If you’re an old school computer user then whilst getting the hang of Windows 8 you’ll bump into a whole heap of keystrokes that will help make it dance to your tune. Here’s the list of useful keystrokes I’ve found that work in Windows 8, for when you get around to upgrading from Windows 7 (the shortcut keys for that are listed here).
Note that this table uses the Windows key (or WinKey) character (ÿ). Since Unicode has no character for this image I’m explicitly referencing Microsoft’s WingDings font character 255 so it probably looks all yucky a Mac, given Macs don’t have the WingDings font available by default.
Some of the shortcut keystrokes have been redefined since Windows 7. For example the desktop peek keystroke was ÿ+Space but has now been re-mapped as ÿ+, and ÿ+Space now means something else. Also, ÿ+Space no longer invokes the Windows Mobility Centre but displays the Quick Link menu instead.
Also, some keystrokes have gone, such as ÿ+G, which is no longer required thanks to Windows Gadgets not being supported by Windows 8.
| Shortcut | aka | Meaning |
Ctrl+Shift+Esc | Invoke Task Manager or whatever replacement you might have installed, such as Process Explorer from SysInternals | |
Alt+Tab | Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) and desktop apps | |
Alt+Shift+Tab | Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) and desktop apps in reverse order | |
Alt+Esc | Switch to next desktop app in Alt+Tab list | |
Alt+Shift+Esc | Switch to previous desktop app in Alt+Tab list | |
ÿ+B | WinKey+b | Give focus to Task Bar’s notification area so arrow keys can move between notification icons, Enter can select them (like clicking them with the mouse), Shift+F10 can show context menu, Shift+Tab can move focus to notification area etc. |
ÿ+C | WinKey+c | Display the Charms bar. Equivalent to moving the mouse to the right edge of the screen or swiping in from the right edge of the screen. |
ÿ+D | WinKey+d | Toggle show desktop |
ÿ+E | WinKey+e | Windows Explorer |
ÿ+F | WinKey+f | Open Search Charm and do a search on Files |
ÿ+H | WinKey+h | Open Share Charm |
ÿ+I | WinKey+i | Open Settings Charm |
ÿ+J | WinKey+j | Switch the main app and snapped app |
ÿ+K | WinKey+k | Open Devices Charm |
ÿ+L | WinKey+l | Lock workstation |
ÿ+M | WinKey+m | Minimise all desktop app windows |
ÿ+Shift+M | WinKey+Shift+m | Restore all desktop app windows |
ÿ+O | WinKey+o | Lock device orientation |
ÿ+P | WinKey+p | Invoke the presentation menu to allow options of displaying on computer only, duplicating to external display, extending to external display or displaying on external display only |
ÿ+Q | WinKey+q | Open Search Charm and do a search on Apps |
ÿ+R | WinKey+r | Run a command |
ÿ+T | WinKey+t | Give focus to Task Bar so arrow keys can move between Task Bar items, Enter can select them (like clicking them with the mouse), Shift+F10 can show context menu, Tab can move focus to notification area etc. Repeated presses of the keystroke cycles through the buttons on the Task Bar |
ÿ+U | WinKey+u | Windows Ease of Access Centre |
ÿ+V | WinKey+v | Cycle through notifications |
ÿ+Shift+V | WinKey+Shift+v | Cycle through notifications in reverse order |
ÿ+W | WinKey+w | Open Search Charm and do a search on Settings |
ÿ+X | WinKey+x | Opens Quick Link menu |
ÿ+Z | WinKey+z | Show app commands. Equivalent to right-clicking a general area of the application. |
ÿ+Break | WinKey+Break | Windows System properties |
ÿ+F1 | WinKey+F1 | Windows help |
Prt Sc | Print Screen | Copy a screenshot to the clipboard |
Alt+Prt Sc | Alt+Print Screen | Copy a screenshot of just the focused window to the clipboard |
ÿ+Prt Sc | WinKey+Print Screen | Save a screenshot as a PNG in logged on user’s My Pictures folder |
ÿ+Tab | WinKey+Tab | Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) apps |
ÿ+Shift+Tab | WinKey+Shift+Tab | Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) apps in reverse order |
ÿ++ | WinKey+Plus | Zoom in (via Magnifier, which autostarts) |
ÿ+- | WinKey+Minus | Zoom out (via Magnifier) |
ÿ+Esc | WinKey+Escape | Cancel zoom, if enabled |
ÿ+. | WinKey+Period | Cycle through snapping an app to the right, to the left and unsnapping it |
