Keyboard Shortcuts
🔒 Log in to trackWindows 10/11 and File Explorer shortcuts
🔒 Log in to trackThe Windows key (Win) shortcuts control the desktop itself. Most are the same in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Win | Open/close Start menu |
| Win+D | Show desktop (press again to restore windows) |
| Win+M / Win+Shift+M | Minimise all windows / restore them |
| Win+E | Open File Explorer |
| Win+L | Lock the PC |
| Win+R | Run dialog (type cmd, calc, notepad...) |
| Win+I | Settings |
| Win+S | Search |
| Win+X | Quick Link (power user) menu |
| Win+V | Clipboard history (multiple copied items) |
| Win+Shift+S | Snip part of the screen (Snipping Tool) |
| Win+PrtScn | Save a full-screen screenshot to Pictures\Screenshots |
| Alt+PrtScn | Copy only the active window to the clipboard |
| Win+. (or Win+;) | Emoji panel |
| Win+Tab | Task View (all open windows + desktops) |
| Win+Ctrl+D / Win+Ctrl+F4 | New virtual desktop / close current one |
| Win+Ctrl+Left/Right | Switch virtual desktops |
| Win+Left/Right/Up/Down | Snap left/right, maximise, minimise/restore |
| Win+Z | Snap layouts (Windows 11) |
| Win+P | Project/display mode (second screen) |
| Alt+Tab | Switch between open windows |
| Alt+F4 | Close the active window (on the desktop: Shut Down dialog) |
| Ctrl+Shift+Esc | Open Task Manager directly |
| Ctrl+Alt+Del | Security screen (lock, sign out, Task Manager) |
File Explorer: F2 rename; F3 search box; F5 refresh; Ctrl+Shift+N new folder; Alt+Enter Properties; Alt+Up go up one folder; Alt+Left back; Delete moves to Recycle Bin, Shift+Delete deletes permanently; Ctrl+A select all; Ctrl+click selects scattered files; Shift+click selects a range.
Detailed notes
The Windows key family
The Win key (the flag between Ctrl and Alt) controls the desktop itself. Most shortcuts use the first letter of the action — E for Explorer, L for Lock, R for Run:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Win | Open or close the Start menu |
| Win+D | Show the desktop; press again to restore windows |
| Win+E | Open File Explorer |
| Win+L | Lock the computer |
| Win+R | Open the Run dialog (type cmd, calc, notepad) |
| Win+I | Open Settings |
| Win+S | Search |
| Win+M / Win+Shift+M | Minimise all windows / restore them |
| Win+Tab | Task view (all virtual desktops and windows) |
| Win+Left/Right/Up/Down | Snap the window to half or quarter of the screen |
| Win+PrtScn | Screenshot saved to Pictures |
| Win+Shift+S | Snip a selected part of the screen |
| Win+V | Clipboard history (several copied items) |
Traps: Win+M only minimises (no toggle); Win+D toggles. Win+E is files; a browser is not Explorer.
The security trio
| Combo | What appears |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+Esc | Task Manager directly — fastest route |
| Ctrl+Alt+Del | The full-screen security menu (Lock, Switch user, Task Manager…) |
| Alt+F4 | Close the active program (on the desktop it opens the shutdown dialog) |
File Explorer moves
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+N | New folder |
| F2 | Rename the selected item |
| Alt+Enter | Properties of the selected item |
| Alt+Up arrow | Go up one folder level |
| Delete | To Recycle Bin; Shift+Delete = permanent |
| Ctrl+A | Select everything |
Switching and closing
- Alt+Tab — switch between open windows (hold Alt, tap Tab).
- Win+D or Win+M — clear the screen to the desktop.
- Win+arrows — park a window on half the screen (snapping), great for comparing two documents.
How exam questions sound
| The stem says | Answer |
|---|---|
| "opens File Explorer" | Win+E |
| "locks the computer" | Win+L |
| "opens the Run dialog" | Win+R |
| "Task Manager directly" | Ctrl+Shift+Esc |
| "switches between open programs" | Alt+Tab |
| "closes the active program" | Alt+F4 |
| "creates a new folder" | Ctrl+Shift+N |
| "renames the selected file" | F2 |
Ten-second method: read the verb (switch / close / open / lock), pick the family (Win-key, Alt, Ctrl+Shift), then apply the first-letter rule and eliminate the planted nonsense option.
