Key Modifiers

Key Modifiers

To move around the desktop toolbars, Taskbar, Notification Area and the Desktop - press Ctrl + Esc (or the Winkey) to activate Start, Esc to cancel the menu, then Tab and Shift + Tab to the various parts of the screen. Use the arrow keys to move within a section. Winkey + B jumps straight to the System Notification Area. To get a context menu of a blank part of the taskbar use the clock's context menu. Shift + F10 displays the context menu, Space or Enter activates.

Key Description

Delete key or Delete on the shortcut menu Deletes the file

Shift + Delete key or Shift + Delete on the shortcut menu Deletes the file and doesn't place it in the Recycle Bin

Dbl Click a drive shortcut, Recycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer Opens an folder view of the double clicked item

Dbl Click a sub menu Does the default command for that sub menu. The System menu (Alt + Enter) has a default command listed in bold.

Double Click the Titlebar Toggles a window between Normal and Maximised state.

Shift + Dbl Click a drive shortcut, Recycle Bin, Start Menu, or My Computer Open an explorer view with the double clicked item selected.

Note:

a.. If the view is set to thumbnails then this will also toggle labels. See Shift + View menu - Thumbnails below

b.. If the object doesn't have an Explore verb then it will Open the object.

Shift + Click a link Opens in a new window

Shift + Close Button Closes the current folder and all parent folders if viewing folders in seperate windows

Shift + Drag Move a file (default when dragging on the same drive)

Shift + Right Click Opens the object's context menu with hidden verbs shown, if any

Shift + Send To menu Moves a file (default when sending on the same drive)

Shift + Insert a CD Prevents the CD from auto running

Shift + Starting Windows Doesn't run the programs in the startup folder

Shift + No in a file confirmation dialog Means No To All (XP)

This does not work in a folder confirmation dialog, only a file confirmation.

Shift + View menu - Thumbnails Hides the label for the thumbnails. Repeat to Show (XP)

Shift + Favourites menu - Organise Favourites Opens the Favourites folder in a folder window.

Shift + Mouse scroll wheel Move to Previous/Next page.

Its generalised function is Data Zooming for applications like databases.

Vista: The mouse scroll wheel is ignored if the Alt or Shift key is down.

Shift in the Shutdown dialog Changes Standby to Hibernate. Press H to hibernate even if Hibernate isn't displayed

Ctrl + Dbl Click an object (such as a document file) Opens in the object behind other windows. Doesn't work on all objects such as folder windows (as folder windows usually open in an existing program rather than starting a new program)

Ctrl + Dbl Click a titlebar of an shell window (such as folder windows and web pages)

(Also F11)

Changes the view to Full Screen.

Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel Changes the text size in web pages.

Vista: Changes the zoom level rather than text size, also chages the size of icons on the desktop or in a folder window.

Its generalised function is Zooming. This works many places in Vista incl Wordpad. It zooms pages that have scrollbars, as pages without scrollbars zoom without the Ctrl key.

Ctrl + Close button Sets the system default settings, mainly sort order. Icon style is not affected

Ctrl + Close button in Picture & Fax Viewer Resets "Don't Show ... Again" dialog settings

Ctrl + Drag Copies a file (default for dragging between drives)

Ctrl + Send To menu Copies the file (default when sending between drives)

Ctrl + Send To menu Powertoys (except Send Contents to Clipboard) Sends the short name to the clipboard or run dialog

Ctrl + Send To menu Send Contents to Clipboard Powertoy Opens a dialog box to specify the data format

Ctrl + Shift + Drag

(also Alt + Drag)

Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file (default when dragging only program files in 95, in later versions is the default for dragging program files listed at the

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\

Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths key in the registry)

Ctrl + Shift + Send To menu Creates a Shortcut rather than moving or copying a file

Ctrl + Shift and Right click blank area on Start or Shutdown buttons Vista: Menu item to close down Window's shell in a normal shutdown without logging off.. Use Task Manager's File - New Task (Run) .... dialog to start Explorer to restart the shell.

