Computer Shortcut Keys: In the fast-paced world of computers, being efficient and productive is crucial. One powerful tool to navigate your digital world with ease is using shortcut keys. These keyboard commands are quick ways to perform tasks, simplify processes, and make your overall computer experience better.
As technology advances, shortcut keys have become more essential. They are valuable for both beginners looking to improve their workflow and experienced professionals trying to speed up complex operations.
Nowadays, more than 90% of people use computers, so it’s beneficial to learn the complete list of computer keyboard shortcut keys. They help you perform functions quickly while using any computer application.
This article provides a list of basic computer keyboard shortcut keys, including those used in Microsoft Windows and MS Office programs like MS Word, MS Excel, and PowerPoint. If you regularly work with computer software or want to learn basic keyboard shortcuts, this information is essential to read.
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Computer Shortcut Keys A-Z Basic
When you’re using a computer, tasks like selecting text, copying, pasting, and deleting are common and essential. Instead of relying solely on your mouse, it’s beneficial to use Computer Keyboard Shortcut Keys. The table below lists all the basic shortcut keys that you can use daily, covering a range from A to Z.
Shortcut Key | Function/Action | Common Use |
---|---|---|
Ctrl + A | Select All | Selects all text or items in a document |
Ctrl + B | Bold | Makes selected text bold |
Ctrl + C | Copy | Copies of selected text or item |
Ctrl + D | Duplicate | Creates a duplicate of the selected item |
Ctrl + E | Edit | Opens the editing options |
Ctrl + F | Find | Searches for a specific word or phrase |
Ctrl + G | Go to | Navigates to a specific location |
Ctrl + H | Replace | Replaces one set of characters with another |
Ctrl + I | Italicize | Makes selected text italic |
Ctrl + J | Justify | Aligns text to both the left and right |
Ctrl + K | Insert Hyperlink | Adds a hyperlink to selected text |
Ctrl + L | Align Left | Aligns text to the left |
Ctrl + M | Minimize | Minimizes the active window |
Ctrl + N | New | Creates a new document or file |
Ctrl + O | Open | Opens an existing document or file |
Ctrl + P | Prints the active document | |
Ctrl + Q | Quit | Closes the active application |
Ctrl + R | Refresh | Reloads or updates the current page |
Ctrl + S | Save | Saves the active document or file |
Ctrl + T | Cut | Removes and copies selected text or item |
Ctrl + U | Underline | Underlines selected text |
Ctrl + V | Paste | Pastes copied or cut text |
Ctrl + W | Close | Closes the active window or application |
Ctrl + X | Cut | Removes and copies selected text or item |
Ctrl + Y | Redo | Redoes the last undone action |
Ctrl + Z | Undo | Undoes the last action |
These shortcut keys are commonly used to perform tasks quickly and efficiently while working on a computer.
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Computer Shortcut Keys MS Office Shortcut
Microsoft Office is a comprehensive suite of productivity software applications that has become an integral part of both personal and professional computing. Developed by Microsoft, this suite includes essential tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.
Each application within Microsoft Office is designed to fulfill specific tasks, ranging from word processing and spreadsheet management to creating visually compelling presentations and managing emails.
Having a complete knowledge of Shortcut keys in MS Office makes the use of Microsoft Office more efficient. Let us have a look at the general shortcut keys of MS Office:
MS Office Shortcut Keys | |
Shortcut Key | Function |
Ctrl + N | New Document |
Ctrl + O | Open Document |
Ctrl + S | Save Document |
Ctrl + p | Print Document |
Ctrl + C | Copy |
Ctrl + X | Cut |
Ctrl + V | Paste |
Ctrl + Z | Undo |
Ctrl + Y | Redo |
Ctrl + A | Select all |
Ctrl + F | Find |
Ctrl + H | Replace |
Ctrl + B | Bold |
Ctrl + I | Italic |
Ctrl + U | Underline |
Ctrl + P | Open print dialog |
Ctrl + F2 | Print preview |
Computer Shortcut Keys MS Word
Now, Let us have a look at the general shortcut keys of MS Word:
MS Word Shortcut Keys | |
Shortcut Key | Function |
Ctrl + F3 | Cut to the Spike |
Ctrl + F4 | Close the active document |
Ctrl + F5 | Restore the document window size |
Ctrl + F6 | Switch between open documents |
Ctrl + F7 | Activate the Spelling and Grammar check |
Ctrl + F8 | Extend a selection |
Ctrl + F9 | Insert an empty field |
Ctrl + F10 | Maximize the document window |
Ctrl + F11 | Lock a field |
Ctrl + F12 | Open the “Save As” dialog box |
Computer Shortcut Keys MS Excel
