PrintThis document pertains to HP products with a Microsoft Windows operating system.
Enhance your efficiency in Windows by memorizing and using keyboard shortcuts to perform routine tasks.
| Number | Name | Feature or function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caps Lock key | Activates/deactivates the Caps Lock feature. |
| 2 | Scroll Lock key | Activates/deactivates the Scroll Lock feature. |
| 3 | Num Lock key | Activates/deactivates the Num Lock feature. |
| 4 | Ctrl key | Use in combination with another key; its function depends on the application software you are using. |
| 5 | Windows key  * | Opens the Start menu in Microsoft Windows. Use in combination with other keys to perform other functions. |
| 6 | Alt key | Use in combination with another key; its function depends on the application software you are using. |
| 7 | Application key* | Similar to the right mouse button, opens pop-up menus in a Microsoft Office application. May perform other functions in other software applications. |
| 8 | Editing keys | Includes the following: Insert
, Home
, Page Up
, Delete
, End
, and Page Down
. Hold Ctrl and Alt while pressing Delete to restart the computer. |
| * Available in select geographic regions. | ||
The following table lists shortcuts to use in Windows.
| Keystroke | Result |
|---|---|
| Windows key | Opens the Start menu. |
| Windows key
+ E | Opens Windows Explorer to My Computer. |
| Windows key
+ F | Searches for a file or folder. |
| Windows key
+ Ctrl
+ F | Searches for computers. |
| Windows key
+ L | Locks the computer. |
| Windows key
+ M | Minimizes all windows. |
| Windows key
+ Shift
+ M | Restores all minimized windows. |
| Windows key
+ R | Opens the Run dialog box. |
| Windows key
+ F1 | Opens Help . |
| Windows key
+ Ctrl
+ F | Finds a computer. |
| Windows key
+ Ctrl
+ Tab | Moves focus from Start , to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray. Use right arrow or left arrow keys to select items on the Quick Launch toolbar or system tray. |
| Windows key
+ Tab | Cycles through taskbar buttons. |
| Windows key
+ Break | Views the System Properties dialog box. |
| F1 | Opens Help . |
| F10 | Activates Menu Bar options. |
| Shift + F10 | Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item. This is the same thing that happens when you right-click the mouse. |
| Ctrl + Esc | Opens the Start menu. From here, use the arrow keys to select an item, or press Tab to select the taskbar, or press Shift +F10 for a context menu (equivalent to right-clicking the mouse). |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Opens Task Manager . |
| Ctrl + Tab | Switches to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) program. |
| Alt + F4 | Closes the current window. |
| Alt + Esc | Switches between open items. |
| Alt + Tab | Switches to another open software program. Press and hold the Alt key and then press the Tab key to view the task-switching window. With the task switching window open, press Shift + Tab to cycle through the open programs in reverse order. |
| Alt + Space | Views the main window's System menu (from the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window). |
| Alt + underlined letter in Menu | Opens the specified menu. |
Use the following information to navigate in Windows 8 using keyboard shortcuts.
NOTE:Many of the keyboard shortcuts from previous versions of Windows also work in the Desktop app in Windows 8.
| Keystroke | Result |
|---|---|
Windows key  | Switches between Start Screen and the Desktop (or the last full screen application). |
| Windows key
+ C | Shows the Charms and the clock. |
| Windows key
+ H | Opens the Share charm. |
| Windows key
+ I | Opens the Settings charm. |
| Windows key
+ K | Opens the Devices charm. |
| Windows key
+ O | Turns the screen orientation lock on or off if your computer can detect screen orientation. |
| Windows key
+ W | Opens the Search charm with Settings selected. |
| Windows key
+ F | Opens the Search charm with Files selected. |
| Windows key
+ Q | Opens the Search charm with Apps selected. |
| Windows key
+ X | Opens the advanced menu on the Desktop or the Start Screen. |
| Windows key
+ Z | Opens commands for the current app. |
| Windows key
+ Tab | Shows the most recently used running apps and Start. Hold the Windows key
and press Tab
to move from app to app. |
| Windows key
+ Page up | Moves the Start screen to the left monitor in multi-monitor setups. |
| Windows key
+ Page down | Moves the Start screen to the right monitor in multi-monitor setups. |
| Windows key
+ Left arrow | On the desktop, moves a desktop app to the left half of the screen. |
| Windows key
+ Right arrow | On the desktop, moves a desktop app to the right half of the screen. |
| Windows key
+ Up arrow | On the desktop, maximizes the current window to full screen. |
| Windows key
+ Down arrow | On the desktop, minimizes or restores a current window. |
| Windows key
+ E | Opens File Explorer to Computer. |
| Windows key
+ R | Opens the Run dialog box. |
| Windows key
+ Pause/Break | Opens the Systems page. |
| Windows key
+ D | Shows or hides the desktop - minimizes or restores all windows. |
| Windows key
+ F1 | Launches Windows Help and Support. |
| Windows key
+ Prt Scr
(Print Screen) | Takes and saves screenshots instantly. Windows saves the screenshot to your Pictures folder as a PNG image file. |
| Alt + Tab | Shows all open apps. Hold Alt and press Tab to move from app to app. |
| Alt + F4 | Closes the software you are currently using. If the Windows desktop is selected, the Windows Shut Down menu displays. |
| Ctrl + mouse wheel | Zooms - Hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard while using the mouse wheel to grow or shrink an item on the screen. |
| Ctrl + . (period) | Moves one Start screen group to the right. |
| Ctrl + , (comma) | Moves one Start screen group to the left. |
The following table lists shortcuts to use in Windows software programs.
