WinXP keyboard shortcuts

General keyboard shortcuts (MS WinXP)

CTRL+C Copy.
CTRL+X Cut.
CTRL+V Paste.
CTRL+Z Undo.
DELETE Delete.
SHIFT+DELETE Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.
CTRL while dragging an item Copy the selected item.
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item Create a shortcut to the selected item.
F2 key Rename the selected item.
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.
CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.
CTRL+UP ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Highlight a block of text.
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document.
CTRL+A Select all.
F3 key Search for a file or a folder.
ALT+ENTER View the properties for the selected item.
ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program.
ALT+ENTER Display the properties of the selected object.
ALT+SPACEBAR Open the shortcut menu for the active window.
CTRL+F4 Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.
ALT+TAB Switch between the open windows. Increment with TAB.
ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened.
F6 key Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
F4 key Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu for the active window.
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu.
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name Display the corresponding menu.
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu Perform the corresponding command.
F10 key 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 key Update the active window.
BACKSPACE View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
ESC Cancel the current task.
SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing.
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC Open Task Manager.
SHIFTx5 Press 5 times to enable StickeyKeys; Shift, Ctrl, Alt, or Windows keypress remain active till any other key pressed.

PRINT SCREEN Snapshot the entire desktop as an image to the clipboard.
ALT+PRINT SCREEN Snapshot only the active window to the clipboard. If no window is active, snapshot the entire desktop.

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again. Extended selection mode cancels itself when you move the focus to another control.

CTRL+TAB Move forward through the tabs.
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the tabs.
TAB Move forward through the options.
SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the options.
ALT+Underlined letter Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option.
ENTER Perform the command for the active option or button.
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 key Display Help.
F4 key 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 natural keyboard shortcuts

Windows Logo Display or hide the Start menu.
Windows Logo+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box.
Windows Logo+D Display the desktop.
Windows Logo+M Minimize all of the windows.
Windows Logo+SHIFT+M Restore the minimized windows.
Windows Logo+E Open My Computer.
Windows Logo+F Search for a file or a folder.
CTRL+Windows Logo+F Search for computers.
Windows Logo+F1 Display Windows Help.
Windows Logo+ L Lock the keyboard.
Windows Logo+R Open the Run dialog box.
Windows Logo+U Open Utility Manager.

Accessibility keyboard shortcuts

Right SHIFT for eight seconds Switch FilterKeys either on or off.
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN Switch High Contrast either on or off.
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK Switch the MouseKeys either on or off.
SHIFT five times Switch the StickyKeys either on or off.
NUM LOCK for five seconds Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off.
Windows Logo +U Open Utility Manager.

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

END Display the bottom of the active window.
HOME Display the top of the active window.
NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign * Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder.
NUM LOCK+Plus sign + Display the contents of the selected folder.
NUM LOCK+Minus sign - Collapse the selected folder.
LEFT ARROW Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder.
RIGHT ARROW Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder.

Shortcut keys for Character Map

After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:

RIGHT ARROW Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line.
LEFT ARROW Move to the left or to the end of the previous line.
UP ARROW Move up one row.
DOWN ARROW Move down one row.
PAGE UP Move up one screen at a time.
PAGE DOWN Move down one screen at a time.
HOME Move to the beginning of the line.
END Move to the end of the line.
CTRL+HOME Move to the first character.
CTRL+END Move to the last character.
SPACEBAR Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected.

Microsoft Management Console

MMC — main window keyboard shortcuts

CTRL+O Open a saved console.
CTRL+N Open a new console.
CTRL+S Save the open console.
CTRL+M Add or remove a console item.
CTRL+W Open a new window.
F5 key Update the content of all console windows.
ALT+SPACEBAR Display the MMC window menu.
ALT+F4 Close the console.
ALT+A Display the Action menu.
ALT+V Display the View menu.
ALT+F Display the File menu.
ALT+O Display the Favorites menu.

MMC — console window keyboard shortcuts

CTRL+P Print the current page or active pane.
ALT+Minus sign - Display the window menu for the active console window.
SHIFT+F10 Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item.
F1 key Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item.
F5 key Update the content of all console windows.
CTRL+F10 Maximize the active console window.
CTRL+F5 Restore the active console window.
ALT+ENTER Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item.
F2 key Rename the selected item.
CTRL+F4 Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console.

Remote desktop connection navigation

CTRL+ALT+END Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box.
ALT+PAGE UP Switch between programs from left to right.
ALT+PAGE DOWN Switch between programs from right to left.
ALT+INSERT Cycle through the programs in most recently used order.
ALT+HOME Display the Start menu.
CTRL+ALT+BREAK Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen.
ALT+DELETE Display the Windows menu.
CTRL+ALT+Minus sign - Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.
CTRL+ALT+Plus sign + Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.

Microsoft Internet Explorer navigation

CTRL+B Open the Organize Favorites dialog box.
CTRL+E Open the Search bar.
CTRL+F Start the Find utility.
CTRL+H Open the History bar.
CTRL+I Open the Favorites bar.
CTRL+L Open the Open dialog box.
CTRL+N Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address.
CTRL+O Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L.
CTRL+P Open the Print dialog box.
CTRL+R Update the current Web page.
CTRL+W Close the current window.

Misc. Others

CTRL+SHIFT+N Open private browse window.

Other information

Original source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301583 — Last Review: April 30, 2012 - Revision: 5.0
Edited and disgusting HTML bloat cleaned by TerraHertz. 127KB → 21KB. Oh, and Microsoft sucks.
Some keyboard shortcuts may not work if StickyKeys is turned on in Accessibility Options.
Some of the Terminal Services client shortcuts that are similar to the shortcuts in Remote Desktop Sharing are not available when you use Remote Assistance in Windows XP Home Edition.
Some of the other Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that have similar information as this article are:
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449/ — Keyboard shortcuts for Windows
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255090/ — Keystroke navigation in Windows 2000 Help
More: http://www.microsoft.com/enable
Applies to:
- MS Windows XP Home Edition
- MS Windows XP Professional