Computer control through the keyboard in Windows
Introduction
For people who cannot use a mouse or find it gives them discomfort or who cannot
see the mouse pointer, keyboard shortcuts can be used to get to all areas of the
computer. They can also be much quicker than using a mouse for some actions for
example pressing the Windows key
and D takes you straight to the Desktop.
To see available keyboard shortcuts in programs you will need to turn on the
keyboard shortcut tips in the Ease of Access centre.
Note:
 Instructions for mouse users have black bullet points
 Instructions for keyboard users have arrow shaped bullet points
Turn on keyboard shortcut tips in the Ease of Access Centre
What is the Focus?
Microsoft Hot Keys – quick tips
Keyboarding around the Desktop
Keyboarding around Dialogue boxes
Opening and closing Windows using the keyboard
Function Keys on the keyboard
Navigating text – Moving around text using the keyboard
Deleting text using the keyboard
Windows explorer keyboard shortcuts
Turn on keyboard shortcut tips in the Ease of Access Centre

Click on the start menu and either click the
Control Panel in the Start menu
 Or type control panel into the search box at
the bottom of the Start menu and press
Enter
 Once in the control panel double click on the
Ease of Access centre
 Click on Underline keyboard shortcuts and
access keys and then click on OK
Or
 Press the windows key
and U
 Tab down Underline keyboard shortcuts and
access keys and press the Spacebar to
insert a √ or press Alt and n
 Then press Enter
You can use keyboard shortcuts in the Microsoft Office Ribbon, once you have
turned them on in the Ease of Access centre.
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Computer control through the keyboard in Windows
Try pressing the Alt key and see what happens.
Press the Escape key twice to cancel a menu
What is the Focus?
When using keyboard shortcuts it is important to know where the focus is.
The focus refers to the point on screen where the next key press will take effect.
Sometimes it is highlighted in dark blue or has a black dotted square around it.
Keyboard shortcuts have different effects depending on where the focus is.
Microsoft Hot Keys – quick tips
These are just a few commands that can be used everyday, MS Office has hundreds
of commands that can be found at the Microsoft website.
Windows commands
Windows key
+m
Windows key
+ Shift +
m
Windows key
+L
Alt +F4 key
Ctrl+F4 key
File Commands
Ctrl+O
Ctrl+N
Ctrl+S
Ctrl+F4
Ctrl+P
Hides all open windows
Reopens all hidden windows
Log’s off the user but keeps the computer on
Closes the program
Closes a file
Opens a file
Starts a new file
Saves the file you are working on
Closes the file you are working on
Prints the file you are working on
Text formatting
commands
Ctrl+U
Ctrl+B
Ctrl+I
Undo
CTRL+Z
This works on text that has been highlighted
Copying, cutting and
pasting
CTRL+C
CTRL+X
CTRL+V
This works on:
Text that has been selected or highlighted
Copy.
Cut.
Paste.
Find Items
Ctrl+F
Find word in document or internet page
Underlines text
Makes text bold
Italices text
Undo last action
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Computer control through the keyboard in Windows
Keyboarding around the Desktop
Windows Key
Tab key on the desktop
Windows key
Arrow keys
and Tab
Opens start menu
Moves the focus between the start menu,
the Quick launch bar, the System tray
and the desktop
Moves to Taskbar of programs running
Moves between items in a group i.e.
desktop items if focus is on desktop
Tabbing between the icons
 Move between the icons using the Arrow keys, or by typing the first letter of
their names.
 Open the item by pressing Enter.
Moving around the desktop
It is possible to move the focus, from the Start button to the Taskbar, to the quick
launch bar, to the System tray and onto the Desktop with the Tab key.







Press the windows key
Tab to the Quick launch bar
Tab to the system tray
Tab to the desktop
Tab to the Quick launch
Use the arrow keys to move to a program icon
Press ENTER
Taskbar
Located at the bottom of your screen is the taskbar when you start a program or
open a window, a picture representing that program appears on the Taskbar.
With more than one program running, use the Windows key and Tab to get to the
Taskbar and the Left and Right cursor keys to move between programs
Opening Programs from the Start menu
Windows key
Ctrl and Alt key
Up and down arrow
Right arrow
Press first letter of program
Opens start menu
An alternative to the windows key
Move up and down a list
Opens Sub menus
Jumps to program of that initial letter
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Computer control through the keyboard in Windows
Moving around Dialogue boxes
Dialogue Boxes such as Print can be controlled via the keyboard, these commands
work where the focus is.
