Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows Vista

Last Update: Sep 17, 2024 | Published: Jan 07, 2009

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Keyboard shortcuts in Windows Vista

In Windows Vista, as in other Windows Operating Systems (also see Keyboard Shortcuts), you can use many shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier and sometimes a lot faster for you to interact with your computer.

See the following tables for some of the most useful shortcuts:

Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

Right SHIFT for eight seconds

Turn Filter Keys on and off

Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (or PRTSCRN)

Turn High Contrast on or off

Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK

Turn Mouse Keys on or off

SHIFT five times

Turn Sticky Keys on or off

NUM LOCK for five seconds

Turn Toggle Keys on or off

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +U

Open the Ease of Access Center

 

General keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

CTRL+C

Copy the selected item

CTRL+X

Cut the selected item

CTRL+V

Paste the selected item

CTRL+Z

Undo an action

DELETE

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

SHIFT+DELETE

Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

F2

Rename the selected item

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

CTRL+LEFT ARROW

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

CTRL+DOWN ARROW

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

CTRL+UP ARROW

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

CTRL+SHIFT with an arrow key

Select a block of text

SHIFT with any arrow key

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

CTRL+A

Select all items in a document or window

F3

Search for a file or folder

ALT+ENTER

Display properties for the selected item

ALT+F4

Close the active item, or exit the active program

ALT+SPACEBAR

Open the shortcut menu for the active window

CTRL+F4

Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

ALT+TAB

Switch between open items

CTRL+ALT+TAB

Use the arrow keys to switch between open items

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +TAB

Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

CTRL+Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +TAB

Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

ALT+ESC

Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

F6

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F4

Display the Address bar list in Windows Explorer

SHIFT+F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

CTRL+ESC

Open the Start menu

ALT+underlined letter

Display the corresponding menu

ALT+underlined letter

Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)

F10

Activate the menu bar in the active program

RIGHT ARROW

Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

LEFT ARROW

Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

F5

Refresh the active window

ALT+UP ARROW

View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

ES
C

Cancel the current task

CTRL+SHIFT+ESC

Open Task Manager

SHIFT when you insert a CD

Prevent the CD from automatically playing

 

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

CTRL+TAB

Move forward through tabs

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

Move back through tabs

TAB

Move forward through options

SHIFT+TAB

Move back through options

ALT+underlined letter

Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter

ENTER

Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands

SPACEBAR

Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

Arrow keys

Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

F1

Display Help

F4

Display the items in the active list

BACKSPACE

Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

 

Microsoft keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key

Open or close the Start menu

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +BREAK

Display the System Properties dialog box

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +D

Display the desktop

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +M

Minimize all windows

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +SHIFT+M

Restore minimized windows to the desktop

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +E

Open Computer

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +F

Search for a file or folder

CTRL+Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +F

Search for computers (if you are on a network)

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +L

Lock your computer (if you are connected to a network domain), or switch users (if you’re not connected to a network domain)

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +R

Open the Run dialog box

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +T

Cycle through programs on the taskbar

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +TAB

Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

CTRL+Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +TAB

Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +SPACEBAR

Bring all gadgets to the front and select Windows Sidebar

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +G

Cycle through Sidebar gadgets

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +U

Open Ease of Access Center

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +X

Open Windows Mobility Center

 

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

END

Display the bottom of the active window

HOME

Display the top of the active window

NUM LOCK+ASTERISK (*) on numeric keypad

Display all subfolders under the selected folder

NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN (+) on numeric keypad

Display the contents of the selected folder

NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN (-) on numeric keypad

Collapse the selected folder

LEFT ARROW

Collapse the current selection (if it is expanded), or select the parent folder

ALT+LEFT ARROW

View the previous folder

RIGHT ARROW

Display the current selection (if it is collapsed), or select the first subfolder

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

View the next folder

ALT+D

Select the Address bar

 

Windows Sidebar keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +SPACEBAR

Bring all gadgets to the front and select Sidebar

Windows logo key Picture of Windows logo key +G

Cycle through Sidebar gadgets

TAB

Cycle through Sidebar controls

 

Windows Photo Gallery keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

CTRL+F

Open the Fix pane

CTRL+P

Print the selected picture

ENTER

View the selected picture at a larger size

CTRL+I

Open or close the Details pane

CTRL+PERIOD (.)

Rotate the picture clockwise

CTRL+COMMA (,)

Rotate the picture counter-clockwise

F2

Rename the selected item

CTRL+E

Search for an item

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Go back

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Go forward

PLUS SIGN (+)

Zoom in or resize the picture thumbnail

MINUS SIGN (-)

Zoom out or resize the picture thumbnail

CTRL+B

Best fit

LEFT ARROW

Select the previous item

DOWN ARROW

Select the next item or row

UP ARROW

Previous item (Easel) or previous row (Thumbnail)

PAGE UP

Previous screen

PAGE DOWN

Next screen

HOME

Select the first item

END

Select the last item

DELETE

Move the selected item to the Recycle Bin

SHIFT+DELETE

Permanently delete the selected item

LEFT ARROW

Collapse node

RIGHT ARROW

Expand node

Keyboard shortcuts for working with videos

J

Move back one frame

K

Pause the playback

L

Move forward one frame

I

Set the start trim point

O

Set the end trim point

M

Split a clip

HOME

Stop and rewind all the way back to the start trim point

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Advance to the next frame

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Go back to the previous frame

CTRL+K

Stop and rewind playback

CTRL+P

Play from the current location

HOME

Move the start trim point

END

Move to the end trim point

PAGE UP

Seek to nearest split point before the current location

PAGE DOWN

Seek to nearest split point after the current location

 

Windows Help viewer keyboard shortcuts

 

Press this key

To do this

ALT+C

Display the Table of Contents

ALT+N

Display the Connection Settings menu

F10

Display the Options menu

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Move back to the previously viewed topic

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Move forward to the next (previously viewed) topic

ALT+A

Display the customer support page

ALT+HOME

Display the Help and Support home page

HOME

Move the to beginning of a topic

END

Move to the end of a topic

CTRL+F

Search the current topic

CTRL+P

Print a topic

F3

Move to the Search box

 

Links

Keyboard shortcuts in Windows Vistalink out ico

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