Ctrl + Number Pad Plus Key in Explorer Auto sizes all columns

Ctrl + Alt + Delete Starts the Close Program dialog box (Windows 9x), Security dialog (NT, 2000, XP if Welcome Screen disabled), and Task Manager (XP with Welcome Screen enabled)

Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Delete Quickly reboots NT4SP4 and later systems. Does not appear to work on XP.

Note: A registry key needs to be set to enable this key sequence.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\

Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

EnableQuickReboot=1 as a RegSZ (a string).

Ctrl + Alt + Delete twice on the Welcome Screen Presents the non Welcome Screen logon. This works on XP Pro only

Ctrl + Shift + Esc Starts the Close Program dialog box (Windows 9x) or Task Manager (NT, 2000, XP)

Ctrl + Alt + Shift and Close or Cancel in the Shutdown dialog Closes down Window's shell in a normal shutdown without logging off.. Use Task Manager's File - New Task (Run) ... dialog to start Explorer to restart the shell.

Vista: See Ctrl + Shift + Right Click for new Vista Start Menu.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab Vista: Starts Windows Coolswitch. Use Arrow keys, Tab, or Shift + Tab to navigate and Enter or Space to activate. Pressing Escape cancels switching windows.

Ctrl + Click a Taskbar Button Select multiple Windows to tile, cascade, or close (by right clicking a selected button).

Ctrl + Click New Task (Run ...) in Task Manager's File menu Starts a command prompt.

Ctrl (RHS only) + Scroll Lock twice Initiates a blue screen. Used for hangs to get a memory dump. Only works on PS/2 or older keyboards. USB keyboard users need to get an addin crash card.

Note: Keyboards have low priority so if another piece of hardware has caused the hang windows may not see this key sequence.

A registry key needs to be set to enable this key sequence.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\

CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters

CrashOnCtrlScroll=1 as a DWord.

Alt + Space Opens the System menu which allows windows to be sized, moved, or have it's state changed.

Alt + Hyphen Opens the Document menu in MDI applications

Alt + Enter or Alt + Dbl Click Open the Property dialog

Alt + Left Arrow Moves forward through the history list

Alt + Right Arrow Moves backwards through the history list

Alt + Up Arrow Vista: Goes to the parent folder.

Alt + Tab Cycles through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt key is released. This is known as Coolswitch. Pressing Escape cancels switching windows.

Alt + Shift + Tab Cycles backwards through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt key is released. This is known as Coolswitch. Pressing Escape cancels switching windows.

Alt + Esc Switches to the next open window

Alt + Shift + Esc Switches to the previous open window

Alt + Home Home Page

Alt + Up or Down Arrow Moves selected Favourite up or down in the Favourite's pane

Left Arrow Collapse the current selection if it is expanded or Select the parent folder

Right Arrow Expand the current selection if it is collapsed or Select the first subfolder

Num Lock On + Minus Sign (-) Collapse the selected folder

Num Lock On + * Expand all folders below the current selection

Num Lock On + Plus Sign (+) Expand the selected folder

Home Top of File List

End Bottom of File List

[Characters] typed without a pause Go to the object that starts with the characters that were typed. Characters must be typed within one second of the previous character else it is treated as a new search. Also if the same letter is typed twice at the beginning of a search the second letter is treated as a new search for the next item starting with that letter .

Vista: Depending on settings in Start - Control Panel - Folder Options - View - Advanced Settings - When Typing Into Listview determines if keys pressed go to the listview or Instant Search box.

Run Folder Options

[single Character] after a pause Go to the next object starting with that character.

Vista: Depending on settings in Start - Control Panel - Folder Options - View - Advanced Settings - When Typing Into Listview determines if keys pressed go to the listview or Instant Search box.

Run Folder Options

Backspace Go to the parent folder.

Vista: Goes to previous folder in history, and if none then goes to parent folder. Alt + Up Arrow is Vista's Goto Parent folder.