We bring you a compilation with the best keyboard shortcuts for Windows 11. As a result, you will be able to save time when you are doing some tasks on your computer. Occasionally, a combination of keys can be faster than clicking on a site and seeking the corresponding option in one or another menu. Windows 11 still supports most of the keyboard shortcuts of Windows 10. However, it has added some new ones for specific functionalities. Either way, it has deprived continuity, so that the learning curve is not so high. This also means that the legacy automations are still useful.
Useful keyboard shortcuts and gestures.
The keyboard shortcuts we are going to show you are the generic Windows shortcuts. That is to say, they work with the operating system and in many applications. Although it is possible that some applications have their own different customized shortcuts. For example, the screenshot shortcuts work everywhere. However, each application may have its own specific shortcuts.
Touchpad gestures
We will start with a list of touchpad shortcuts. Recall that it is the touchpad that replaces the mouse on laptops by default. Sporadically, it is hard to use due to its size. However, with these gestures we will facilitate the work.
- Press with one finger: Normal click.
- Press with two fingers: Right click.
- Four-finger tap: Opens the notification center.
- Press with three fingers: Opens Cortana searches. Can be switched to open notifications.
- Double-tap with one finger: Double-click.
- Double-tap with one finger and drag: Select texts or applications. Can also be used to drag icons.
- Swipe up or down with two fingers: Scroll the screen.
- Slide up with three fingers: Opens the task view, and within them, we can slide down with three fingers to select which one to display.
- Slide down with three fingers: Displays the desktop. If we slide again with three fingers upwards, the windows are shown again.
- Swipe left or right with three fingers: Navigates between open windows.
- Swipe left or right with four fingers: Switch between virtual desktops.
- Four-finger swipe up: Go to the multitasking screen.
- Pinch in or out: Zoom in or out.
Shortcuts to control active windows
Let’s see some shortcuts to manage the active window. These actions can range from moving it to adjusting different areas of it. It is certainly a good way to control the window you are working on without having to bring your hand close to the mouse to perform the actions.
- Windows key + Left: Places the active window in the left half of the screen.
- Win Key + Right: Places the active window in the right half of the screen.
- Windows Key + Up: Depending on which half of the screen the active window is in, moves it to the top. If you have the window in windowed mode and not full screen, you put it in full screen.
- Windows key + Down: If you have the window in full screen, you move it to window mode. And if it is in window mode, you minimize it.
- Windows key +: Hide all the windows until releasing the Windows key.
- Windows key + M: Minimize all your windows.
Continued listing
- Windows key + D: Minimize all windows.
- Ctrl + Shift + M: Restores all minimized windows to full screen.
- Windows key + Home: Minimizes all the windows except the active one.
- Key of Windows + E: Launches the explorer of files.
- Windows key + W: Opens the widgets panel.
- Windows key + T: Navigates between the windows of the taskbar. Press enter to open them when they are selected.
- Windows key + A number: Opens the window located at the position corresponding to the number in the taskbar.
- Alt + Tab: Toggles between the different open windows.
- Alt + F4: Closes the active window.
- Windows key + Shift + Left or Right: Moves the active window to another monitor, if there is one, located to the left or right of the main one.
- Win key + L: Locks the session and stays in the unlock screen.
- Windows key +: Opens the window of emojis to be able to include them in a text.
Shortcuts for virtual desktop control
Virtual desktops allow you to have different desktops with different applications open on each of them. Thence, you can have different contexts available when using Windows. Therefore, this increases organization and productivity.
- Windows key + Tab: Opens the view of your current virtual desktops.
- Windows Key + Ctrl + D: Creates a new virtual desktop
- Win key + Ctrl + Left: Move to the left virtual desktop.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Right: Move to the virtual desktop on the right.
- Windows key + Ctrl + F4: Closes the active virtual desktop.
File Explorer shortcuts
From the file explorer, you can explore the different Windows folders. Consequently, you can manage all the files you have in it. Therefore, it is a key and important element inside your computer.
