Your guide Mark Wyciślik-Wilson says… “Embrace your keyboard, and you will find that you can get things done quicker than ever”
At a glance
Skill level…
Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts
Suitable for…
Windows 10
Windows 8.1
Windows 7
There is a lot to be said for using a mouse or trackpad to get around Windows and the programs you use, but keyboard shortcuts can be so much faster. In this article we’ll reveal some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10. Try not to feel intimidated... you don’t need to learn all of them at once! There are a lot of shortcuts to learn, but you can gradually start to use one or two to start with, then add a couple more when you’re familiar with them.
Keyboard shortcuts don’t give you any extra options or features, but they can really speed up everyday computing tasks. If you are typing, there’s no need to move your hands from the keyboard constantly to grab the mouse. Just think how many times you currently use your mouse, and you get an idea of how much time you could save.
Step-by-step Essential keyboard shortcuts
1 Accessing Windows features
Windows has lots of keyboard shortcuts. [Win] + [A] calls up the Action Centre to the right of the screen so you can see notifications, while [Win] + [E] launches Explorer. [Win] + [G] opens the Xbox Game Bar, [Win] + [I] opens Settings, and [Win] + [X] mimics right clicking on the Start button. Use [Win] + [R] to access the Run dialog, and [Win] + [S] to search.
2 Working with virtual desktops
If you press [Win] + [Tab], you can access Task View to switch between windows, and jump back to a different date. It also gives access to Virtual Desktops, but there are specific keyboard shortcuts associated with this feature too. [Win] + [Ctrl] + [D] creates a new virtual desktop while [Win] + [Ctrl] + [left] or [right] swaps back and forth between those you have created.
3 Navigating Windows
Just about everyone will know that pressing [Win] calls up the Start menu, and [Win] + [D] shows or hides the desktop ([Win] + [,] gives you quick peek at the desktop). Press [Win] + a number key to launch the app pinned to that position on the Taskbar. [Win] + [left] or [right] snaps the current window to the edge of the screen, while [Win] + [up] or [down] maximises or minimises.
4 More Windows shortcuts
If you have configured Windows 10 for multiple languages or keyboard layouts, you can switch between then using [Win] + [Space]. You can take a screenshot and save it to the Screenshots folder by pressing [Win] + [PrtScr], while pressing [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [Esc] opens Task Manager. Press [Win] + [+] to open the Magnifier tool and zoom in on the desktop; [Win] + [-] zooms back out.
5 Explorer navigation
If you already know how to use keyboard short