Tab
Shift + Tab
Press Alt + underlined letter
Press Spacebar
Use Left and Right cursor keys or PgUp
and PgDn keys
Use cursor keys
Use spacebar or cursor keys to open pull
down lists
Ctrl+Tab
Move forwards through dialogue box
Move backwards through dialogue box
Activates the command
To add tick in box that has focus
To change values on sliders
To change which radio button is selected
To move to multiple pages in dialogue
boxes
Opening and closing Windows using the keyboard
Alt+F4
Alt+F4
CTRL+F4
Alt+Spacebar
Alt+Tab
Windows key
Windows key
+d or m
+Shift+M
Close the program you are using
When used on the desktop closes the
computer
Closes the active document in the
program you are in.
Display the System menu for the active
window (allows you to maximise,
minimise or close window).
Hold Alt key down and press Tab to
move between each open program. Let
go when you are on the program you
want.
Minimize all windows
Restores minimized windows.
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Computer control through the keyboard in Windows
Function Keys on the keyboard
At the top of keyboards you will find the Function Keys (F1 to F12). In most programs
function keys carry out different tasks but sometimes there are common functions.
Function Keys
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
F7
Help in most programs
Rename a selected / highlighted item
Searches for a file or folder from the
desktop or in Windows explorer
Display the Address bar list in My
Computer or Windows Explorer
Refreshes active window
Cycle through screen elements in a
window or on the desktop
Spell Checker in Ms Word
Navigating text – Moving around text using the keyboard
In many programs (but not all) you can quickly move around the text using the
keyboard.
By Character
Right arrow
Left arrow
By word
Ctrl+right arrow
Ctrl+left arrow
By line
Up arrow
Down arrow
Home
End
By paragraph
Ctrl+down arrow
Ctrl+up arrow
By screen
Page down
Page up
By whole document
Ctrl+home
Ctrl+end
Moves insertion point right one character
Moves insertion point left one character
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next
word.
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the
previous word.
Moves insertion point up one line
Moves insertion point down one line
Moves insertion point to the beginning of the line
Moves insertion point to the beginning of the line
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next
paragraph.
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the
previous paragraph.
Moves insertion point down one screen
Moves insertion point up one screen
Moves insertion point to the beginning of the
document
Moves insertion point to the end of the document
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Computer control through the keyboard in Windows
Deleting text using the keyboard
Deleting text
Backspace
Delete
Ctrl+backspace
Ctrl+ Delete
Deletes to the left of the insertion point
Deletes to the right of the insertion point
Deletes word to the left of the insertion point
Deletes word to the right of the insertion point
Windows explorer keyboard shortcuts
Windows key
+e
Navigating windows explorer
F6 or Tab key
Up and down arrows
Any letter key
END
HOME
Files - works when file is highlighted
Backspace
Ctrl+c
Ctrl+x
Ctrl+v
Alt+enter
F2
F3
Folders – works when folder is
highlighted
Enter
Backspace
Home
End
F3
In tree view (left pane) only
Right Arrow
Left Arrow
NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric
keypad (*)
NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric
keypad (+)
NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric
keypad (-)
Dialogue box keyboard shortcuts
Start Windows explorer
Move focus between right and left pane
Moves up and down through items
Cycles through items beginning with that
letter
Displays the bottom item of the active
window.
Displays the top item of the active
window.
Deletes file
Copies file
Cuts file
Copies or moves file into new location
View properties of file
Rename file
Search for a file or folder
Open a parent folder
Deletes folder
Goes to the topmost folder or file
Goes to the bottom-most folder or file
Search for a file or folder
Opens any child folders and highlights
the first
Closes child folders or highlights the
parent folder
Display all subfolders under the selected
folder.
Display the contents of the selected
folder.
Collapses the selected folder.
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Computer control through the keyboard in Windows
Ctrl+tab
Ctrl+shift+tab
Tab
Shift+tab
Alt+underlined letter
Enter
Spacebar
Arrow keys
Spacebar
Backspace
Esc
Move forward through tabs.
Move backward through tabs.
Move forward through options.
Move backward through options.
Carry out the corresponding command or
select the corresponding option.
Carry out the command for the active
option or button.
Select or clear the check box if the active
option is a check box.
Select a button if the active option is a
group of option buttons.
Display the items in the active list.
Open a folder one level up if a folder is
selected in the Save As or Open dialog
box.
Cancels the current task.
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