Rheality
Ultimate list of Win+[] Keys
Sep 08 2014 at 09:45am
Win+B: Moves the focus to the
notification area (System tray)
Win+C: Shows Charms, and the date
& time (Windows 8 and later)
Win+D: Shows the Desktop. When
you press Win+D again, it restores
the open windows.
Win+E: Opens Explorer
Win+F: Opens file search. Prior to
Windows 8, this opened Explorer
search. Now it opens the Search
pane with Files selected for
searching
Win+Ctrl+F: Opens the Find
Computers dialog (for Active
Directory/domain joined PCs)
Win+G: Brings gadgets to the top of
other windows.
Win+H: Opens the Share charm on
Windows 8
Win+I: Opens the Settings charm on
Windows 8
Win+J: Does nothing
Win+K: Opens the Devices charm
Win+L: Locks the PC or lets you
switch users
Win+M: Minimizes all windows. Win
+Shift+M does undo minimize all
Win+N: Does nothing in Windows. In
Microsoft OneNote, it opens a new
Note.
Win+O: Locks or unlocks the
orientation of the device if it's a
tablet PC so if even if you rotate it, it
won't rotate
Win+P: Opens the UI to project to
another display or projector
Win+Q: Opens the app specific
search in Windows 8.1. e.g. In Modern
IE, it will search Internet Explorer. In
PC Settings, it will search Settings
and so on.
Win+R: Opens the Run dialog
Win+S: Opens the search with
"Everywhere" selected
Win+T: Focuses on the taskbar icons.
Pressing Win+T again moves the
focus to the next icon.
Win+U: Opens Ease of Access Center
(or Utility Manager in Windows
XP/2000)
Win+V: Focuses on the Metro style
toast notifications and cycles
through them
Win+W: Opens the search pane with
Settings selected
Win+X: Opens the Power Users
menu on Windows 8 and later. On
Windows 7/Vista, it opens Mobility
Center
Win+Y: Does nothing
Win+Z: Shows the App Bar in a
Modern app, same as right clicking
inside a Modern app
Win+1/2/3....0: Opens or switches
to the correspondingly numbered
Taskbar button
Win+'+': Opens Magnifier and zooms
in
Win+'-': Zooms out in Magnifier
Win+Esc: Exits Magnifier if it's
running
Win+F1: Opens Help and Support
Win+Pause/Break: Opens System
Properties
Win+Print screen: Takes a
screenshot in Windows 8 and saves it
to the Screenshots folder
Win+Home: Same as Aero Shake
(minimizes all windows except the
foreground window)
Win+Left arrow key: Snaps a
desktop app's window to the left. In
Windows 8.1, it also snaps a Modern
app's window to the left.
Win+Right arrow key: Snaps a
desktop app's window to the right.
In Windows 8.1, it also snaps a
Modern app's window to the right.
Win+Up arrow key: Maximizes a
window. In Windows 8.1, it also
makes a snapped Modern app full
screen.
Win+Down arrow key: Minimizes a
window. In Windows 8.1, it suspends
a Metro app and takes you to either
the Desktop or the Start screen
depending on your Start screen
settings
Win+Page Down: In Windows 8.0, it
moves a Modern app's window to
the next display if multiple monitors
are connected. In Windows 8.1, this
shortcut is moved to Win+Shift+Right
arrow key to be consistent with
desktop apps
Win+Page Up: moves a Modern
app's window to the previous
display if multiple monitors are
connected. In Windows 8.1, this
shortcut is moved to Win+Shift+Left
arrow key to be consistent with
desktop apps
Win+Enter: Starts Narrator (on
Windows 8 and later)
Win+Alt+Enter: Starts Media Center
Win+Space: In Windows 7, it does
an Aero Peek. In Windows 8, it
switches the input language
Win+Comma (,): In Windows 8, this
is the new key for Aero Peek
Win+Period (.): Shows you which is
the active window (useful when two
Modern apps are snapped).
Win+Tab: In Windows 8 and later,
when you press Win+Tab and release
it, you can switch between Modern
apps, the Start screen and the
Desktop. If you continue to hold the
Win key, it will show you the
Switcher UI and when you let go of
the Win key, it will switch. In
Windows 7/Vista, Win+Tab shows Flip
3D which operates similarly.
Ctrl+Win+Tab: Shows the Switcher
UI in sticky mode so you can use
keyboard arrow keys or mouse to
switch. Ctrl+Win+Tab also opens Flip
3D in sticky mode in Windows 7/Vista
Let us know if we missed any Win
key shortcuts and tell us if you
discovered any new ones from this
article.
