Boost your productivity with essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows 11. Learn how to navigate through your tasks efficiently and save time on your computer. In this article, we will explore some essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows 11 that will help you streamline your work and boost your productivity.
New Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts
Hotkeys are combinations that allow you to initiate various functions and actions in Windows 11 in a faster way than using mouse clicks and manipulations with the interface. They save time and increase the speed of work for the average user or professional. We would like to devote this article to the most common, popular and convenient hotkeys. Knowing and using these tools every day at work is the right strategy for increasing your own efficiency and effectiveness in any modern information and IT sphere.
Keyboard shortcuts for copy, paste, and other basic actions
The following keyboard shortcuts help you work with text, files and folders, and undo or redo your actions. The following options are in demand:
- Ctrl in combination with X – cut a pre-selected element.
- Ctrl in combination with C – initiate copying of the selected element.
- Ctrl combined with V – paste.
- Ctrl in combination with Z – cancels the previous operation.
- Ctrl in combination with Y – repeat the last action.
- Ctrl combined with A – select all elements.
- Ctrl in combination with F – start a search in a document or program window.
- Ctrl combined with P – print.
- Ctrl in combination with S – save the document or window.
- Ctrl combined with N – create a new document or window.
- Ctrl combined with O – open an existing document or window.
- Ctrl in combination with W – close the active document or window.
- Ctrl in combination with F4 – close the active document (in applications that allow you to open several documents at the same time).
- Ctrl in combination with Alt and Tab – switch between all open applications using the arrow keys on the keyboard.
- Alt in combination with Tab – switch between recently opened applications.
- Alt in combination with F4 – close or exit the active application.
- Alt in combination with Space – open the context menu of the active window.
- Alt in combination with Enter – open the properties of the selected element.
- Shift in combination with Delete – deletes the selected item without placing it in the trash.
- Shift in combination with F10 – open the context menu of the selected element (analogous to the right mouse button).
These keyboard shortcuts work in most apps and windows in Windows 11. They help you quickly and easily copy, paste, cut, undo, redo, find, print, save, create, open, close, switch, and manage your data.
Hotkeys for working in the command line
The command line is used in situations where it is necessary to enter commands to perform various tasks in Windows 11. The easiest way to launch it is through the Win + R key combination and entering cmd. The following hotkeys can be used on the command line:
- Tab – autocomplete file or folder name.
- Ctrl combined with C – abort the current command.
- Ctrl in combination with V – paste text from the clipboard into the command line.
- Ctrl in combination with A – select all text on the command line.
- Ctrl combined with F – find text on the command line.
- Ctrl combined with M – Toggle mark mode on or off, which allows you to select text on the command line using the mouse.
- Ctrl in combination with Up/Down – scroll command history up or down.
- Ctrl in combination with Left/Right – move the cursor to the beginning or end of the word.
- Ctrl in combination with Home/End – move the cursor to the beginning or end of the line.
- Ctrl in combination with Shift in combination with Left/Right – select text by words.
- Ctrl in combination with Shift in combination with Home/End – select all text from the cursor to the beginning or end of the line.
- Shift in combination with Home/End – select all text in the current line.
- Shift in combination with Page Up/Page Down – select all text in the current screen.
- Shift in combination with Insert – paste text from the clipboard into the command line.
- Shift combined with Delete – delete selected text on the command line.
- Alt in combination with F4 – close the command line.
The above keyboard shortcuts help you quickly and easily enter, edit, copy, paste, highlight, find and delete text on the command line, as well as interrupt and close commands.
Hotkeys in dialog boxes
Dialog boxes are small windows that appear on top of the main application window and ask you for some information or confirmation. For example, when you want to save a file, open a link, or delete an item, you may see a dialog box with a question or warning. In dialog boxes you can use the following hotkeys:
- Enter—accept or confirm a choice or action.
- Esc—cancel or close the dialog box.
- Tab – Move between different elements in a dialog box, such as buttons, input fields, checkboxes, etc.
- Shift combined with Tab – Move through different elements in a dialog box in reverse order.
- Space—Select or deselect a checkbox or radio button in a dialog box.
- Alt in combination with letter – Select or activate an element in a dialog box that has an underlined letter in its name or label. For example, Alt combined with S to select the Save button.
- F4 – expand or collapse the list in the dialog box, if there is one.
- F1 – open help for the dialog box, if available.
These hotkeys help you quickly and easily select, confirm, cancel, navigate, and manage dialog boxes in Windows 11 without using your mouse.
Keyboard shortcuts for working with the taskbar
The taskbar is the horizontal strip at the bottom of the screen. It displays icons for open applications, the Start button, widgets, notification area and other important elements. Interacting with it through high-speed keyboard shortcuts is as simple as possible. Here are the options:
- Win combined with T – navigate through application icons.
- Win combined with B – Navigate through items in the notification area.
- Win in combination with 1, Win with 2, … Win with 9 – launch or switch to the application that matches the number, starting from the left.
- Win in combination with Shift and 1, Win in combination with Shift and 2, … Win in combination with Shift and 9 – launch a new instance of the application that matches the number.
- Win combined with Ctrl and 1, Win combined with Ctrl and 2, … Win combined with Ctrl and 9 – switch to the last active application window that matches the number.
