Vista’s Keyboard Shortcuts

General

These shortcuts can make your computer easier to use

ALT+double-click

Display properties for the selected item

ALT+ENTER

Display properties for the selected item

ALT+ESC

Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

ALT+F4

Close the active item, or exit the active program

ALT+PRINT SCREEN

Copies an image of the selected window to the clipboard

ALT+SPACEBAR

Open the shortcut menu for the active window

ALT+TAB

Switch between open items

ALT+underlined letter

Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)

ALT+Up Arrow

View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

CTRL+A

Select all items in a document or window

CTRL+ALT+DEL

Displays options for: Lock This Computer, Switch User, LogOff, Change a Password and Start Task Manager

CTRL+ALT+TAB

Use the arrow keys to switch between open items

CTRL+C

Copy the selected item

CTRL+Down Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

CTRL+ESC

Open the Start menu

CTRL+F4

Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

CTRL+Left Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

CTRL+Right Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

CTRL+SHIFT with an arrow key

Select a block of text

CTRL+SHIFT+ESC

Open Task Manager

CTRL+Up Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

CTRL+V

Paste the selected item

CTRL+X

Cut the selected item

CTRL+Y

Redo an action

CTRL+Z

Undo an action

DELETE

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

ESC

Cancel the current task

F1

Display Help

F10

Activate the menu bar in the active program

F2

Rename the selected item

F3

Search for a file or folder

F4

Display the Address bar list in Windows Explorer

F5

Refresh the active window

F6

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

Left ALT+Left SHIFT+NUM LOCK

Turn Mouse Keys on or off

Left ALT+Left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (or PRTSCRN)

Turn High Contrast on or off

Left Arrow

Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

NUM LOCK for five seconds

Turn Toggle Keys on or off

PRINT SCREEN

Copies an image of the entire screen to the clipboard

Right Arrow

Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

Right SHIFT for eight seconds

Turn Filter Keys on and off

SHIFT five times

Turn Sticky Keys on or off

SHIFT when inserting a CD

Prevent the CD from automatically playing

SHIFT with any arrow key

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

SHIFT+DELETE

Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

SHIFT+F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

SHIFT+right-click

Shows alternative commands for the selected object

Microsoft Keyboard Only

The following shortcuts require the key, originally found only on Microsoft brand keyboards, but now almost universal on any PC keyboard.

Open or close the Start menu

+ CTRL +F

Search for computers (if you are on a network)

+ CTRL +TAB

Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

+BREAK

Display the System Properties dialog box

+D

Display the desktop

+E

Open Computer

+F

Search for a file or folder

+G

Cycle through Sidebar gadgets

+L

Lock your computer (if you are connected to a network domain), or switch users (if you’re not connected to a network domain)

+M

Minimize all windows

+R

Open the Run dialog box

+SHIFT+M

Restore minimized windows to the desktop

+SPACEBAR

Bring all gadgets to the front and select Windows Sidebar

+T

Cycle through programs on the taskbar

+TAB

Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

+U

Open Ease of Access Center

+X

Open Windows Mobility Center

Dialog Boxes

The following shortcuts will work in dialog boxes.

ALT+underlined letter

Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter

Arrow keys

Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

BACKSPACE

Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

Move back through tabs

CTRL+TAB

Move forward through tabs

ENTER

Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands

F1

Display Help

F4

Display the items in the active list

SHIFT+TAB

Move back through options

SPACEBAR

Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

TAB

Move forward through options

Windows Explorer

The following shortcuts will work in dialog boxes.

ALT+D

Select the Address bar

ALT+Left Arrow

View the previous folder

ALT+Right Arrow

View the next folder

END

Display the bottom of the active window

HOME

Display the top of the active window

Left Arrow

Collapse the current selection (if it is expanded), or select the parent folder

NUM LOCK+ASTERISK (*) on numeric keypad

Display all subfolders under the selected folder

NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN (-) on numeric keypad

Collapse the selected folder

NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN (+) on numeric keypad

Display the contents of the selected folder

Right Arrow

Display the current selection (if it is collapsed), or select the first subfolder

Windows Vista Media Center

• Windows Vista Media Center – Keyboard

  The following shortcuts are used to navigate the keyboard.

  +ALT+ENTER

  Open Windows Media Center or return to the Windows Media Center start screen

  ALT+ENTER

  Go in and go out of windowed mode

  ALT+F4

  Close Windows Media Center

  Arrow Keys

  Move left, right, up, or down

  BACKSPACE

  Go back to the previous screen

  END

  Go to the last item in a list

  ENTER

  Accept the selection

  HOME

  Go to the first item in a list

  PAGE DOWN

  Go to the next page

  PAGE UP

  Go to the previous page

• Windows Vista Media Center – Audio

  The following shortcuts are used to control audio.

