The ultimate guide Part 2: List of Desktop Essential Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts and explaination

Windows key (or Ctrl + Esc)

Open Start menu.

Ctrl + Arrow keys

Change Start menu size.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Open Task Manager.

Ctrl + Shift

Switch keyboard layout.

Alt + F4

Close active window. (If no active window is present, a shutdown box appears.)

Ctrl + F5 (or Ctrl + R)

Refresh current window.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab

View open apps.

Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) + Spacebar

Select multiple items on desktop or File Explorer.

Alt + Underlined letter

Runs command for the underlined letter in apps.

Alt + Tab

Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multiple times.

Alt + Left arrow key

Go back.

Alt + Right arrow key

Go forward.

Alt + Page Up

Move up one screen.

Alt + Page Down

Move down one screen.

Alt + Esc

Cycle through open windows.

Alt + Spacebar

Open context menu for the active window.

Alt + F8

Reveals typed password in Sign-in screen.

Shift + Click app button

Open another instance of an app from the Taskbar.

Ctrl + Shift + Click app button

Run app as administrator from the Taskbar.

Shift + Right-click app button

Show window menu for the app from the Taskbar.

Ctrl + Click a grouped app button

Cycle through windows in the group from the Taskbar.

Shift + Right-click grouped app button

Show window menu for the group from the Taskbar.

Ctrl + Left arrow key

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.

Ctrl + Right arrow key

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.

Ctrl + Up arrow key

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl + Down arrow key

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.

Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key

Select block of text.

Ctrl + Spacebar

Enable or disable Chinese IME.

Shift + F10

Open context menu for selected item.

F10

Enable app menu bar.

Shift + Arrow keys

Select multiple items.

Windows key + X

Open Quick Link menu.

Windows key + Number (0-9)

Open the app in number position from the Taskbar.

Windows key + T

Cycle through apps in the Taskbar.

Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9)

Open Jump List of the app in number position from the Taskbar.

Windows key + D

Display and hide the desktop.

Windows key + M

Minimize all windows.

Windows key + Shift + M

Restore minimized windows on the desktop.

Windows key + Home

Minimize or maximize all but the active desktop window.

Windows key + Shift + Up arrow key

Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.

Windows key + Shift + Down arrow key

Maximize or minimize active desktop windows vertically while maintaining width.

Windows key + Shift + Left arrow key

Move active window to monitor on the left.

Windows key + Shift + Right arrow key

Move active window to monitor on the right.

Windows key + Left arrow key

Snap app or window left.

Windows key + Right arrow key

Snap app or window right.

Windows key + S (or Q)

Open Search.

Windows key + Alt + D

Open date and time in the Taskbar.

Windows key + Tab

Open Task View.

Windows key + Ctrl + D

Create new virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + F4

Close active virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow

Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.

Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow

Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.

Windows key + P

Open Project settings.

Windows key + A

Open Action center.

Windows key + I

Open Settings app.

Backspace

Return to the Settings app home page.