30 Essential Windows Key Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 10
The Windows key has been a staple of the Microsoft operating system for over 28 years. It’s important to know these keyboard shortcuts if you’re using your computer at home or work, Here are the most important Windows key keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10 you should know about.
Starting with Windows 95, Windows 95 introduced a new keyboard shortcut for opening the Start menu and minimizing all windows, cycling through taskbar buttons, and so on. Windows 2000 brought the much-needed keyboard shortcuts for locking your desktop. Windows XP introduced a host of new keyboard shortcuts, such as selecting the first item in your notification area and opening “Search for Computers.” The story continued with Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. Windows 10 offers many useful shortcuts added to Windows over the last several decades as well as some new ones.
The Windows key is a useful tool for navigating around your computer. With so many shortcuts available, it can be tough to know which ones you should use! Here’s our list of 30 important keyboard combinations that will help make life easier:
Shortcut Keys
| Shortcut Keys | Description |
| Windows Key | Opens/closes the Start menu. |
| Windows Key + Up Arrow | Maximizes the selected window. |
| Windows Key + Down Arrow | Reduces the window size. (Restore down.) |
| Windows Key + M | Minimizes all open windows. |
| Windows Key + Shift + M | Opens minimized windows. |
| Windows Key + Tab | Shows Task View. |
| Windows Key + L | Locks the screen. |
| Windows Key + A | Opens the Action Center. |
| Windows Key + V | Opens Clipboard History. |
| Windows Key + I | Opens the Settings menu. |
| Windows Key + F | Opens the Feedback hub. |
| Windows Key + H | Opens the dictation toolbar. |
| Windows Key + P | Opens the projection settings. |
| Windows Key + . (Windows Key + 😉 | Opens the emoji panel. |
| Windows Key + C | Opens Cortana in listening mode. |
| Windows Key + C (Windows Key + Q) | Opens Windows Search. |
| Windows Key + G | Opens the Xbox game bar. |
| Windows Key + X | Opens the secondary start menu. |
| Windows Key + <number> | Opens the app in the taskbar relative to the number input.
For example, if Slack is the fourth app on the taskbar, using Windows Key + 4 will open Slack. |
| Windows Key + Alt + <number> | Opens the right-click menu for the app in the taskbar relative to the number input.
For example, if Slack is the fourth app on the taskbar, using Windows Key + Alt + 4 will open Slack’s right-click menu. |
| Windows Key + D | Shows/hides open apps on the desktop. |
| Windows Key + E | Opens File Explorer. |
| Windows Key + U | Opens Ease of Access in the Settings menu. |
| Windows Key + Print Screen | Takes a screenshot of the desktop. |
| Windows Key + Control + F | Opens the Find Computers window. |
| Windows Key + Control + D | Creates a virtual desktop. |
| Windows Key + Control + Left Arrow | Switches to the virtual desktop on the left. |
| Windows Key + Control + Right Arrow | Switches to the virtual desktop on the right. |
| Windows Key + Control + F4 | Closes the active virtual desktop. |
| Windows Key + Space | Switches between installed languages (for writing text). |
We hope this will help you Out to do Work Faster.
Related: How to Insert the Cent Symbol With a Keyboard Shortcut in Microsoft Word