In this article, we will learn about some shortcut keys in Windows about which very few people know. With the help of these shortcut keys, you will be able to navigate and operate your system more efficiently. Although it may be tough at first to remember all of these shortcut keys, as you use them more frequently, you will remember them.

 

Let's dive in and uncover these handy tricks!

 

 

1. Alt + D and Alt + Enter: Create Duplicate Tab

 

Alt + D and Alt + Enter are used to open a duplicate tab of any existing tab in your browser. Using this, we do not need to open the tab by manually copying and pasting the URL.

 

Give it a try by opening any website in your browser and pressing Alt + D and Alt + Enter simultaneously.

 

 

2. Window + H: Open Voice Typing

 

With the Windows + H shortcut, you can quickly access the Voice Typing feature on your Windows 10 computer. This launches the Voice Typing Launcher, allowing you to dictate text directly into a text box. 

 

Simply start speaking, and Windows will transcribe your words into text. Just remember, this feature only works within text boxes where you can write the text.

 

 

3. Window + Alt + R: Start and Stop Video Recording

 

To begin video recording, simply press Window + Alt + R. Once you're done recording, press the same shortcut again to stop. This feature captures video of the active game window using the Xbox Game Bar. Your recorded videos will be saved in the Capture folder within File Explorer.

 

 

4. Window + V: Open Clipboard History

 

Press Windows + V to access your clipboard history and easily reuse multiple copied items. This shortcut allows you to view and select from a history of previously copied content.

 

 

5. Window + D: Hide and Display the Desktop

 

If you have multiple applications open on your computer and want to quickly minimize them all, simply press the Windows + D key. Pressing Windows + D again will restore all minimized applications.

 

Alternatively, you can minimize all applications at once by pressing Windows + M. However, pressing Windows + M again won't restore them.

 

6. Window + L: Lock your PC

 

When you're in a hurry and need to quickly lock your laptop or computer, simply press the Windows + L key. This instantly locks your system, keeping your data secure.

 

 

7. Ctrl + Shift + T: Re-open previously closed tabs 

 

When you're working on your system and have multiple tabs open in Chrome, use the Ctrl + Shift + T shortcut to reopen any accidentally closed tab. This handy combination works even if you've closed the entire browser window, allowing you to restore all closed tabs with ease.

 

 

8. Window + . (dot): Insert Emojis, GIFs, and Symbols

 

By pressing the Windows key along with the period key (Windows + .), you can access the emoji keyboard on your Windows system. This feature allows you to easily find emojis, gifs, kaomoji, and symbols, and you can search for specific emojis and gifs in it.

 

 

9. Window + R: Open Run dialog box

 

Pressing the Windows key along with the "R" key (Windows + R) opens the Run dialog box on your Windows system. This feature allows you to quickly access the terminal and navigate to any files.

 

 

10. Ctrl + Shift + delete: Clear browser data

 

Ctrl + Shift + Delete is used to open the option to delete browsing data from the browser. So you can efficiently delete your browser's cache, cookies, and history.

 

 

11. Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Task Manager

 

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to quickly open the Task Manager, allowing you to manage running processes, monitor system performance, and troubleshoot issues efficiently.

 

 

12. Shift + Fn + Esc: Fn key lock and unlock

 

You can lock and unlock the Fn key on your keyboard by pressing Shift + Fn + Esc. This can be handy if you're experiencing issues with certain shortcuts not working while the Fn key is locked.

 

 

13. Ctrl + E: Select the Search box

 

Pressing Ctrl + E will select the search bar directly, allowing you to start typing in various applications like File Explorer or web browsers.

 

 

14. Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Terminate an application task or reboot the operating system

 

Pressing the Control + Alt + Delete keys simultaneously allows users to terminate an application or reboot the operating system.

 

Apart from this, this key combination is used for tasks like changing passwords, accessing the task manager, locking the screen, etc.

 

 

15. Mouse wheel button: automatically scroll up and down

 

To quickly scroll through images line by line on Google or any other platform, press the wheel above your mouse and then move the mouse up or down. The scrolling action will continue as long as you move the mouse without clicking anywhere.

 

 

16. Shift + Click  or  Shift + Arrows: Select the texts, files, photos, and more

 

To select text quickly, use the Shift key along with the arrow keys (up, right, left, and down) to navigate to the desired text.

 

To select multiple files or images simultaneously, hold down the Shift key and click where you want the selection to start. Then, click where you want the selection to end, and all the items in between will be selected.

 

For selecting specific items, such as the first, third, or ninth image, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the desired item.

