Computer Basics: Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
You can access many functions in Windows from your keyboard. Here is a "cheat sheet" of general Windows keyboard shortcuts and their results. These functions work in most Windows programs that use the standard Windows interface. Exact functionality varies from one application to another as needs differ.
Windows Level Functions
| Alt-Tab | Move from one open program to another. Repeatedly pressing Alt-Tab cycles through all open programs. |
| Alt-Esc | Move to the next program running as an icon or a window. |
| Ctrl-Esc | Opens Windows Start menu. |
Dialog Box & Window Functions
| Arrow keys | Move between icons, menus, lists, dialog box fields, and more, within the current element or field. |
| Tab | Move forward between window elements or fields (especially in dialog boxes). |
| Shift-Tab | Move backward between window elements or fields (especially in dialog boxes). |
| Enter | Select the currently active screen element. For example, select a currently highlighted item or button. |
| ESC | Closes the current dialog box or menu. |
| F1 | Get help for the active window. |
| Ctrl+F6 Ctrl+Tab | Move between windows within the current program. |
| Ctrl+F4 | Close the active window within the current program (but not the program). |
| Alt+F4 | Close the current program. |
| Alt-Space Bar | Open the Control menu of the current program. |
Clipboard & Editing Functions
| Ctrl+c Ctrl+Ins | Copy the selected text or other highlighted item to the Clipboard. |
| Ctrl+x Shift+Del | Cut the selected text or other highlighted item and copy it to the Clipboard. |
| Ctrl+v Shift+Ins | Paste the item on the Clipboard into the active window at the cursor point. |
| Del | Deletes the selected text or other highlighted item, not sending it to the Clipboard. |
| Print Screen | Copy the full screen image to the Clipboard. |
| Alt+Print Screen | Copy the image of the active window to the Clipboard. |
Text Functions
| Ctrl+a | Select all text or items in the active window. |
| Ctrl+b | Boldface highlighted text. |
| Ctrl+i | Italicize highlighted text. |
| Ctrl+f | Find a specified string in the current document. |
| Ctrl+h | Find a specified string in the current document and replace it with another string. |
| Ctrl+z Alt+backspace | Undo the most recent edit. |
File Functions
| Ctrl+n | Create a new file. |
| Ctrl+o | Open a file. |
| Ctrl+s | Save the currently active document or data item. |
| Ctrl+p | Print. |
These keyboard shortcuts work in most applications that use the standard Windows interface, including Windows Explorer and Notepad. Personal Knowbase uses these standard functions to help reduce the learning curve when you're starting out with the software.
For more information about standard Windows menu and dialog box shortcuts that work in most programs, see our previous post Personal Knowbase Keyboard Shortcuts.
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