E Starts Explorer
Winkey + F Starts Find Files or Folders
Winkey + Ctrl + F Starts Find Computer
Winkey + M Minimises all windows that can be minimised
Winkey + Shift + M Unminimises all windows
Winkey + R Starts the Run Dialog
Winkey + F1 Starts Windows Help (F1 start help for the current application, if the focus is in Explorer or the desktop F1 also starts Windows Help)
Winkey + Tab Cycles through open windows with out bringing the Window to the top (press Enter)
Winkey + Break Starts System Properties
Windows 2000/XP Only
Key Description
Winkey + L Lock Workstation or Switch User (if Welcome Screen is on)
Winkey + U Accessability Utility Manager
Selecting
Key Description
Click an object Selects the object, cancelling any other selection
Control + Click, or Control + Space Selects or unselects the object without cancelling any other selection
Arrow Keys Moves the focus and selects the object
Control + Arrow Keys Moves the focus without selecting the objects
Shift + Arrow Keys Moves the focus and adds the object to the selected objects
Click then Shift + Click Selects all objects between the two clicks
Drag Drag a rectangle to select all objects within the rectangle
Auto Complete
Key Description
Alt + Down Arrows (or double click) Opens the drop down list
Down Arrow Cycles from most recent to least recent Auto Complete suggestions. Will match suggestions that start with the characters to the left of the cursor. Only letters are able to be used for partial matches.
Up Arrow Cycles from least recent to most recent Auto Complete suggestions. Will match suggestions that start with the characters to the left of the cursor. Only letters are able to be used for partial matches. If no letters are entered then the Up Arrow is only valid after the Down Arrow has been used.
Right Arrow Goes to the end of the suggestion. Type or press up or down arrow to cycle through suggestions which begin with the characters to the left of the cursor.
Ctrl + Left or Right Arrow Moves cursor a word at a time, slashes and dots are considered word separators.
Ctrl + Enter Adds
http://www. before the typed word and .com after it in the address bar
Delete Deletes the highlighted suggestion for forms and passwords only.