  CTRL+B

  Replay an audio file or song

  CTRL+D

  Display the context menu

  CTRL+F

  Skip to the next song

  CTRL+M

  Go to Music

  CTRL+P

  Pause or resume an audio file or song

  CTRL+R

  Rip a CD

  CTRL+SHIFT+C

  Turn on or turn off closed captioning

  CTRL+SHIFT+F

  Fast forward a song

  CTRL+SHIFT+P

  Play an audio file or song

  F10

  Turn up volume

  F8

  Mute volume

  F9

  Turn down volume

• Windows Vista Media Center – TV

  The following shortcuts are used to control the TV.

  CTRL+B

  Skip back

  CTRL+D

  Display the context menu

  CTRL+F

  Skip forward

  CTRL+G

  Go to the Guide

  CTRL+O

  Go to Recorded TV

  CTRL+P

  Pause or resume live TV or recorded TV

  CTRL+R

  Record a TV show

  CTRL+SHIFT+B

  Rewind live TV or recorded TV

  CTRL+SHIFT+F

  Fast forward live TV or recorded TV

  CTRL+SHIFT+P

  Resume playing a TV show

  CTRL+SHIFT+S

  Stop recording or stop playing a TV show

  CTRL+T

  Go to live TV

  PAGE DOWN

  Go to the previous channel

  PAGE UP

  Go to the next channel

• Windows Vista Media Center – Radio

  The following shortcuts are used to play the Radio.

  CTRL+A

  Go to Radio

  CTRL+B

  Skip back

  CTRL+D

  Display the context menu

  CTRL+F

  Skip forward

  CTRL+P

  Pause or resume live radio

  CTRL+SHIFT+P

  Resume playing radio

  CTRL+SHIFT+S

  Stop live radio

• Windows Vista Media Center – Pictures

  The following shortcuts are used to view pictures.

  CTRL+D

  Display the context menu

  CTRL+I

  Go to Pictures

  CTRL+P

  Pause a slide show

  CTRL+SHIFT+P

  Play a slide show

  CTRL+SHIFT+P

  Play

  CTRL+SHIFT+S

  Stop a slide show

  Down Arrow or Right Arrow

  Skip forward to the next picture

  ENTER

  Zoom a picture in Picture Details

  Up Arrow or Left Arrow

  Skip back to the previous picture

• Windows Vista Media Center – Videos

  The following shortcuts are used to play videos.

  CTRL+B

  Skip back

  CTRL+E

  Go to Videos

  CTRL+F

  Skip forward

  CTRL+P

  Pause

  CTRL+SHIFT+B

  Rewind

  CTRL+SHIFT+F

  Fast Forward

  CTRL+SHIFT+S

  Stop

• Windows Vista Media Center – DVDs

  The following shortcuts are used to play DVDs.

  Arrow Keys

  Change the DVD angle

  CTRL+B

  Go to the previous chapter

  CTRL+F

  Go to the next chapter

  CTRL+P

  Pause

  CTRL+SHIFT+A

  Change the DVD audio selection

  CTRL+SHIFT+B

  Rewind

  CTRL+SHIFT+F

  Fast forward

  CTRL+SHIFT+M

  Go to the DVD menu

  CTRL+SHIFT+P

  Play

  CTRL+SHIFT+S

  Stop

  CTRL+U

  Change the DVD subtitles selection

Internet Explorer 7

• Internet Explorer 7 – General

  The following shortcuts are used to view and explore web pages in Internet Explorer 7.

  ALT+ENTER

  Open your search query in a new tab

  ALT+H

  Open the Help menu

  ALT+HOME

  Go to your home page

  ALT+J

  Open the RSS menu

  ALT+L

  Open the Help menu

  ALT+Left Arrow

  Go to the previous page

  ALT+M

  Open the Home menu

  ALT+N

  Move focus to the Information bar

  ALT+O

  Open the Tools menu

  ALT+P

  Open the Page menu

  ALT+R

  Open the Print menu

  ALT+Right Arrow

  Go to the next page

  ALT+T

  Open the Tools menu

  BACKSPACE

  Go to the previous page

  CTRL+0

  Zoom to 100%

  CTRL+A

  Select all items on the current webpage

  CTRL+C

  Copy the selected items to the Clipboard

  CTRL+Down Arrow

  Open the search provider menu

  CTRL+E

  Go to the search box

  CTRL+F

  Find on this page

  CTRL+F5

  Refresh the current webpage, even if the time stamp for the web version and your locally stored version are the same

  CTRL+H

  Open History

  CTRL+I

  Open Favorites

  CTRL+J

  Open Feeds

  CTRL+Minus

  Decrease zoom (- 10%)

  CTRL+N

  Open a new window

  CTRL+O

  Open a new website or page

  CTRL+P

  Print the current page or active frame

  CTRL+Plus

  Increase zoom (+ 10%)

  CTRL+S

  Save the current page

  CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

  Move backward between frames (only works if tabbed browsing is disabled)

  CTRL+TAB

  Move forward through frames and browser elements (only works if tabbed browsing is disabled)