Quick revision
- First-letter rule: E = Explorer, L = Lock, R = Run, I = settings (I for 'yes, change it').
- Win+D toggles the desktop; Win+M only minimises (Win+Shift+M restores).
- Task Manager direct = Ctrl+Shift+Esc; the security screen = Ctrl+Alt+Del.
- Explorer: Ctrl+Shift+N new folder, F2 rename, Alt+Enter properties, Alt+Up up one level.
- Alt+Tab switches windows; Alt+F4 closes the program.
Types of questions asked
Every way this subtopic shows up in exams — how to recognise it, the formula or logic to use, and a solved example.
Type 1: Win-key shortcut recallvery common5 practice Q
'Which shortcut opens File Explorer / locks the PC / opens the Run dialog?' — a Win-key action with four combos as options.
- First-letter rule: Win+E Explorer, Win+L Lock, Win+R Run, Win+I settings.
- Distinguish near pairs: Win+D toggles the desktop, Win+M only minimises; Win+V clipboard history, Win+Shift+S snip.
- Eliminate combos whose letter contradicts the action (Win+P for Lock is planted nonsense — P is projection).
Example: Which shortcut locks the computer so a password is needed to return?
Win+L — L for Lock. Win+D shows the desktop; Alt+F4 closes programs.
Type 2: Task Manager and security combosvery common2 practice Q
'Direct shortcut for Task Manager', 'what does Ctrl+Alt+Del show?', 'which combo ends a not-responding program fastest?'
- Direct Task Manager = Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Ctrl+Alt+Del opens the security screen first (Lock, Switch user, Sign out, Task Manager).
- Alt+F4 closes the active program; it does not open Task Manager.
Example: Which combination opens Task Manager directly, without any intermediate screen?
Ctrl+Shift+Esc — Ctrl+Alt+Del first shows the security menu, from which Task Manager is one more click away.
Type 3: File Explorer shortcutscommon4 practice Q
'Shortcut to create a new folder', 'which key renames a file?', 'properties of a file with keyboard', 'move up one folder'.
- New folder = Ctrl+Shift+N (in Explorer; in a browser the same combo makes an Incognito window — classic cross-app trap).
- F2 = rename, Alt+Enter = properties, Alt+Up = parent folder, Shift+Delete = permanent delete.
- Ordinary Delete goes to the Recycle Bin; the Shift version skips it.
Example: In File Explorer, the keyboard shortcut to create a new folder is —
Ctrl+Shift+N. (The same combo in Chrome opens an Incognito window — read which app the stem names.)
Type 4: Window switching and closingvery common4 practice Q
'Which combination switches between open windows?', 'closing the active program', 'snapping a window to half the screen'.
- Switch = Alt+Tab; close the active program = Alt+F4; close a document/tab inside a program = Ctrl+W or Ctrl+F4.
- Snap = Win+arrow keys (left/right halves, up maximise, down restore/minimise).
- Shift+Alt+Tab walks the switcher backwards — a rare but asked variant.
Example: Which key combination closes the active program window?
Alt+F4 — it closes the program in front. Alt+Tab only switches between programs; Ctrl+W closes the current document or tab inside them.
Shortcut tricks
⚡ Win + first letter
Most Win shortcuts use the first letter of the action: Explorer, Lock, Run, I (settIngs), Search, Desktop, Minimise, Project, V (paste history, like Ctrl+V). Learn the letter and you know the key.
Example: Win+R opens?
The Run dialog (R = Run).
⚡ Alt = Active window
Alt shortcuts act on the window in front of you: Alt+Tab switches it, Alt+F4 closes it, Alt+PrtScn captures only it, Alt+Enter shows the selected item's properties.
Example: Which key captures only the active window?
Alt+PrtScn.
Where students lose marks
Mixing up Ctrl+Shift+Esc (Task Manager directly) and Ctrl+Alt+Del (security screen with a Task Manager option).
Thinking Win+M toggles like Win+D - Win+M only minimises; Win+Shift+M or Win+D brings windows back.
Saying Delete removes a file permanently - it goes to the Recycle Bin; only Shift+Delete skips it.
Practice sets — 22 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Each answer comes with a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 10 questions
Suggested time 4 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.