Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Essential Windows keyboard shortcuts with Linux equivalents for easy transition.

Official Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/keyboard-shortcuts-in-windows-dcc61a57-8ff0-cffe-9796-cb9706c75eec

Quick Reference for Linux Users

Essential Navigation Shortcuts

Windows Shortcut	Purpose	Linux Equivalent	Notes
Windows + E	Open File Explorer	Super + F or Ctrl + Alt + F	File manager
Windows + D	Show desktop	Super + D	Minimize all windows
Windows + L	Lock screen	Super + L	Screen lock
Windows + R	Run dialog	Alt + F2	Application launcher
Windows + Tab	Task view	Super + Tab or Alt + Tab	Virtual desktops/window switcher
Alt + Tab	Window switcher	Alt + Tab	Same on both systems
Ctrl + Shift + Esc	Task Manager	Ctrl + Alt + Del then Task Manager	Like htop or ps aux

System & Settings

Windows Shortcut	Purpose	Linux Equivalent	Notes
Windows + I	Settings	gnome-control-center	System settings
Windows + X	Quick admin menu	Right-click on panel	Admin context menu
Windows + Pause	System Properties	neofetch or system info	System information

Copilot Key Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Copilot key	Open Microsoft Copilot or Microsoft 365 Copilot
Copilot key (when unavailable)	Open Settings

Text Editing Shortcuts

Note: Most of these shortcuts work identically in Linux applications.

Shortcut	Purpose
Ctrl + A	Select all text
Ctrl + B	Apply bold format
Ctrl + C	Copy the selected text
Ctrl + Insert	Copy text (alternative)
Ctrl + V	Paste the last item from the clipboard
Shift + Insert	Paste text (alternative)
Ctrl + X	Cut the selected text
Ctrl + Z	Undo the last typing
Ctrl + Y	Redo typing that was undone
Ctrl + Arrow keys	Move cursor by word
Shift + Arrow keys	Select text
Alt + Arrow keys	Navigate text
Backspace	Delete characters left of cursor
Delete	Delete characters right of cursor
Arrow keys	Move cursor

Windows Key Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Windows	Open or close Start menu
Windows + A	Open Action Center
Windows + C	Open Copilot or Search
Windows + D	Display and hide the desktop
Windows + E	Open File Explorer
Windows + F	Open Feedback Hub
Windows + G	Open Game Bar
Windows + H	Start dictation
Windows + I	Open Settings
Windows + J	Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available
Windows + K	Open Connect quick action
Windows + L	Lock your PC
Windows + M	Minimize all windows
Windows + N	Open notification center
Windows + O	Lock device orientation
Windows + P	Choose presentation display mode
Windows + Q	Open Search
Windows + R	Open Run dialog
Windows + S	Open Search
Windows + T	Cycle through apps on the taskbar
Windows + U	Open Ease of Access Center
Windows + V	Open clipboard history
Windows + W	Open Windows Ink Workspace
Windows + X	Open Quick Link menu
Windows + Y	Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop
Windows + Z	Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode
Windows + Tab	Open Task view
Windows + .	Open emoji panel
Windows + ,	Temporarily peek at the desktop
Windows + Pause	Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows + +	Open Magnifier
Windows + -	Zoom out in Magnifier
Windows + Esc	Exit Magnifier

Window Management Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Windows + Home	Minimize all windows except active window
Windows + Left Arrow	Snap window to left side of screen
Windows + Right Arrow	Snap window to right side of screen
Windows + Up Arrow	Maximize window
Windows + Down Arrow	Minimize window
Windows + Shift + Left Arrow	Move active window to monitor on left
Windows + Shift + Right Arrow	Move active window to monitor on right
Windows + Shift + Up Arrow	Stretch window to top and bottom of screen
Windows + Shift + Down Arrow	Restore or minimize active window vertically
Windows + Shift + M	Restore minimized windows on the desktop

Desktop and General Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Alt + Tab	Switch between open windows
Alt + Shift + Tab	Switch between open windows in reverse order
Alt + F4	Close the active window
Ctrl + Alt + Del	Open security screen
Ctrl + Shift + Esc	Open Task Manager
F1	Display Help
F2	Rename the selected item
F3	Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
F4	Display the address bar list in File Explorer
F5	Refresh the active window
F6	Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10	Activate the Menu bar in the active app
F11	Switch to full screen mode
F12	Open developer tools in most browsers
PrtScn	Take a screenshot of your whole screen
Alt + PrtScn	Take a screenshot of the active window
Windows + Shift + S	Take screenshot of part of screen
Delete	Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Shift + Delete	Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

