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I loved the keyboard shortcuts in Windows 7 (i.e. Win + moves a window to the left side of the screen), but I'm not sure on what some of the new ones might be for Windows 8. What are all of the NEW keyboard shortcuts that I can use while working in Windows 8?

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  • Wow, I've never heard about Win + ←
    – prostynick
    Oct 9, 2013 at 8:52

4 Answers 4

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How-To Geek has compiled a list of the new shortcut keys in Windows 8:

  • Windows Key – brings up the Modern UI start screen. You can start typing to search for an app, just like the Win7 start menu.
  • Windows Key + D – brings up the old Windows desktop.
  • Windows Key + C – brings up the Charms menu, where you can search, share, and change settings.
  • Windows Key + I – opens the Settings panel, where you can change settings for the current app, change volume, wireless networks, shut down, or adjust the brightness.
  • Windows Key + Z – opens the App Bar for the current Metro application.
  • Windows Key + H – opens the Modern UI Share panel.
  • Windows Key + Q – brings up the Modern UI App Search screen.
  • Windows Key + W – brings up the Modern UI Settings search screen.
  • Windows Key + F – brings up the Modern UI File search screen.
  • Windows Key + K – opens the Devices panel (for connecting to a projector or some other device)
  • Windows Key + , (comma) – Aero Peek at the desktop.
  • Windows Key + . (period) – Snaps the current Metro application to one side of the screen. (Right side)
  • Windows Key + Shift + . (period) – Snaps the current Metro application to the other side of the screen. (Left side)
  • Windows Key + J – switches focus between snapped Metro applications.
  • Windows Key + Page Up / Page Down – moves the current app to the other monitor.
  • Windows Key + Tab – opens the Modern UI application switcher menu, switches between applications.
  • Windows Key + X – opens the Advanced User menu.

A more comprehensive list - including the shortcuts unchanged from Windows 7 - can be found at PCWorld.

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May be there are more and you know it but at this time I got this one in Windows explorer. Just select the file by clicking on it and then press Alt+V now the under the "View" menu you will see the options and with these options you will see their shortcuts respectively. If you want to hide this file/folder then after pressing the Alt+V you have to press the HS and it will be hidden. For showing hidden item just press the H key.

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The same for the Alt+S where you can share, burn to disc, even zip the file with the shortcuts.

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after pressing Alt+H will let you

CO= copy Ctrl+C

C= cut similar to Ctrl+X

CP= copy path

V= paste similar to Ctrl+V

PS= paste shortcut

SA= select all while Ctrl+A still works

and more are listed with options.

Ctrl+Esc=Win key

Windows Key: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application

Windows Key + C: Access the charms bar

Windows Key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop Taskbar

Windows Key + I: Access the Settings charm

Windows Key + H: Access the Share charm

Windows Key + K: Access the Devices charm

Windows Key + Q: Access the Apps Search screen

Windows Key + F: Access the Files Search screen

Windows Key + W: Access the Settings Search screen

Windows Key + P: Access the Second Screen bar

Windows Key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App running

Windows Key + X: Access the Windows Tools Menu

Windows Key + O: Lock screen orientation

Windows Key + . : Move the screen split to the right

Windows Key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left

Windows Key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications

Windows Key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order

Windows Key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as Screenshot

Windows Key + Enter: Launch Narrator

Windows Key + E: Open Computer

Windows Key + R: Open the Run dialog box

Windows Key + U: Open Ease of Access Center

Windows Key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog box

Windows Key + Pause/Break: Open the System page

Windows Key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows Key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows Key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows Key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows Key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item

Windows Key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area

Windows Key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar

Windows Key + M: Minimize all windows

Windows Key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows

Windows Key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows)

Windows Key + L: Lock computer

Windows Key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window

Windows Key+ Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window

Windows Key + Home: Minimize all but the current window

Windows Key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen

Windows Key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen

Windows Key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen

Windows Key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next

Windows Key+ F1: Launch Windows Help and Support

PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen

PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen

Esc: Close a charm

Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application

Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen

Alt: Display a hidden Menu Bar

Alt + D: Select the Address Bar

Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer

Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows

Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows

Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop

Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window

Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened

Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item

Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboard

Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP)

Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder

Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder

Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Autoplay or Autorun

Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin)

Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box

Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item

Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box

Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items

Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program

Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected item

Ctrl + A: Select all items

Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item

Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item

Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item

Ctrl + D: Delete selected item

Ctrl + Z: Undo an action

Ctrl + Y: Redo an action

Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer

Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer

Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of a window

Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder

Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager

Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windows

Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen

Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items

Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folder

Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folder

Ctrl + Tab: Move forward through tabs

Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs

Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an Administrator

Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the group

F1: Display Help

F2: Rename a file

F3: Open Search

F4: Display the Address Bar list

F5: Refresh display

F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box

F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt

F10: Display hidden Menu Bar

F11: Toggle full screen display

Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box

PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboard

Home: Move to the top of the active window

End: Move to the bottom of the active window

Delete: Delete the selected item

Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows Explorer Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog box

Esc: Close a dialog box

Num Lock Enabled + +: Display the contents of the selected folder

Num Lock Enabled + -: Collapse the selected folder

Num Lock Enabled + *: Expand all subfolders under the selected folder

Press Shift 5 times Turn StickyKeys on or off
Hold down right Shift for 8 seconds Turn FilterKeys on or off
Hold down Num Lock for 5 seconds Turn ToggleKeys on or off

From MSDN Blog

Microsoft KB for more shortcuts while they have listed normal.

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  • 3
    Definitely bounty worthy! Oct 25, 2012 at 15:46
  • @avirk Tremendous !!
    – Simon
    Oct 11, 2013 at 18:29
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If you are a developer, this is one of the commands you’ll love the most:

Win + X -> A

Starts a command prompt with administrator privileges.

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With Windows 8 and Windows RT, you can use the keyboard shortcuts you're already using as well as:

For a bigger list of keyboard shortcuts relating to Windows 8 and Windows RT see here.

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