ÿ+Shift+. | WinKey+Shift+Period | Cycle through snapping an app to the left, to the right and unsnapping it |
Alt+↑ | Alt+Up Arrow | In Windows Explorer navigate one folder up in the folder hierarchy |
Ctrl+Shift+N | In Windows Explorer this creates a new folder | |
Alt+Enter | Equivalent of right-clicking an item in Windows Explorer and choosing Properties | |
Shift+right-click on an item in Windows Explorer | | Enables extended Send To menu (has many more items in it). Also adds Copy as Path to the context menu. |
Shift+right-click on a folder | | Adds in context menu command: Open command window here. This starts cmd.exe with the current directory being the folder in question. |
Ctrl+Shift+Enter | In Start screen's Apps search results launches app as Administrator | |
Shift+Alt+Prt Sc | left Shift+left Alt+Print Screen | Toggle High Contrast mode |
Ctrl+Alt+↑ | Ctrl+Alt+Up Arrow | Rotate screen to default orientation default |
Ctrl+Alt+→ | Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow | Rotate screen orientation 90 degrees from default |
Ctrl+Alt+↓ | Ctrl+Alt+Down Arrow | Rotate screen orientation 180 degrees from default |
Ctrl+Alt+← | Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow | Rotate screen orientation 270 degrees from default |
ÿ+, | WinKey+Comma | Makes all windows transparent so you can see the desktop until you release the keys. Equivalent to (invisible) desktop peek button to right of Task Bar’s notification area. This was done by ÿ+Space in Windows 7 |
ÿ+↑ | WinKey+Up Arrow | Maximise window. Same as dragging window’s title bar to top of screen. |
ÿ+↓ | WinKey+Down Arrow | Restore maximised window, or minimise restored window |
ÿ+← | WinKey+Left Arrow | Alternately expand windows to fill left half of screen, expand to fill right half of screen or restore to previous size. Dragging window’s title bar to left edge of screen also expands window to fill left half of screen. |
ÿ+→ | WinKey+Right Arrow | Alternately expand windows to fill right half of screen, expand to fill left half of screen or restore to previous size. Dragging window’s title bar to right edge of screen also expands window to fill right half of screen. |
ÿ+Home | WinKey+Home | Minimise all but the active window. You can get the same effect by clicking on a window’s title bar and shaking it about (known as Aero Shake) |
ÿ+Shift+↑ | WinKey+Shift+Up Arrow | Maximise window vertically (leave width unchanged). This is the same as double-clicking the window’s top or bottom resize border |
ÿ+Shift+← | WinKey+Shift+Left Arrow | Move window to the monitor on the left |
ÿ+Shift+→ | WinKey+Shift+Right Arrow | Move window to the monitor on the right |
ÿ+PgUp | WinKey+Page Up | Move Start screen and "Metro" (Windows 8) apps to the monitor on the left |
ÿ+PgDn | WinKey+Page Down | Move Start screen and "Metro" (Windows 8) apps to the monitor on the right |
ÿ+<digit> | WinKey+<a number> | Start app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed, or switch to it if already open |
ÿ+Shift+<digit> | WinKey+Shift+<a number> | Start new instance of app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed. Shift-clicking the item does the same. |
Shift+click a Task Bar button | Same as ÿ+Shift+<digit> | |
ÿ+Ctrl+Shift+<digit> | WinKey+Ctrl+Shift+<a number> | Start new instance of app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed running as administrator. Ctrl+Shift-clicking the item does the same. |
Ctrl+Shift+click a Task Bar button | Same as ÿ+Ctrl+Shift+<digit> | |
ÿ+Ctrl+<digit> | WinKey+Ctrl+<a number> | Cycle through open windows of app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed |
ÿ+Alt+<digit> | WinKey+Alt+<a number> | Show the Jump List for the item on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed |
Shift+right-click a Task Bar button | Show XP-style Window menu | |
Ctrl+click a grouped Task Bar button | Cycle through the windows of the group | |
ÿ+Space | WinKey+Space | Switch input language and keyboard layout |
ÿ+Ctrl+Space | WinKey+Ctrl+Space | Switch to previous input language and keyboard layout |
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