Windows 8: For Those of us who Still Prefer Keyboard Shortcuts to Touch Screens - WE SALUTE YOU!!

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Yes, I admit it. I am using Windows 8 on both a traditional desktop PC and a laptop (They'll take my Lenovo W520 from MY COLD DEAD HAND!)

So the Start Screen is not touch enabled on these devices, true. But it does not mean we cannot take advantage of this new feature in Windows 8 from a keyboard perspective. If you came of age in the 1980's like me (yes, I am aware I am revealing my age) you are more comfortable with the keyboard. Well, Windows 8 is full of keyboard shortcuts that allow those of us who came of digital age in the last century - a way to quickly navigate this new interface.

Below is a comprehensive list of nifty keyboard shortcuts that leverage the "Windows" key. You know, the special key that started to appear on PC's after the release of Windows '95. I hope you find them as useful for your productivity as I have!

[FEEL FREE TO CLIP -N- SAVE]

Windows key: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application

Windows key + C: Access the charms bar

Windows key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop Taskbar

Windows key + I: Access the Settings charm

Windows key + H: Access the Share charm

Windows key + K: Access the Devices charm

Windows key + Q: Access the Apps Search screen

Windows key + F: Access the Files Search screen

Windows key + W: Access the Settings Search screen

Windows key + P: Access the Second Screen bar

Windows key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App running

Windows key + X: Access the Windows Tools Menu

Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation

Windows key + . : Move the screen split to the right

Windows key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left

Windows key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications

Windows key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order

Windows key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as Screenshot

Windows key + Enter: Launch Narrator        

Windows key + E: Open Computer

Windows key + R: Open the Run dialog box

Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access Center

Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog box

Windows key + Pause/Break: Open the System page

Windows key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item

Windows key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area

Windows key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar

Windows key + M: Minimize all windows

Windows key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows

Windows key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows)

Windows key + L: Lock computer

Windows key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window

Windows key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window

Windows key + Home: Minimize all but the current window

Windows key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen

Windows key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen

Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen

Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next

Windows key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support

PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen

PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen

Esc: Close  a charm

Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application

Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen

Alt: Display a hidden Menu Bar

Alt + D: Select the Address Bar

Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer

Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows

Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows

Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop

Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window

Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened

Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item

Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and
place it in the clipboard

Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer
(Like the Up Arrow in XP)

Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder

Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder

Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering
Autoplay or Autorun

Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than
sending it to the Recycle Bin)

Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or
dialog box

Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item

Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or
dialog box

Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items

Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of
a program

Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context
menu for the selected item

 

 

Ctrl + A: Select all items

Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item

Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item

Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item

Ctrl + D: Delete selected item

Ctrl + Z: Undo an action

Ctrl + Y: Redo an action

Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer

Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer

Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of
a window

Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder

Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager

Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open
windows

Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen 

Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items

Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same
folder

Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut
for that item in the same folder

Ctrl + Tab:  Move
forward through tabs

Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs

Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new
instance of a program as an Administrator

Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the
instances of a program in the group

 

 

F1: Display Help

F2: Rename a file

F3: Open Search

F4: Display the Address Bar list

F5: Refresh display

F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box

F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt

F10: Display hidden Menu Bar

F11: Toggle full screen display

Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog
box

PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it
in the clipboard

 

Home: Move to the top of the active window

End: Move to the bottom of the active window

Delete: Delete the selected item

Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows
Explorer  Move up one folder level in
Open or Save dialog box

Esc: Close a dialog box

 

Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the
selected folder 

Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folder

Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under
the selected folder    

 

Press Shift 5 times Turn StickyKeys on or off

 Hold down right Shift
for 8 seconds Turn FilterKeys on or off

 Hold down Num Lock
for 5 seconds Turn ToggleKeys on or off