New and important key combinations in Windows 11 and 10

Despite the passing of the years, the keyboard for a computer continues to be fundamental and Microsoft knows this well since with each new version of Windows it adds new key shortcuts that make using the computer faster. Performing actions on the computer using key combinations may be seen as something for expert geeks when in reality it is something really useful, especially when working with two-handed typing. Just think about how much faster it is to copy and paste using the keyboard instead of the mouse which requires numerous clicks.
In this article we first find out which ones new keyboard shortcuts they were additions to Windows 10 that work also in Windows 11 and then, to refresh our memories, the guide to other important combinations to use on Windows PC.

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1) Windows keyboard shortcuts

The keys to memorize to work immediately on the PC are the following:

• Copy: CTRL + C
• Cut: CTRL + X
• Paste: CTRL + V
• Enlarge window: F11
• Windows + Left / Right / Up / Down arrows: With these keys you can move a window to the right or left, expand it or make it smaller.
• Open the Task View (in Windows 10 and Windows 11 it brings up the Task View, with which you can switch from one virtual desktop to another.): Windows + TAB
• Switch between open apps: ALT + LOSS
• Locking your PC with password: Windows + L
• Show and hide the desktop: Windows + D
• Capture Screenshot: Windows + PrtScn or Fn + Windows + Spacebar

2) Taskbar combinations

The Windows taskbar supports some very useful hotkeys and shortcuts to memorize:

• Open new app instance: SHIFT + left click
• Open apps as administrator: SHIFT + CTRL + left click
• Show the window menu for the app: CTRL + right click
• Show window menu for group: CTRL + right click on the grouped
• Scroll through group windows: CTRL + click a button on the grouped

3) Shortcuts for File Explorer

When we open a folder, it opens File Explorer on your PC and there are very convenient keyboard shortcuts for quick work:

• Select the address bar: ALT + D
• Select the search box: CTRL + E
• Open new tab (tabbed file explorer): CTRL + T
• Open a new window: CTRL + N
• Change icon size: CTRL + mouse wheel
• Create a new folder: CTRL + SHIFT + N
• View the preview panel: ALT + P
• Open Properties for the selected item: ALT + ENTER
• View parent folder: ALT + UP ARROW
• View next/previous folder: ALT + RIGHT/LEFT arrow
• See or hide buttons at the top of windows: Ctrl + F1

4) Command Prompt Shortcuts

Those who often use the Command Prompt It is good to remember the following shortcuts, since they can become very useful when we have many commands to use:

• Copy selected text: CTRL + C o CTRL + INS
• Paste the selected text: CTRL + V or MAIUSC + INS
• Move the cursor in the specified direction: Arrow keys
• Move the cursor up or down: PGSU is PGGIÙ
• Autocomplete the command or path: TAB
• Activate marking mode: CTRL + M
• Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer: CTRL + HOME
• Move the cursor to the end of the buffer: CTRL + FINE
• Move down one line: CTRL + DOWN ARROW
• Move up one line: CTRL + UP ARROW

5) Combinations with the Windows key

Windows + A

This key combination opens the new Windows 10 notification center and the Windows 11 command button.

Windows + S

This key combination opens the search box to find programs quickly or search the internet. The same result is also obtained by simply pressing the Windows key and starting to write.

Windows + Q

This combination is identical to Windows + S; only if it is installed, it opens the Cortana assistant.

Windows + I

This is not an absolute novelty because it is a key combination already used by Windows 8.1 to quickly open the Settings screen. In Windows 10 and Windows 11 Windows + I launches the Settings application which is a bit like the new Control Panel of Windows 10.

Windows + W

Windows 11 shortcut to open the Widgets section.

Windows – K

The key combination that opens the Cast to Another Screen function.

Windows + Ctrl + D

This is the shortcut to use to activate one of the most relevant new functions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, which allows you to quickly create a new virtual desktop. To browse virtual desktops, use the button next to the search box on the taskbar.

Windows + Ctrl + F4

These keys pressed together close the current virtual desktop (remember that Alt + F4 closes the active window).

Windows + Ctrl + Right or Left Arrows

This shortcut is used to quickly switch between virtual desktops without going through the Task view that appears using the Windows + Tab keys.

Windows + E launches a Windows Explorer window.

Windows + B allows you to select (with the Enter key) one of the icons on the notification bar

Windows + 1-9 allows you to launch programs on the taskbar starting from the left; for example, Windows +1 opens the first program after the task view key.

Windows + X it is a very important key combination in both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 because it is used to open the quick menu which can otherwise be used by right-clicking on the Start button.

Windows + Maiusc + S allows you to take a screenshot of the desktop by choosing which area to select (while pressing only the Print key saves the screenshot of the entire desktop or pressing the Windows + Print keys saves only the current window).

Windows + . opens the list of emojis to add them into any text field of documents or websites.

Windows + R Quickly launches the Run command window.

6) More PC shortcuts and hotkeys

To complete this guide we will also show you the suggestions collected over many years of using Windowsso that we can use them every time we sit in front of the PC and need to speed up operations.

1) Press and hold the button Shift per select portions of text or groups of files in a folder: an inconvenient and widespread practice is to select multiple files in a folder or a piece of text on a Word sheet by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the selection.

2) Much easier and more precise is to press the left button once on the first file and hold it down Shift on the keyboard and then press the mouse again at the end of the selection, on the last file. On a sheet of text, click on the first character, then press the shift key, choose the last character, click here and release the key Shift.

3) Keep the button pressed Ctrl per select different pieces of text or individual files together. be with Shift you select from the first to the last, with the same procedure you can keep the button pressed Ctrl to select only clicked files in a folder.

4) At the same motion, with Ctrl you can select several non-contiguous parts of a text.
Press and hold the key Ctrl while selecting and, while holding it down, select another piece of text, and so on.

5) Holding down Shift and then right-clicking on the Windows desktop or over a file or folder opens a larger context menuwhich includes some hidden options.

6) Lo Zoom with the mouse wheel + Ctrl; this trick works both on the desktop, on a sheet of text, on a browser while browsing the internet, or looking at a folder or anything else, if you press the CTRL key on the keyboard and then move the mouse wheel, you can zoom in or out. It is therefore immediate to zoom in or out of the text, icons, images and whatever you want.

7) Finally, one of the most important key combinations is Ctrl + Maiusc + Esc after he task manager.

All the shortcuts of Windows 10 and Windows 11 (and there are many) are listed on this page of the Microsoft guide.

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