50+ Windows keyboard shortcuts that effectively improved my work productivity

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Home windows has a ton of keyboard shortcuts for useful actions in Home windows 11.
• Most individuals solely know the fundamentals: CTRL and C to repeat textual content. 
• Mastering these shortcuts may help enhance your general productiveness with much less clicks and quicker navigation.

Keyboard shortcuts have been a staple characteristic in Home windows for many years, however most customers solely know the fundamentals. At first look, they do not appear all that helpful since you may as well do these actions along with your mouse, however I problem you to attempt them over the course of a workday; I guess you may discover a lift in productiveness. 

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There are many several types of shortcuts in Windows 11, however the perfect ones prevent time by changing the necessity to click on by totally different context menus. A couple of of those are common throughout purposes and platforms. Ctrl + C, for instance, copies textual content or information in any app, from Microsoft Phrase to images in Google Drive. 

Here is a listing of greater than 50 Windows PC keyboard shortcuts it is best to know.

Productiveness shortcuts

Productiveness shortcuts are the important thing combos you may end up utilizing probably the most. They’re straightforward to make use of and enable you to handle your work. Over time, these keystrokes grow to be second nature.

1. Ctrl + C — Copy highlighted textual content or a file.
2. Ctrl + V — Paste no matter you simply copied. Retains the textual content’s format.
3. Ctrl + Shift + V – Paste no matter you copied, nevertheless it removes the formatting.
4. Home windows key (Win, for brief) + V — Opens the Clipboard instrument, which incorporates a listing of beforehand copied textual content. This helps in conditions the place you would possibly’ve “erased” the earlier copied merchandise.
5. Ctrl + X — Cuts the highlighted merchandise. Ctrl + V restores it.
6. Ctrl + Z — Undoes the final motion, resembling restoring deleted textual content or returning a moved file.
7. Ctrl + Y — Redoes the motion that was simply undone.
8. Ctrl + F — Opens the Discover instrument, so you’ll be able to seek for particular phrases or phrases.
9. Ctrl + A — Spotlight each single merchandise in a window or textual content in a doc.
10. Ctrl + S — Fast save your work.
11. Ctrl + Backspace — Delete your entire earlier phrase
12. Ctrl + Delete — Delete your entire subsequent phrase.

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Accessibility shortcuts

Home windows 11 has numerous accessibility shortcuts that make the OS simpler to make use of. These shortcuts assist individuals with motion limitations or circumstances which will limit their utilization of Home windows. That stated, anyone can use them to enhance their expertise.

1. Win + Plus (+) — Prompts the Magnifier instrument and robotically zooms in on the display screen.
2. Win + Minus (-) — Zooms out whereas the Magnifier instrument is activated. Hitting Win + Esc exits out of Magnifier.
3. Win + Ctrl + Enter — Launches Narrator, a text-to-speech perform that verbally describes what’s on display screen.
4. Press the Shift key 5 occasions in succession — Activates Sticky keys, which change how shortcuts work so you do not have to press and maintain a number of keys to set off them. For instance, underneath Sticky Keys, double-tapping Ctrl then C has the identical impact as Ctrl + C.
5. Ctrl + E — Opens the search bar. This works throughout Home windows 11 and internet browser apps.
6. Left Shift + Left Alt + Print Display — Toggles excessive distinction mode for simpler readability.
7. Left Shift + Left Alt + Num Lock — Toggles Mouse Keys, which helps you to management the cursor utilizing the numeric keypad. 
8. Win + Ctrl + C — Toggles colour filters like grayscale. The filters will be modified within the Accessibility menu to invert colours or assist individuals with deuteranopia (also referred to as red-green colour blindness).
9. Win + U — Opens the Accessibility menu in Settings, the place you’ll be able to activate or deactivate accessibility-related options.
10. Win + Ctrl + O — Opens the on-screen keyboard.

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Navigation shortcuts

Navigation shortcuts permit customers to maneuver round totally different apps on Home windows 11 with out ever needing to carry their palms off the keyboard. They’re particularly helpful for multitaskers juggling a number of packages without delay. When you grasp them, navigating your PC will really feel seamless.

1. Ctrl + Alt + Tab — Reveals all open apps. Use the arrow keys to hop from one to the opposite.
2. Win + S — Opens Home windows Search.
3. Win + Tab — Opens Process View, revealing all open home windows and all open desktops. 
4. Win + D — Hides each window in your desktop. Urgent the keys once more reveals them.
5. Win + Left or Proper Directional Arrow — Snaps the present window to the facet of the display screen that the arrow is pointing to.
6. Win + Up Arrow — Maximizes a window.
7. Win + Down Arrow — Minimizes the identical window.
8. Win + Ctrl + D — Create a brand new desktop.
9. Win + Ctrl + F4 — Closes a desktop.
10. Win + Quantity Key — Opens a taskbar app pinned to that quantity. For instance, Win + 3 may open Microsoft Edge whereas Win + 4 opens the Microsoft Retailer.

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File Administration shortcuts

The Home windows 11 File Explorer has its personal set of keyboard shortcuts to assist customers reorganize folders and information. As an alternative of right-clicking by menus or dragging gadgets round to scrub up muddle, these easy key presses make managing paperwork a breeze.

1. Win + E — Opens File Explorer.
2. F2 — Rename the chosen file or folder. Relying on the keyboard, you may additionally have to carry Fn.
3. F3 — Opens search bar to find information.
4. F4 — Selects the handle bar on the prime.
5. F5 — Refresh the window.
6. F6 — Cycle by components of an lively window.
7. Shift + Delete — Completely deletes an merchandise. Hitting simply Delete solely sends the file to the recycling bin.
8. Shift + F10 — Open Context Menu for a particular merchandise.
9. Ctrl + N — Opens a brand new File Explorer window. It stays on the web page of the earlier window.
10. Ctrl + Shift + N — Create a brand new folder.
11. Alt + Enter — Opens the Properties window for a file and folder.
12. Alt + Left or Proper Arrow — Transfer ahead or backward by your File Explorer Historical past.
13. Alt + Up Arrow — Return one folder degree.

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Browser shortcuts

Browser shortcuts are much like Productiveness shortcuts in that they do related issues, like copying and pasting gadgets or highlighting complete paperwork. Nevertheless, there are a couple of distinctive instruments, like the flexibility to create tabs. The next had been examined and confirmed to work throughout numerous browsers: Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

1. Ctrl + T — Open a brand new tab.
2. Ctrl + Shift + T — Reopen the final closed tab. (This one is big!)
3. Ctrl + W — Shut the present tab.
4. Ctrl + Tab — Transfer proper by tabs.
5. Ctrl + Shift + Tab — Transfer left by the tabs.
6. Ctrl + Shift + N — Open new non-public shopping window. On Firefox, that is Ctrl + Shift + P.
7. Alt + Left or Proper Arrow — Transfer forwards and backwards by tab historical past.
8. Ctrl + D — Bookmark web page.
9. Ctrl + H — Open browser historical past.
10. Ctrl + N — Open a model new browser window.