 

 

17. Window + Arrow: Controls for Desktop Windows

 

You can make Windows part of the screen by pressing Window + Arrow. You can use two screens at the same time.

 

You can work on two windows together by pressing the Window + Arrow keys. To change the size of the screen, press Window + Left, Window + Right, Window + Up, and Window + Down.

 

• Window + Up Arrow: Maximizes the selected window.

 

• Window + Down Arrow: Minimizes the selected window and places it in a corner.

 

• Window + Right Arrow: Splits the selected window to the right half of the screen.

 

• Window + Left Arrow: Splits the selected window to the left half of the screen.

 

If you have multiple tabs open, pressing Window + any arrow key will prompt you to select which tab you want to place side by side. Simply press Enter on the tab you wish to set side by side.

 

The options will look like this.

 

This way, you can set up four tabs on one desktop.

 

 

 

18. Ctrl + Backspace & Ctrl + delete: Removes the entire word

 

Pressing Control + Backspace will delete the word to the left of the cursor entirely, while Control + Delete will remove the word to the right of the cursor.

 

 

19. Window + Number: Will launch each program in your taskbar.

 

Pressing the Windows key along with a number key (1, 2, 3, etc.) opens the corresponding program pinned to the taskbar.

 

For instance, pressing Windows + 1 opens the program pinned at the first position, Windows + 2 opens the program at the second position, and so on.

 

 

To find out which program is at the first, press window + T.

 

 

20. Window + Shift + S: Capture screenshot

 

You can capture a screenshot using the Windows + Shift + S shortcut. This allows you to take screenshots in various modes, like freeform, rectangular, window, or full-screen. 

 

After taking a screenshot, it will briefly appear in the bottom right corner, and you can click on it to save it. If you miss it, you can find the screenshot in the Pictures folder under This PC, typically in a folder named "Screenshots".

 

 

21. F11 / Fn + F11: Full-Screen Mode

 

You can enter full-screen mode by pressing the F11 key. To exit full-screen mode, simply press F11 again. If your keyboard includes an Fn key, you can use Fn + F11 to toggle full-screen mode.

 

 

22. F2 / Fn + F2: Rename a selected file or folder

 

Pressing the F2 key allows you to rename files or images quickly. If your keyboard includes an Fn key, you can use Fn + F2 for the same function. Simply select the file or image you want to rename and press the F2 key.

 

 

23. Alt + Arrows Right Left: Back and Forward

 

Whenever you want to navigate forward and backward from any web page, you can use these shortcuts. For example, if you want to go back to the previous page, press Alt + Left Arrow, and to move forward again, press Alt + Right Arrow.

 

 

24. Alt + Tab: Switch open programs

 

Pressing Alt + Tab allows you to quickly switch between open applications without using the mouse. Holding down the Alt key while tapping the Tab key lets you cycle through multiple open applications.

 

25. Ctrl + 1, 2, 3: Navigate to the open tab in the browser

 

To swiftly navigate between multiple tabs in your browser, use Ctrl + (the number of the tab you want to access). 

 

Alternatively, Ctrl + Tab allows you to cycle through tabs one by one. For instance, Ctrl + 3 directs you to the third tab, while Ctrl + Tab moves to the next tab one by one.

 

 

26. Ctrl + W: Close the selected tab 

 

To swiftly close any tab in your browser, simply press Ctrl + W. This shortcut enables you to close the currently active tab without using the mouse.

 

 

27. Ctrl + Click: Open any link in a new tab

 

If you are reading an article or doing other work that includes a link and you need to open that link in a new tab, you can do it by clicking on the link while holding down the Ctrl key.

 

 

28. Ctrl + Shift + N: Create a new folder in your current directory.

 

To create a new file quickly, simply press Ctrl + Shift + N. This shortcut works in various applications, allowing you to create new documents, folders, or other files with ease.

 

Additionally, in web browsers, pressing Ctrl + Shift + N opens a new incognito window, providing a private browsing experience where your browsing history and cookies are not saved.

 

 

29. Alt + F4 / Alt + Fn + F4: Close the open program.

 

To close an active program or browser window instantly, use the Alt + F4 shortcut. If your keyboard includes the Fn key, press Alt + Fn + F4 to achieve the same result.

 

 

30. Window + E: Open File Explorer

 

Pressing the Windows + E keys simultaneously opens the File Explorer directly, allowing quick access to your files and folders.

 

 

Conclusion

 

We have clearly explained to you about 30 essential shortcuts. If you use these shortcuts in your work, then your work will become very easy. It may seem a little difficult to remember it in the beginning, but with practice, you will remember it all.

 

If you have any questions about this article or anything related to web development, feel free to ask us using the question box provided below.