12 Windows Key Shortcuts I Use Every Day

With out the Home windows key, I would not be as productive because it offers fast entry to vital shortcuts. Let me share the Home windows key shortcuts I depend on each day, from launching apps to window administration.

1

Win+E: Open File Explorer

The Windows folder in the File Explorer app on a laptop screen. — Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

While you press Win+E, you immediately open a brand new File Explorer window. It should launch in House view, a web page that gives fast entry to your incessantly used folders and up to date information. When you don’t need this to be the default, you’ll be able to change File Explorer’s default startup page to one thing like This PC or your private OneDrive folder.

2

Win+i: Open Settings

The Personalization screen in the Settings app in Windows 11.

The quickest technique to open the Settings app is to make use of the Win+i shortcut. In Settings, you’ll be able to tweak system configurations and preferences, in addition to customise your Home windows expertise. This shortcut saves you time in comparison with navigating by way of a number of menus to succeed in the Settings app.

3

Win+A: Open Fast Settings (Motion Middle)

With more items added to the Windows 11 Quick Settings menu, the menu expands vertically.

Typically, going into settings to do one thing easy, like switching Wi-Fi networks, disabling Bluetooth, or turning on airplane mode, is overkill. You may handle these in Fast Settings, a handy flyout menu that incorporates widespread system controls. You may convey it out by urgent Win+A.

4

Win+X: Open Clipboard Historical past

Various copied items highlighted on the clipboard.

Ctrl+V solely helps you paste a beforehand copied merchandise, comparable to textual content, a picture, or a doc, into numerous applications. The clipboard historical past, however, is extra in depth, permitting you to entry objects you beforehand copied (as much as 25). Merely press Win+V to open the flyout menu and choose the merchandise you need to paste.

5

Win+R: Launch Home windows Run

Opening Device Manager using Windows Run.

There may be a better technique to entry applications, folders, and system utilities—the Home windows Run dialog field. You may open it by urgent Win+R and utilizing common Windows Run commands like cmd, notepad, regedit, devmgmt.msc, or the complete path of a folder. This lets you entry what you want with out navigating by way of a number of menus.

6

Win+D: Present or Disguise Desktop

Typically, the desktop can get buried by a number of home windows, making it a chore to attenuate every little thing to get to it. Urgent Win+D minimizes all open home windows in a single go, displaying your desktop immediately. If you wish to restore them, press it once more to choose up the place you left off.

7

Win+Tab: Open Activity View

Win+Tab opens Activity View, which is useful when you should view and handle home windows and digital desktops. It reveals thumbnails of working functions so you’ll be able to simply change between them. You too can use Activity View to create and handle your digital desktops in case you like to make use of totally different workspaces on your duties.

8

Win+Left/Proper: Snap Home windows to the Aspect

A window snapped to the left in Windows 11.

Urgent Win+Left or Win+Proper will immediately snap the lively window to the respective facet of the display screen. It helps whenever you’re working with a number of home windows facet by facet. As an example, when evaluating paperwork or multitasking between functions.

9

Win+Interval (.): Insert Emojis

Textual content doesn’t convey tone, and emojis might help you repair this. Press Win+Interval (.) wherever that requires textual content enter to convey up the emoji panel and choose the emojis you want. This works nicely in apps and applications with no built-in emoji picker (e.g., Microsoft Phrase, Google Chrome, and Notepad).

10

Win+L: Lock the PC

Windows new lockscreen in use during beta. — Windows

When you’re in a shared atmosphere, comparable to an workplace or café, and need to step away out of your laptop, you’ll be able to simply lock it by urgent Win+L. This may immediately convey up the lock display screen with out you first going by way of the Begin Menu or urgent Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

Simply make sure you’re using a strong password or the Windows Hello feature to safe your PC earlier than leaving it momentarily unattended.

11

Win+Ctrl+T: Pin Window to the High

A window pinned to the top in Windows 11.

Some applications have a built-in technique to maintain them all the time on prime. However for people who do not, you will want to enable Always on Top in PowerToys and press Win+Ctrl+T to pin it on prime of every little thing else. The window may have a blue border round it to indicate the characteristic is lively.

12

Win+Shift+S: Take Fast Screenshot

If you wish to take a partial screenshot, press Win+Shift+S to open the Snip & Sketch software and drag your cursor over the world you need to seize. By default, this may save the screenshot within the Screenshots folder, the place you’ll be able to mark it up and share it.

There are extra Home windows key shortcuts you should use to hurry up your workflow, however these ought to present you simply how highly effective this secret is. To find out about extra helpful shortcuts, take a look at the Windows 11 shortcut alphabet guide.

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