Shortcuts make you reach your goal faster. Just like in real life, it works with keyboard shortcuts. A shortcut is a combination of keystrokes that performs a predefined function. Commands or operations can as well be exectuted via some other way, for examle using a menu. Shortcuts, especially those of frequently used commands, save time. Here is the ultimate shortcut list:

GENERAL SHORTCUTS

ALT + F4 – Quit a program
ALT + TAB – Hold down the ALT key and switch through open windows with the tab key
TAB – Go forward to the next field of a form
SHIFT + TAB – Go backwards through a form
F1 – Help menu
CTRL+ X – Cut
CTRL + C – Copy
CTRL + V – Paste
CTRL + Z – Undo
CTRL + Y – Redo

FILE AND DESKTOP

CTRL + ESCAPE – Display Start menu
Hold SHIFT + inserting a CD – Prevents autorunning
CTRL while dragging a file – Copies the file
CTRL + SHIFT while dragging a file – Creates shortcut to the file
SHIFT + DELETE – Deletes an item irrevocably
ALT + ENTER – Display a file’s properties.
F2 – Rename the file

In Windows Explorer:
LEFT ARROW – Collapse the current selection if expanded
RIGHT ARROW – Expand the current selection if collapsed
F6 – Switch between left and right panes
BACKSPACE – View the folder one level up
ALT + LEFT ARROW – Move backward to previous view
ALT + RIGHT ARROW – Move forward to previous view

INTERNET BROWSER

CTRL + H – Open history window
CTRL + R – Reload current page
ALT + LEFT ARROW or BACKSPACE – Back to previous page
ALT + RIGHT ARROW – Forward to the next page
ESCAPE – Stop loading
ALT + HOME – Home page
HOME – Go to top of the page
END – Go to bottom of the page
CTRL + N – New window
CTRL + W – Close window
UP ARROW – Go up one line
DOWN ARROW – Go down one line
ALT + UP ARROW – Scroll page up
ALT + DOWN ARROW – Scroll page down
CTRL + F – Find on page
CTRL + D – Add a bookmark
CTRL + B – Manage bookmarks
CTRL + P – Print
ALT + SPACE + N – Minimize window
ALT + SPACE + X – Maximize window

WINDOWS

The Windows key in combination with other keys opens Windows tools.

WIN + R – Opens the start menu’s run box
WIN + F – Opens the find window
WIN + E – Launches the Explorer
WIN + PAUSE – Opens system properties window
WIN + M – Minimizes all windows
WIN + SHIFT + M – Maximize all windows
WIN + D – Switch between minimized and maximized windows
WIN + TAB – Navigate through items in the taskbar

WORD PROCESSING

CTRL + RIGHT ARROW – Move the cursor to the next word
CTRL + LEFT ARROW – Move the cursor to the previous word
CTRL + DOWN ARROW – Move the cursor to the next paragraph
CTRL + UP ARROW – Move the cursor to the previous paragraph
CTRL + A – Mark everything
CTRL + mark – Add marking
CTRL + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW – Mark the next word
CTRL + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW – Undo marking of previous word
CTRL + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW – Mark paragraph
CTRL + SHIFT + UP ARROW – Undo marking of previous paragraph
HOME – Move cursor to the beginning of the line
END – Move cursor to the end of the line
CTRL + HOME – Move cursor to the beginning of the document
CTRL + END – Move cursor to the end of the document