Windows 8 Shortcuts  

Uploaded by bernd, updated on 10/27/2012 by bernd Platform: Windows/ English

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Table of Contents:

1. Getting around Windows 8 Start Screen and Desktop
2. Windows 8 Charme Shortcuts
3. Switch between Apps and Windows
4. Power User Commands Shortcuts
5. Managing Windows 8 Desktop Windows
6. Windows 8 Taskbar
7. Navigating Desktop
8. Windows Explorer
9. The Rest

1. Getting around Windows 8 Start Screen and Desktop
Win	Toggle between Desktop and Start Screen (or open Apps)
Ctrl+Tab	On Start Screen: Switch Between Start Window and All Apps Window
Win, then Ctrl+Tab	Open All Apps Window
Win, then start typing App Name	Search and execute Apps
Escape	Close Start Screen and go to Desktop
Win+E	Run Explorer on Desktop
Win+R	Execute Run on Desktop
Win+X	Open Power User Commands on Desktop
Alt+F4	Shutdown Windows
Win+L	Lock Computer
Win+F1	Open Windows Help

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2. Windows 8 Charme Shortcuts
Tip: Pressing Escape typically closes most Charme menus.
Win+C	Open Windows Charme. Use arrow keys and enter to select item. Press
Win+Q	Search Charme / last search option
Win+F	Search Files
Win+W	Search Windows Settings
Win+I	Open Settings including Desktop, Control Panel, Personalization, PC Info, Help
Win+H	Share Charme
Win+K	Device Charme
Win+S	Search Settings
Win+F	Search Files
Win+Z	Show Options / App Bar in current Metro Apps if available.

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3. Switch between Apps and Windows
Alt+Tab and Alt+Shift+Tab	Cycle between all Windows and Apps. Press and hold Alt key before pressing Tab. Release Tabon Window/App you want to open. While tabbing, add Shift to key combination to go backwards.
Ctrl+Alt+Tab then Arrow Keys	Cycle between open Apps without having to keep Alt pressed. Press keys once, then use Arrowkeys and Enter to select Window/App.
Win+Tab and Win+Shift+Tab	Same as Alt+Tab, but only includes Apps only, not Windows on Desktop
Ctrl+Win+Tab, then Arrow keys	Same as Ctrl+Alt+Tab, but only includes Apps, not Desktop Windows

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4. Power User Commands Shortcuts
These are also listed in the Power User Command Window. Sorted by their (subjective) importance.
Win+X, P	Control Panel
Win+X, T	Task Manager
Win+X, E	File Explorer (alternative: Win+e)
Win+X, R	Run (alternative: Win+r)
Win+X, D	Desktop (alternative: Win+d)
Win+X, F	Programs and Features
Win+X, C	Command Prompt
Win+X, A	Elevated Command Prompt (Admin)
Win+X, Y	System Information
Win+X, M	Device Manager
Win+X, G	Computer Management
Win+X, B	Mobility Center
Win+X, O	Power Options
Win+X, V	Event Viewer
Win+X, K	Disk Management
Win+X, S	Search

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5. Managing Windows 8 Desktop Windows
Win	Go to desktop / switch between Desktop and Start Screen or Apps
Win+Arrow Up	Maximize Window across screen
Win+Arrow Down	Minimize Window (if Restored) or set Window to Restored (if Maximized)
Win+Shift+Arrow Up	Maximixe Window vertically
Win+Arrow Right/Arrow Left	Move Window to left/center/right. Works across multiple monitors
Win+Shift+Arrow Right/ Arrow Left"	Move window to left monitor / to right monitor when using multiple monitors
Alt+Space	Opens the title bar menu
F11	Turn full page view on or off
Alt+Q	Close Window

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6. Windows 8 Taskbar
Win+T	Go to first item in Taskbar, continue with arrow keys
Win+B	Go to first item in System Tray
Shift+click on a taskbar item	Start new instance of Taskbar item
Ctrl+Shift+click on a taskbar item	Start new instance of Taskbar item as administrator
Shift+right-click on a taskbar item	Show the window menu for the program
Win+1...9	Switch to application in position N on Taskbar (or launch pinned application)
Shift+Win+1...9	Start new instance of taskbar item in position N on Taskbar
Unfortunately, Microsoft removed the possibility to select multiple taskbar items in Windows 7 (and did still not re-introduce in Windows 8)

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7. Navigating Desktop
Arrow Keys	Navigate between and select single icons on desktop (when focus is on the desktop)
Home/End	Select first / select last object on desktop
Enter	Launch active object
Shift+F10	Activate context menu of active icon by simulates right mouse button. Once in the context menu usearrow keys, a-z and enter to select item
Tab, Shift+Tab on empty desktop	Navigate between desktop, the quick-launch bar, task bar and notification bar. Then use arrow keysand enter or space to activate specific icons
A, B, C, ...	Pressing the initial letter of the name of any objects will highlight the respective application or folder. Continue typing the object name if multiple objects start with the same letter

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8. Windows Explorer

Basics
Win+E	Start Windows Explorer
Alt+Arrow Up	Go up one folder
Alt+Arrow Left/ Alt+Arrow Right	Go to previous folder / go to next folder
Tab/Shift+Tab	Switch focus forward/ backward between Address bar, Search Bar, Toolbar, Navigation Pane, and File List (Default is usually File List)
Alt+D or F4	Jump to the Address bar and select absolute address. Copy address with ctrl+c if desired
Ctrl+E or Ctrl+F	Jump to Search Box in Explorer
Ctrl+N	Open new instance of Windows Explorer
F11	Toggle full-screen mode

Navigate File List and Navigation Pane
Arrow Keys	Navigate between files and folders
Enter	Open folder or start application
Home/End	Jump to first / jump to last item
F2	Change the file name of active item
F2, then Arrow Left/ Arrow Right	Move one character to the left / to the right in item name
F2, then Ctrl+ Arrow Left/Arrow Right	Jump one word to the left / to the right of item name
F2, then Home /End	Jump to beginning / jump to end of item name
F2, then Ctrl+A	Select all/ complete object name including suffix (default excludes suffix)
Arrow Left/Arrow Right	Expand folder / collapse folder (navigation pane only)

File List Views
Alt+P	Display or hide Preview Pane
Alt+V then D	View details. Check View menu for more options
Alt+V then X	View extra-large icons. Check View menu for more options
Ctrl+mouse scroll wheel	Change size of icons

Select Items in File List and Navigation Pane
Shift+Arrow Up/ Arrow Down	Select multiple adjacent items (directly above or below)
Ctrl with Arrow keys and Space	Select multiple non-adjacent items. Hold ctrl, use arrow keys to move to next item, and pressspace to add/remove from selection
Ctrl+A	Select all
A ...Z and 1..9	Press the initial letter any item to jump to it. Continue typing the full name if multiple items start with the same letter

Manage Items in Explorer
Ctrl+C, ctrl+X, ctrl+V	Copy, Cut, Paste
Ctrl+Z	Undo an action
Ctrl+Y	Redo an action
Delete	Delete an item and place it into the Recycle Bin
Shift+Delete	Delete an item permanently without placing it into the Recycle Bin
Shift+F10	Activate context menu of active object. Replaces the right mouse button. Once in the context menu use arrow keys, a-z and enter to get to the selection
Ctrl+Shift+N	Create new folder
Alt+Enter	Open Properties dialog box

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9. The Rest
Win+U	Open Ease of Access Center
Win+P	Projector or second screen settings.
Alt+Shift	Change keyboard language layout if multiple language layouts are active*