Windows, Linux and Microsoft Shortcut Keys -

Have you ever found yourself trying to remember what that key combination was for a specific action?

While not an exhaustive list – those of us at Your Digital Mind have put together a list of helpful shortcut keys for Windows, Linux and Microsoft applications.

If you have any useful shortcut keys we have missed, please let us know at [email protected] or find us on Social Media!

General Shortcut Keys

CTRL+A Select All
CTRL+C Copy
CTRL+X Cut
CTRL+V Paste
CTRL+Z Undo
CTRL+B Bold
CTRL+U Underline
CTRL+I Italic
F1 Help
F2 Rename selected object
F3 Find all files
F4 Opens file list drop-down in dialogs
F5 Refresh current window
F6 Shifts focus in Windows Explorer
F10 Activates menu bar options
ALT+TAB Cycles between open applications
ALT+F4 Quit program, close current window
ALT+F6 Switch between current program windows
ALT+ENTER Opens properties dialog
ALT+SPACE System menu for current window
ALT+¢ Opens drop-down lists in dialog boxes
BACKSPACE Switch to parent folder
CTRL+ESC Opens Start menu
CTRL+ALT+DEL Opens task manager, reboots the computer
CTRL+TAB Move through property tabs
CTRL+SHIFT+DRAG Create shortcut (also right-click, drag)
CTRL+DRAG Copy File
ESC Cancel last function
SHIFT Press/hold SHIFT, insert CD-ROM to bypass auto-play
SHIFT+DRAG. Move file
SHIFT+F10 Opens context menu (same as right-click)
SHIFT+DELETE Full wipe delete (bypasses Recycle Bin)
ALT+underlined letter Opens the corresponding menu

Document Cursor Controls

HOME to beginning of line or far left of field or screen
END to end of line, or far right of field or screen
CTRL+HOME to the top
CTRL+END to the bottom
PAGE UP moves document or dialog box up one page
PAGE DOWN moves document or dialog down one page
ARROW KEYS move focus in documents, dialogs, etc.
CTRL+ > next word
CTRL+SHIFT+ > selects word

Windows Explorer Tree Control

Numeric Keypad * Expand all under current selection
Numeric Keypad + Expands current selection
Numeric Keypad – Collapses current selection
¦ Expand current selection or go to first child
‰ Collapse current selection or go to parent

Special Character Alt Codes

Ç Alt 128
ü Alt 129
é Alt 130
â Alt 131
ä Alt 132
à Alt 133
å Alt 134
ç Alt 135
ê Alt 136
ë Alt 137
è Alt 138
ï Alt 139
î Alt 140
ì Alt 141
æ Alt 145
Æ Alt 146
ô Alt 147
ö Alt 148
ò Alt 149
û Alt 150
ù Alt 151
ÿ Alt 152
¢ Alt 155
£ Alt 156
¥ Alt 157
P Alt 158
ƒ Alt 159
á Alt 160
í Alt 161
ó Alt 162
ú Alt 163
ñ Alt 164
Ñ Alt 165
¿ Alt 168
¬ Alt 170
½ Alt 171
¼ Alt 172
¡ Alt 173
« Alt 174
» Alt 175
¦ Alt 179
ß Alt 225
µ Alt 230
± Alt 241
° Alt 248
• Alt 249
· Alt 250
² Alt 253
€ Alt 0128
„ Alt 0132
… Alt 0133
† Alt 0134
‡ Alt 0135
ˆ Alt 0136
‰ Alt 0137
Š Alt 0138
‹ Alt 0139
Œ Alt 0140
‘ Alt 0145
’ Alt 0146
“ Alt 0147
” Alt 0148
– Alt 0150
— Alt 0151
˜ Alt 0152
™ Alt 0153
š Alt 0154
› Alt 0155
œ Alt 0156
Ÿ Alt 0159
¨ Alt 0168
© Alt 0169
® Alt 0174
¯ Alt 0175
³ Alt 0179
´ Alt 0180
¸ Alt 0184
¹ Alt 0185
¾ Alt 0190
À Alt 0192
Á Alt 0193
Â Alt 0194
Ã Alt 0195
Ä Alt 0196
Å Alt 0197
È Alt 0200
É Alt 0201
Ê Alt 0202
Ë Alt 0203
Ì Alt 0204
Í Alt 0205
Î Alt 0206
Ï Alt 0207
Ð Alt 0208
Ò Alt 0210
Ó Alt 0211
Ô Alt 0212
Õ Alt 0213
Ö Alt 0214
× Alt 0215
Ø Alt 0216
Ù Alt 0217
Ú Alt 0218
Û Alt 0219
Ü Alt 0220
Ý Alt 0221
Þ Alt 0222
ã Alt 0227
ð Alt 0240
õ Alt 0245
÷ Alt 0247
ø Alt 0248
ü Alt 0252
ý Alt 0253
þ Alt 0254

