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Windows Keyboard Shortcut Notes

The document provides 30 essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows, including Ctrl+Z for undo, Ctrl+X for cut, Ctrl+C for copy, and Ctrl+V for paste. It also lists shortcuts for navigating files and folders in File Explorer, moving through text, and performing common Windows tasks like opening the Start menu, switching apps, and closing programs. Key terminology explained includes GUI, device, path, and execution.

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Nazrin Rashidova
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82 views

Windows Keyboard Shortcut Notes

The document provides 30 essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows, including Ctrl+Z for undo, Ctrl+X for cut, Ctrl+C for copy, and Ctrl+V for paste. It also lists shortcuts for navigating files and folders in File Explorer, moving through text, and performing common Windows tasks like opening the Start menu, switching apps, and closing programs. Key terminology explained includes GUI, device, path, and execution.

Uploaded by

Nazrin Rashidova
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CP4P Computer Principles for Programmers – Keyboard Shortcuts v. 1.

CP4P Keyboard shortcuts


Using the keyboard – real programmers don’t use a mouse.
As you start and continue your career in programming, you will be looking for easier and faster ways to
work within the GUI. Windows provides many shortcuts that you may find useful on a daily basis. We
strongly recommend that you use these shortcuts. You will find that after using them for a short while
they will become second nature and you will continue using them more and more.

Most shortcuts in the Windows GUI are based around the Ctrl, Alt, or Windows ( ) key. Of course
there is no recognition of a  key within Linux or Mac, however there are similar shortcuts within
those OSs.
Mac key Windows key
Control Ctrl
Option Alt
Command Windows 
See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/970299/keyboard-mappings-using-a-pc-keyboard-on-a-
macintosh and https://www.howtogeek.com/188530/a-windows-users-guide-to-mac-os-x-keyboard-
shortcuts/

All of these shortcuts will work within Windows OS utilities and most within applications running under
Windows. This cross-app functionality makes them even more useful to know!
There are 30 essential keyboard shortcuts. The most used ones are:
Ctrl + Z – Undo. You can undo as often as the application you're using is set to allow. Many
applications allow you to set the number of undo levels.
Ctrl + X – Cut ( X looks like scissors )
Ctrl + C – Copy ( Copy starts with C )
Ctrl + V – Paste ( V looks like a glue tip )
 + V – clipboard history (may need to turn on in Windows Settings)

Note these keys are in sequence. Move your left hand’s fingers down from the home row (ASDF) and
your fingers will be on Z, X, C and V. Press the Ctrl key with your right hand.

Other shortcuts are:


1. CTRL + F1 – close/open the ribbon
2. Windows Key  + D – show/hide Desktop
3. Windows Key  + I – open Settings
4. Windows Key  + M – minimize all windows
5. Windows Key  + Shift + M – restore windows
6. Windows Key  + R – open Run dialog box
7. Windows Key  + L – Lock PC or switch accounts
8. CTRL + Right Arrow - move forward one word
9. CTRL + Left Arrow – move back one word

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CP4P Computer Principles for Programmers – Keyboard Shortcuts v. 1.4

10. CTRL + Down Arrow – move to next paragraph


11. CTRL + Up Arrow – move to previous paragraph
12. CTRL + Home – move from current location to beginning of document
13. CTRL + End – move from current location to the end of
14. ALT + Shift + up arrow – moves item in table or list up one level
15. ALT + Shift + down arrow – moves item in table or list down one level
16. Hold SHIFT to in combination of above to select text
17. Windows Key  – open/close Start
18. Windows Key  + S – open Search
19. Windows Key  + T – cycle through apps on taskbar
20. Windows Key  + Home – minimizes all but active window, restores all windows on second
stroke
21. Windows Key  + Shift + Up Arrow – stretches window top and bottom
22. Windows Key  + Shift + Down Arrow -Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically,
maintaining width

When using File Explorer:


Windows Key  + E – open File Explorer
Del – Delete the current item by sending it to Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin can be emptied on demand
or, when full, it will automatically remove (permanently delete) the oldest items.
Shift-Del – Delete the current item permanently.

File Explorer Search: see Advanced Query Syntax


Ctrl + F – Find a file. Input any characters and it will do a general search on filenames and contents.
Enter something/anything in the search box and press Enter to get the Search Tools tab.
*.fileExtension Finds files with a specific file extension, e.g. *.c
name: CP4P Finds any filenames beginning with CP4P (as opposed to searching for the string “CP4P”
in both file names and contents)
size: fileSize Finds files based on file size, e.g. size: >1GB
date: Finds files based on a date
kind: Finds files based on a type

Moving through text:


You are probably used to using the arrow keys to navigate through a block of text, but there are keys
to make it navigation much easier and faster:
Ctrl + , Ctrl +: move cursor to the beginning of the previous and next words
Ctrl + , Ctrl + : move cursor to beginning of previous or next paragraph or text block
Shift + arrow key: Select text
Shift can be combined with Ctrl to select text to words or paragraphs
Ctrl + A: Select all

Windows OS-related:

2020-01-09 Page 2 of 3
CP4P Computer Principles for Programmers – Keyboard Shortcuts v. 1.4

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/sebastianklenk/2015/05/28/windows-10-keyboard-shortcuts-at-
a-glance/
Windows Key + TAB to see all running apps,
Alt + TAB to switch between running apps.
Alt + F4: Close current application
Ctrl + Esc: Open Start menu
Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager

Alt + Underlined Menu Item Letter: Open that menu. Use arrow keys to navigate menus

Windows usage:
You can navigate through the Windows operating system with the following keys:
Arrow keys will navigate through the current window, menu, etc.
Tab will shift focus to the next item. Within a program, the set of items will change – there may be any
number of items to cycle through. Shift-Tab will shift focus to the previous item.

What is focus?
Focus is the currently active item. No matter what you're doing with your system at any time, you can
only ever be doing one thing at a time. When we write code that executes with a GUI, we will
commonly set up a tab index order; this defines which items receive focus in what order, when tab is
pressed.

Terminology:
GUI: Acronym for Graphical User Interface. Sometimes pronounced "gooey". A shorthand that refers
the graphical approach to an interface, usually including elements such as menus, icons, mouse/touch
interaction, and other visual connections. The modern GUI was refined and defined by researchers at
Xerox PARC and appropriated by Apple and then by Microsoft.

Device: Generally refers to any hardware attached to a computer. Could include monitor, mouse,
keyboard, external hard drive, network card, printer, and so forth.

Path: Location of "where you are" in terms of current directory on the hard drive. The user is always in
one and only one place.

Execution: Running a complied program, uses an executable file. If you run a program, technically you
are executing it.

2020-01-09 Page 3 of 3

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