Keyboard shortcuts in Windows 8 allow you to navigate around the OS quickly and efficiently. Throughout the classic desktop and modern metro interfaces, Microsoft created keyboard shortcuts for almost every common task. This guide will show you the most useful keyboard shortcuts to improve your Windows 8 experience.
General Windows 8 Shortcuts
- Win – Display Start Menu
- Win + Mouse Scroll Wheel – Zoom in and out on the Start Menu
- Win + L – Lock your PC and return to logon screen
- Win + P – Projector options
- Win + X – Admin tools menu
- Win + Enter – Starts Windows Narrator
- Win + (plus sign + ) – Screen zoom in
- Win + (minus sign - ) – Screen zoom out
- Win + Print Screen – Saves a screenshot in the picture library screenshot folder
- Print Screen – Saves a screenshot to clipboard
- Alt + Tab – Classic app switcher
- Win + Tab – Metro app switcher
- Alt + F4 – Close application (Desktop and Metro)
- Tab – Select different items
- Ctrl + C – Copy
- Ctrl + X – Cut
- Ctrl + V – Paste
Metro / Modern Shortcuts
- Win + C – Displays charms
- Win + Z – Displays app bar
- Win + I – Settings side menu
- Win + K – Devices menu
- Win + H – Share menu
- Win + F – File search
- Win + Q – Application search
- Win + W – Settings search
- Win + (period . ) – Snap Metro app to the right
- Win + Shift + (period . ) – Snap Metro app to the left
- Arrow keys + spacebar – Select app tile
Desktop Shortcuts
- Win + D – Show Desktop
- Win + M – Minimize to Desktop
- Win + R – Run
- Win + T – Taskbar previews
- Win + U – Ease of Access Center
- Win + Pause / Break – System Information
- Win + comma – Peek at desktop
- Ctrl + Shift + Escape – Task Manager
- Win + Right Arrow – Aero snap right
- Win + Left Arrow – Aero snap left
- Win + Up Arrow – Aero snap full screen
- Win + 1 through 9 – Launched applications pinned to the taskbar
File Explorer Shortcuts
- Win + E – Open File Explorer
- Ctrl + N – Additonal File Explorer window
- Alt + F + P – Open Command prompt at current location
- Alt + F + r – Open PowerShell prompt at current location
- Ctrl + Mouse Scroll Wheel – Change view
- Ctrl + Shift + N – New Folder
- Alt + Enter – Selected File/Folder Properties
- F2 – Rename selected item
- Ctrl + F1 – Show or Hide Ribbon
- Alt + Up arrow – Navigate up a folder
- Alt + Left Arrow – Navigate to previous folder
- Alt + Right Arrow – Navigate forward
Desktop Internet Explorer 10
- Ctrl + B – Favorites Manager
- Ctrl + D – Add site to Favorites
- Ctrl + I – Favorites List
- Ctrl + G – Feeds
- Ctrl + H – History
- Ctrl + J – View Downloads
- Ctrl + N – New Window
- Ctrl + P – Print
- Ctrl + Shift + P – Open InPrivate mode tab
- Ctrl + T – New tab
- Ctrl + K – Duplicate tab
- Ctrl + W – Close tab
- Ctrl + Shift + T – Reopen closed tab
- Ctrl + Tab – Switch between open tabs
- Ctrl + R or F5 – Refresh Page
- Ctrl + U – View Source
- Ctrl + F or F3 – Find on page
- Ctrl + E – Move cursor to address bar to search the web
- Alt + Home – Homepage
- Alt + Left Arrow – Back
- Alt + Right Arrow – Forward
- F10 – Menubar
- F11 – Toggle Full Screen Mode
- F12 – Developer Tools
Metro Internet Explorer 10
- Ctrl + E – Move cursor to address bar to search the web
- Ctrl + F or F3 – Find on page
- Ctrl + R or F5 – Refresh Page
- Ctrl + P – Print
- Ctrl + T – New tab
- Ctrl + K – Duplicate tab
- Ctrl + W – Close tab
- Ctrl + Tab – Switch between open tabs
- Ctrl + Shift + T – Reopen closed tab
- Ctrl + Shift + P – Open InPrivate Mode Tab
- Ctrl + L or F4 – Open address bar
- Alt + Left Arrow – Back
- Alt + Right Arrow – Forward