- Windows key + E: Opens the file explorer.
- Alt + D: Go to the address bar.
- Ctrl + E: Select all files and folders in your folder.
- Ctrl + F: Go to the search bar.
- Control + N: Opens a new file explorer window.
- Ctrl + W: Closes the active window.
- Ctrl + mouse wheel: Changes the size of the displayed elements.
- Alt + P: Opens and closes the preview pane.
- Alt + Enter: Enters properties.
- End: Go to the end of the content window.
- Alt + Right Arrow: Go to the next file.
- Alt + Up Arrow: Go to the folder where the source file belongs.
- Home: Go to the beginning of the content window.
- Alt + Left Arrow: Go to the previous file.
- F11: Maximizes or minimizes the active window.
General Windows shortcuts
Let us now look at some general Windows shortcuts. So, control things directly from the desktop to other elements of the operating system. For example, the search engine or the widget panel.
- Windows key + W: Opens the widgets panel.
- Win key + Q or Windows key + S: Opens the search engine within the start menu.
- Windows key + C: Opens Teams, the default messaging application of Windows 11.
- Key of Windows + I: It opens the panel of configuration of Windows 11.
- Windows key + A: It opens the panel of quick accesses of Windows 11.
- Win key + N: It opens the panel of notifications of Windows 11.
- Windows key + X: It opens the contextual menu of the button of beginning.
- Windows key + Z: Opens the Windows 11 Snaps selector, which are the split screen formations that have been added.
- Shift + application shortcut in taskbar: Opens the application immediately or opens a new instance of the application.
- Control + Shift + application shortcut in taskbar: Opens the application as administrator.
- Shift + right click on application shortcut in taskbar: Opens the application window menu.
- Shift + grouped buttons: Opens the different windows grouped together
Shortcuts for text management
Shortcuts related to text control are possibly the most commonly used shortcuts in Windows 11. Indeed, we have all copied or pasted text with these shortcuts at one time or another. However, there are many more options. Let’s take a look at a few.
- Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert: Pastes a text where we have the cursor.
- Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert: Copies the selected text to the clipboard.
- Control + X: cuts the selected text to the clipboard.
- Ctrl + A: Selects all the text on the page.
- Ctrl + F: Type a text to search the page.
- Shift + Left, Right, Up or Down: Move the cursor through the text by selecting the text you are passing along the way. Continue pressing the keys to select more text.
- Ctrl + Shift + Left or Right: Moves the cursor one word to the left or right, selecting the text you are passing through.
- Shift + Home or End: Moves the cursor to the beginning or end of the line by selecting the text you are scrolling through.
- Shift + PgUp or PgDn: Moves the cursor to the top or bottom of the visible screen by selecting the text you are scrolling through.
- Ctrl + Shift + Home or End: Moves the cursor to the top or bottom of the text you are scrolling through.
Other small shortcuts to master Windows 11
Finally, I show you other shortcuts of not so well-known functions. They are also shortcuts that do not correspond to the previous categories.
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Opens the Windows 11 task manager.
- Windows key + R: Opens the Run dialog box.
- Shift + Del: Deletes a file definitively without sending it to the trash can.
- Key of Windows + U: To accede to the Center of accessibility.
- Windows key + Print Screen: It realizes a screen capture that is saved automatically in the folder of captures, inside the Images folder.
- Win key + Shift + S: Opens the screen capture menu to decide which area to capture.
- Windows key + G: Opens the game bar.
- Windows key + H: Starts the dictation mode.
- Win key + K: Opens the connect panel to send content to another device.
- Windows key + Alt + G: If enabled, starts screen recording in the background.
- Windows key + Alt + R: Stop screen recording.
- Win key + P: With a second screen connected, navigate between display modes.
- Windows key + “+”: Zoom in with the Magnifier application.
- Windows key + “-“: Zoom out with the Magnifier application.
Ultimately, we have seen the best keyboard shortcuts for Windows 11. No doubt that with them, anyone will be able to use the system faster. See you soon!