File menu options in current program

Alt + E Edit options in current program
F1 Universal help (for all programs)
Ctrl + A Select all text
Ctrl + X Cut selected item
Shift + Del Cut selected item
Ctrl + C Copy selected item
Ctrl + Ins Copy selected item
Ctrl + V Paste
Shift + Ins Paste
Home Go to beginning of current line
Ctrl + Home Go to beginning of document
End Go to end of current line
Ctrl + End Go to end of document
Shift + Home Highlight from current position to beginning of line
Shift + End Highlight from current position to end of line
Ctrl + f Move one word to the left at a time
Ctrl + g Move one word to the right at a time

Windows Shortcut Keys

Alt + Tab Switch between open applications
Alt + Shift + Tab Switch backwards between open applications
Alt + Print Screen Create screen shot for current program
Ctrl + Alt + Del Reboot/Windows task manager
Ctrl + Esc Bring up start menu
Alt + Esc Switch between applications on taskbar
F2 Rename selected icon
F3 Start find from desktop
F4 Open the drive selection when browsing
F5 Refresh contents
Alt + F4 Close current open program
Ctrl + F4 Close window in program
Ctrl + Plus Key Automatically adjust widths of all columns in Windows Explorer
Alt + Enter Open properties window of selected icon or program
Shift + F10 Simulate right-click on selected item
Shift + Del Delete programs/files permanently

WinKey Combinations

WINKEY + D Bring desktop to the top of other windows
WINKEY + M Minimize all windows
WINKEY + SHIFT + M Undo the minimize done by WINKEY + M and WINKEY + D
WINKEY + E Open Microsoft Explorer
WINKEY + Tab Cycle through open programs on taskbar
WINKEY + F Display the Windows Search/Find feature
WINKEY + CTRL + F Display the search for computers window
WINKEY + F1 Display the Microsoft Windows help
WINKEY + R Open the run window
WINKEY + Pause /Break Open the system properties window
WINKEY + U Open utility manager
WINKEY + L Lock the computer (Windows XP & later)

Outlook Shortcut Keys

Alt + S Send the email
Ctrl + C Copy selected text
Ctrl + X Cut selected text
Ctrl + P Open print dialog box
Ctrl + K Complete name/email typed in address bar
Ctrl + B Bold highlighted selection
Ctrl + I Italicize highlighted selection
Ctrl + U Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + R Reply to an email
Ctrl + F Forward an email
Ctrl + N Create a new email
Ctrl + Shift + A Create a new appointment to your calendar
Ctrl + Shift + O Open the outbox
Ctrl + Shift + I Open the inbox
Ctrl + Shift + K Add a new task
Ctrl + Shift + C Create a new contact
Ctrl + Shift+ J Create a new journal entry

Microsoft Word Shortcut Keys

Ctrl + A Select all contents of the page
Ctrl + B Bold highlighted selection
Ctrl + C Copy selected text
Ctrl + X Cut selected text
Ctrl + N Open new/blank document
Ctrl + O Open options
Ctrl + P Open the print window
Ctrl + F Open find box
Ctrl + I Italicize highlighted selection
Ctrl + K Insert link
Ctrl + U Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + V Paste
Ctrl + Y Redo the last action performed
Ctrl + Z Undo last action
Ctrl + G Find and replace options
Ctrl + H Find and replace options
Ctrl + J Justify paragraph alignment
Ctrl + L Align selected text or line to the left
Ctrl + Q Align selected paragraph to the left
Ctrl + E Align selected