  CTRL+V

  Insert the contents of the Clipboard at the selected location

  CTRL+W

  Close the current window (if you only have one tab open)

  CTRL+X

  Remove the selected items and copy them to the Clipboard

  Down Arrow

  Scroll toward the end of a document

  END

  Move to the end of a document

  ENTER

  Activate a selected link

  ESC

  Stop downloading a page

  F1

  Display Help

  F11

  Toggle between full-screen and regular views of the browser window

  F5

  Refresh the current webpage

  F6

  Move forward through frames and browser elements (only works if tabbed browsing is disabled)

  HOME

  Move to the beginning of a document

  PAGE DOWN

  Scroll toward the end of a document in larger increments

  PAGE UP

  Scroll toward the beginning of a document in larger increments

  SHIFT+F10

  Display a shortcut menu for a link

  SHIFT+TAB

  Move back through the items on a webpage, the Address bar, or the Links bar

  SPACE

  Click the Information bar

  TAB

  Move forward through the items on a webpage, the Address bar, or the Links bar

  Up Arrow

  Scroll toward the beginning of a document

• Internet Explorer 7 – Tabs

  The following shortcuts are used to work with tabs in Internet Explorer 7.

  ALT+ENTER

  Open a new tab in the foreground from the Address bar

  CTRL+9

  Switch to the last tab

  CTRL+ALT+F4

  Close other tabs

  CTRL+click

  Open links in a new tab in the background

  CTRL+Q

  Toggle Quick Tabs (thumbnail view) on or off

  CTRL+SHIFT+click

  Open links in a new tab in the foreground

  CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

  Switch between tabs

  CTRL+T

  Open a new tab in the foreground

  CTRL+TAB

  Switch between tabs

  CTRL+W

  Close current tab (or the current window if tabbed browsing is disabled)

  CTRL+[n]

  Switch to a specific tab number, where [n] is the number of the tab (from 1 to

• Internet Explorer 7 – Print Preview

  The following shortcuts are used to work with print preview in Internet Explorer 7.

  ALT+A

  Type the number of the page you want displayed

  ALT+C

  Close Print Preview

  ALT+END

  Display the last page to be printed

  ALT+F

  Specify how you want frames to print (this option is available only if you are printing a webpage that uses frames)

  ALT+HOME

  Display the first page to be printed

  ALT+Left Arrow

  Display the previous page to be printed

  ALT+P

  Set printing options and print the page

  ALT+Right Arrow

  Display the next page to be printed

  ALT+U

  Change paper, headers and footers, orientation, and margins for this page

• Internet Explorer 7 – Address Bar

  The following shortcuts are used to work with the address bar in Internet Explorer 7.

  ALT+D

  Select the text in the Address bar

  CTRL+ENTER

  Add “www.” to the beginning and “.com” to the end of the text typed in the Address bar

  CTRL+Left Arrow

  When in the Address bar, move the cursor left to the next logical break in the address (period or slash)

  CTRL+Right Arrow

  When in the Address bar, move the cursor right to the next logical break in the address (period or slash)

  Down Arrow

  Move back through the list of AutoComplete matches

  F4

  Display a list of addresses you’ve typed

  Up Arrow

  Move forward through the list of AutoComplete matches

• Internet Explorer 7 – Feeds/History/Favorites

  The following shortcuts are used to work with feeds, history, and favorites in Internet Explorer 7.

  ALT+A

  Open the Favorites menu from the menu bar

  ALT+C

  Open Favorites Center and display your favorites

  ALT+Down Arrow

  Move selected item down in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box

  ALT+I

  Display all feeds (when in feed view)

  ALT+M

  Mark a feed as read (when in feed view)

  ALT+S

  Put cursor in Search box in feed view

  ALT+Up Arrow

  Move selected item up in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box

  ALT+Z

  Open Add to Favorites menu (or open Subscribe to feed when in feed preview)

  CTRL+B

  Open the Organize Favorites dialog box

  CTRL+D

  Add the current page to your favorites (or subscribe to the feed when in feed preview)

  CTRL+H

  Open Favorites Center and display your history

  CTRL+J

  Open Favorites Center and display your feeds

  CTRL+SHIFT+J

  Open and dock the Favorites Center and display your feeds

Command Line

The following shortcuts are used to work within the Command Line window.

ALT+F7

Clear all entries in command buffer

Ctrl+Left Arrow

Move back one word

Ctrl+Right Arrow

Move forward one word

Down Arrow

Display next command entered

End

Move to the end of line

ESC

Erase current line

F1

Repeat first character typed in preceding line (hit again for next)

F2

Repeat first character typed in preceding line up to a character you are prompted to enter

F3

Repeat text typed in preceding line

F7

Show all entries in command buffer

F9

Allows you to directly type in the number of the command you wish to activate from the command buffer.

Home

Move to beginning of line

PAGE DOWN

Display newest command entered

PAGE UP

Display oldest command entered

Up Arrow

Display previous command entered