File Explorer Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Alt + D	Select the address bar
Ctrl + E	Select the search box
Ctrl + F	Select the search box
Ctrl + N	Open a new window
Ctrl + W	Close the active window
Ctrl + Shift + N	Create a new folder
Num Lock + *	Display all subfolders that are under the selected folder
Num Lock + +	Display the contents of the selected folder
Num Lock + -	Collapse the selected folder
Alt + P	Display the preview panel
Alt + Enter	Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item
Alt + Right Arrow	View the next folder
Alt + Up Arrow	View the folder that the folder was in
Alt + Left Arrow	View the previous folder
Backspace	View the previous folder
Right Arrow	Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder
Left Arrow	Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in
End	Display the bottom of the active window
Home	Display the top of the active window
F11	Maximize or minimize the active window

Multiple Desktop Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Windows + Ctrl + D	Create another desktop
Windows + Ctrl + F4	Close the current desktop
Windows + Ctrl + Left Arrow	Switch to desktop on the left
Windows + Ctrl + Right Arrow	Switch to desktop on the right

Taskbar Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Windows + T	Cycle through apps on the taskbar
Windows + number (0-9)	Open the app pinned to the taskbar
Windows + Shift + number (0-9)	Start new instance of app pinned to taskbar
Windows + Ctrl + number (0-9)	Switch to last active window of app pinned to taskbar
Windows + Alt + number (0-9)	Open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar
Windows + Ctrl + Shift + number (0-9)	Open another instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator

Dialog Box Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
F4	Display the items in the active list
Ctrl + Tab	Move forward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Move back through tabs
Ctrl + number (1-9)	Move to nth tab
Tab	Move forward through options
Shift + Tab	Move backward through options
Alt + underlined letter	Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter
Spacebar	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Backspace	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
Arrow keys	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
Enter	Execute the command for the active option or button
Esc	Cancel the command and close the dialog box

Command Prompt Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose
Ctrl + C	Copy the selected text
Ctrl + V	Paste the selected text
Ctrl + M	Enter Mark mode
Alt + selection key	Begin selection in block mode
Arrow keys	Move the cursor in the direction specified
Page Up	Move the cursor by one page up
Page Down	Move the cursor by one page down
Ctrl + Home	Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer
Ctrl + End	Move the cursor to the end of the buffer
Ctrl + Up Arrow	Move up one line in the output history
Ctrl + Down Arrow	Move down one line in the output history
Ctrl + Home (history navigation)	If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer
Ctrl + End (history navigation)	If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line

Windows-Specific Shortcuts (No Linux Equivalent)

Snap & Window Management

Shortcut	Purpose	Linux Alternative
Windows + Left/Right Arrow	Snap window to side	Use tiling window manager
Windows + Up/Down Arrow	Maximize/minimize window	Super + Up/Down (GNOME)
Windows + Shift + Arrow	Move window between monitors	Drag or use display settings

Microsoft-Specific Features

Shortcut	Purpose	Notes for Linux Users
Windows + V	Clipboard history	Use clipit, parcellite, or CopyQ
Windows + .	Emoji panel	Use Ctrl + Shift + E (GNOME) or emoji picker
Windows + G	Game Bar	Use OBS Studio or other recording software
Windows + H	Voice dictation	Use built-in accessibility or espeak

PowerShell & Terminal

Shortcut	Purpose	Linux Bash Equivalent
Tab	Auto-complete	Same in bash
Ctrl + R	Search command history	Same in bash
F7	Command history list	history command
Ctrl + L	Clear screen	Same in bash (clear)

Tips for Linux Users

Key Differences to Remember

1. Windows key acts like the Super key in Linux
2. File Explorer is similar to Nautilus/Dolphin — use Windows + E
3. Task Manager is like htop — use Ctrl + Shift + Esc
4. Run dialog is like Alt + F2 — use Windows + R
5. Virtual desktops — use Windows + Tab (like GNOME Activities)

Shortcuts That Work the Same

• Ctrl + C/V/X/Z/Y (copy, paste, cut, undo, redo)
• Alt + Tab (window switching)
• Ctrl + F (find/search)
• F5 (refresh)
• Alt + F4 (close application)

WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) Shortcuts

Shortcut	Purpose	Notes
Windows + R → type wsl	Open WSL terminal	Direct access to Linux environment
Ctrl + Shift + C/V	Copy/paste in Windows Terminal	Different from regular copy/paste
Ctrl + ,	Open Windows Terminal settings	JSON configuration like VS Code

Common Gotchas

• Case sensitivity: Windows paths are case-insensitive (unlike Linux)
• Path separators: Use \ instead of / in Windows paths
• Drive letters: C:\, D:\ instead of /, /home, /var
• Hidden files: Toggle with Ctrl + H in File Explorer
• Admin rights: "Run as Administrator" instead of sudo