Now, Let us have a look at the general shortcut keys of MS Excel:
MS Excel Shortcut Keys | |
Shortcut Key | Function |
Ctrl + Arrow keys | Move to the edge of data region |
Ctrl + Space | Select entire column |
Ctrl + Shift + “+” | Select entire row |
Ctrl + “-“ | Insert new worksheet |
Ctrl + Shift + “$” | Delete the selected cells |
Ctrl + Shift + “%” | Apply currency format |
Ctrl + Shift + “#” | Apply percentage format |
Ctrl + E,S,V | Apply date format |
Ctrl + D | Paste special |
Ctrl + R | Fill right |
Computer Shortcut Keys PowerPoint
Now, Let us have a look at the general shortcut keys of MS PowerPoint:
PowerPoint Shortcut Keys | |
Shortcut Key | Function |
Ctrl + Enter | Insert a new slide |
Ctrl + M | Insert a new slide in slide sorter view |
F5 | Start the presentation |
Ctrl + F5 | Start the presentation from the current slide |
Alt + Shift + Left Arrow | Promote a paragraph |
Alt + Shift + Right Arrow | Demote a paragraph |
Ctrl + Shift + “+” | Insert a new slide |
Ctrl + D | Duplicate the selected slide |
Ctrl + E | Center align text |
Computer Shortcut Keys other than MS Office
Here are some commonly used shortcut keys outside of Microsoft Office applications:
General Windows Shortcut Keys
Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys in Windows:
- Ctrl + C: Copy
- Ctrl + X: Cut
- Ctrl + V: Paste
- Ctrl + Z: Undo
- Ctrl + Y: Redo
- Ctrl + A: Select All
- Ctrl + F: Find
- Ctrl + S: Save
- Ctrl + P: Print
- Alt + F4: Close the active window
- F2: Rename a selected item
- F5: Refresh the current window or webpage
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File Explorer Shortcut Keys
Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys in File Explorer:
- Win + E: Open File Explorer
- Alt + Enter: Open the Properties of a selected item
- Ctrl + Shift + N: Create a new folder
Web Browsing Shortcut Keys (in most browsers)
Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys in Web Browsers:
- Ctrl + T: Open a new tab
- Ctrl + W: Close the current tab
- Ctrl + Shift + T: Reopen the last closed tab
- Ctrl + Tab: Switch between tabs
- Ctrl + N: Open a new browser window
- Ctrl + D: Bookmark the current page
System Shortcut Keys
Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys in the system:
- Ctrl + Alt + Del: Open the Task Manager
- Win + L: Lock your computer
- Win + R: Open the Run dialog box
- Alt + Tab: Switch between open applications
Multimedia Shortcut Keys
Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys in Multimedia:
- Spacebar: Play or pause a video or music file
- Ctrl + Arrow keys: Jump between words in a text document
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager directly
Dialog Box Shortcut Keys
Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys in the Dialog Box:
- Tab: Move to the next control in the dialog box
- Shift + Tab: Move to the previous control in the dialog box
- Enter: Activate the selected button or option
Screen Capture Shortcut Keys
Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys for Screen Capture:
- Print Screen: Capture the entire screen
- Alt + Print Screen: Capture the active window
- Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch: Windows tools for capturing and annotating screenshots
Computer Shortcut Keys FAQs
Ans. Here are 20 commonly used computer shortcut keys:
Ctrl + C: Copy
Ctrl + X: Cut
Ctrl + V: Paste
Ctrl + Z: Undo
Ctrl + Y: Redo
Ctrl + A: Select All
Ctrl + S: Save
Ctrl + P: Print
Ctrl + N: New (File or Document)
Ctrl + O: Open
Ctrl + F: Find
Ctrl + B: Bold (Text formatting)
Ctrl + I: Italicize (Text formatting)
Ctrl + U: Underline (Text formatting)
Ctrl + T: Open a new tab (Web browsers)
Ctrl + W: Close the current window
Ctrl + Shift + N: Create a new folder
Alt + Tab: Switch between open applications
Alt + F4: Close the current program or window
Windows key + D: Show or hide the desktop
These shortcuts can be used in various applications and software, making tasks more efficient.
Ans. Ctrl A to Z uses are: Ctrl + A: Choose everything.
Ctrl + Z: Reverse a mistake.
Ctrl + Y: Do again what you just undid.
Ctrl + D: Erase the picked thing and put it in the Recycle Bin.
Ans. Usually, a Linux computer has seven virtual terminals, and one of them is reserved for the graphical user interface (the part with windows, mouse pointers, and icons). If you press CTRL + ALT + F7, you switch to the seventh virtual terminal, which is called tty7.
Ans. "Ctrl" is short for "Control."
Ans. In Microsoft Word, if you want to find and change words easily, you can press "Ctrl" and "H" on your keyboard together. This opens a box where you can type the word you're looking for and the new word you want to replace it with. It's a quick way to make changes in your document.