| Keystroke | Result |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C | Copies selection. |
| Ctrl + X | Cuts selection. |
| Ctrl + V | Pastes selection. |
| Ctrl + Z | Undoes last action. |
| Ctrl + B | Bolds selection. |
| Ctrl + U | Underlines selection. |
| Ctrl + I | Italicizes selection. |
| F2 | In Windows Explorer , renames the selected file. |
| F3 | In Windows Explorer , opens Search. |
| Shift + Del (or Shift + Delete ) | In Windows Explorer , deletes selected file without first moving it to the Recycle Bin. |
| Alt + Enter | Views the selected item's Properties . |
| * (asterisk) on the numeric keypad | In Windows Explorer , expands everything under the current selection. |
| + (plus sign) on the numeric keypad | In Windows Explorer , expands the current selection. |
| - (minus sign) on the numeric keypad | In Windows Explorer , collapses the current selection. |
| Right arrow | In Windows Explorer , expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise go to the first child folder. |
| Left arrow | In Windows Explorer , collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise go to the parent folder. |
| Keystroke | Result |
|---|---|
| Shift + right click | Views a shortcut menu containing more commands. |
| Shift + double click | Runs the alternate default command (the second item on the menu). |
| ALT + double click | Views the selected item's Properties . |
| Press and hold down the Ctrl key while you drag a file. | Copies a file to another folder. You can also do this in the original folder. |
| Press and hold Ctrl + Shift while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder. | Creates a shortcut on the desktop or in a folder. |
You can set up the remote computer to recognize Windows keyboard shortcuts that you type (for example, Alt
+ Tab
), or you can use Terminal Server keyboard shortcuts.
To use Windows keyboard shortcuts, follow these steps:
- Click to open Remote Desktop Connection .
- Click Options , and then click Local Resources .
- Under Keyboard
, select On the remote computer
to make the remote computer recognize the Windows keyboard shortcuts that you type.NOTE:If you use Remote Desktop Connection in full-screen mode, you can choose In full screen mode only to get the same result. This is the default setting.
To use Terminal Server shortcuts, refer to the following table:
| Keystroke | Result |
|---|---|
| Alt + Page Up | Switches between programs from left to right. |
| Alt + Page Down | Switches between programs from right to left. |
| Alt + Insert | Cycles through programs in the order that they were opened. |
| Alt + Home | Displays the Start menu. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Break | Switches between a window and full screen. |
| Ctrl + Alt + End | Displays the Windows Security dialog box. |
| Alt + Delete | Displays the Windows menu. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Minus sign (- ) on the numeric keypad | Places a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal Server clipboard. This key combination provides the same functionality as pressing Alt + Print Screen on a local computer. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Plus sign (+ ) on the numeric keypad | Places a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal Server clipboard. This key combination provides the same functionality as pressing Print Screen on a local computer. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Right arrow | "Tabs" out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program such as a button or a text box. This is useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) program. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Left arrow | "Tabs" out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program such as a button or a text box. This is useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) program. |
NOTE:Ctrl
+ Alt
+ Break
and Ctrl
+ Alt
+ End
are available in all Remote Desktop sessions, even when you have set up the remote computer to recognize Windows keyboard shortcuts.