- Win combined with Alt and 1, Win combined with Alt and 2, … Win combined with Alt and 9 – Open the jump menu for the application that matches the number.
- Win in combination with , (comma) – temporarily show the desktop, hiding all windows.
- Win in combination with . (dot) – open the emoji, kaomoji and symbols panel.
- Win in combination with ; (semicolon) – open the emoji, kaomoji and symbols panel (similar to Win in combination with .).
- Win in combination with H – open voice input.
- Win combined with I – open the Windows 11 Settings app.
- Win in combination with K – open the panel for connecting to wireless devices such as Bluetooth, Miracast, etc.
- Win in combination with L – block the computer or switch to another account.
- Win in combination with M – minimize all windows.
- Win combined with O – lock device orientation.
- Win in combination with P – open the projection mode selection panel.
- Win in combination with Q – open Windows search.
- Win combined with R – opens the Run dialog box.
- Win in combination with S – open Windows search (analogous to Win in combination with Q).
- Win combined with U opens the Accessibility Center.
- Win combined with V – open the Windows 11 clipboard.
- Win combined with W – open Windows 11 widgets.
- Win in combination with X – open the quick links menu.
- Win in combination with Z – open the photo layout selection panel.
These keyboard shortcuts help you quickly and easily control and switch between programs without using a mouse.
When working with a conductor
Explorer allows you to view and manage files and folders on your computer and other devices. You can open it through the Win key combination with E or by clicking the icon on the taskbar. The following hotkeys are popular for interacting with it:
- Alt in combination with D – go to the address bar and enter the path to the file or folder.
- Alt in combination with Enter – open the properties of the selected file or folder.
- Alt in combination with P – open or close the preview panel.
- Alt in combination with Left arrow – go to the previous folder in history.
- Alt in combination with Right arrow – go to the next folder in the history.
- Alt in combination with Up arrow – go to the parent folder.
- Backspace – go to the parent folder (similar to Alt in combination with Up arrow).
- Ctrl combined with F – find a file or folder in the current folder.
- Ctrl in combination with N – open a new Explorer window.
- Ctrl in combination with W – close the current Explorer window.
- Ctrl in combination with Shift and N – create a new folder in the current folder.
- Ctrl in combination with Shift and E – expand or collapse all subfolders in the navigation bar.
- Ctrl in combination with Mouse wheel – change the size of icons in Explorer.
- Shift in combination with Delete – delete the selected file or folder without placing it in the trash.
- Shift in combination with F10: – open the context menu of the selected file or folder (analogous to the right mouse button).
- F2 – rename the selected file or folder.
- F3 – find a file or folder in the current folder (similar to Ctrl in combination with F).
- F4 – expand the list in the address bar and navigate through it using the arrows on the keyboard.
- F5 – refresh the current explorer window.
- F6 – Switch between different panels in Explorer, such as the address bar, navigation bar, preview panel, etc.
- F10 – activate the menu in Explorer.
- F11 – switch to full screen mode in Explorer.
These hotkeys help you quickly and easily view and manage files and folders in File Explorer without using your mouse.
Hotkeys when working with virtual desktops
Virtual desktops (VRD) are the optimal tool for creating several independent workspaces on one computer. To work with them you can use the following hotkeys:
- Win in combination with Tab – open the task overview view, in which you can create, delete and rename new VRS.
- Ctrl in combination with Win and D – create a new VRS.
- Ctrl in combination with Win and F4 – delete the current VRS and switch to the previous one.
- Ctrl in combination with Win and Left/Right – switch to the previous or next VRS.
- Win in combination with Shift and Left/Right – move the active window to the previous or next VRS.
These hotkeys will significantly simplify navigation and save a lot of time when the user actively and simultaneously uses several separate workspaces.
Other useful keyboard shortcuts
In addition to the above hotkeys, there are other combinations that may be useful in one case or another. Here are interesting options:
- Win in combination with A – open the action center (notifications and quick settings).
- Win combined with C – launch a Microsoft Copilot window (Cortana in older OS versions).
- Win in combination with D – show or hide the desktop.
- Win combined with G opens the Xbox Game Bar, which lets you record, stream, and manage games.
- Win in combination with L – lock the operating system.
- Win in combination with PrtScn – take a screenshot of the entire screen.
- Win combined with Space – switch between different languages and keyboard layouts.
- Win in combination with + (plus) – open the magnifying glass.
- Win in combination with – (minus) – zoom out in the magnifying glass.
- Win in combination with Ctrl and F – find a computer on the network.
- Win in combination with Pause – opens the System window, where you can see basic information about your computer and operating system.
- Win in combination with Break – open the System window (analogous to Win in combination with Pause).
These hotkeys help you quickly and easily perform various advanced actions and launch convenient additional features in Windows 11.
General conclusions
In this article, we looked at a list of hotkeys in Windows 11 that allow you to work with the operating system faster and more conveniently than using only the mouse as a slow pointing device. The options provided can save you time and increase your productivity. We recommend that you remember and use this information or save the link to this article to improve your experience with the operating system. And if you need professional computer maintenance in Kiev , you can always turn to the professionals of our company. We will help everyone for whom the “technical jungle” of working and maintaining Windows 11 is an impossible task.
