Keyboard shortcuts are essential to any Windows power user. Keyboard shortcuts may seem very simple and quite often it can take longer to remember the keyboard shortcut than it would to just perform that action the normal way with the mouse. However, once you’ve practiced those shortcuts a few times it will eventually become second nature and you won’t even realize that you’re using them.
Windows 8 has plenty of new keyboard shortcuts as well as all the ones that are currently in Windows 7. This is good news for those of you who have learned off a whole range of Windows 7 shortcuts because they’ll still work in Windows 8. I’ve put together a list of all the shortcuts below, but I’ve separated the new Windows 8 ones from Windows 7 for your convenience.
New Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts
Key Combination | Function |
---|---|
Windows + X | Bring the quick launch menu (Details here) |
Windows + J | Swap foreground between the snapped and filled apps. |
Windows + / | Initiate input method editor (IME) reconversion. |
Windows + Z | Open the App Bar. |
Windows + Ctrl + Tab | Cycle through apps and snap them as they cycle. |
Windows + Shift + Tab | Cycle through apps in reverse order. |
Windows + Tab | Cycle through apps. |
Windows + F | Open the File Search app. |
Windows + W | Open the Settings Search app. |
Windows + Q | Open the Search pane. |
Windows + H | Open the Share charm. |
Windows + K | Open the Connect charm (devices). |
Windows + I | Open the Settings charm. |
Windows + C | Open the Charms bar. |
Windows + . | Move the gutter to the right (snap an application). |
Windows + Shift + . | Move the gutter to the left (snap an application). |
Windows + PgDown | Move the Start Screen or a Metro-style application to the monitor on the right. |
Window + PgUp | Move the Start Screen or a Metro-style application to the monitor on the left. |
Windows + Enter | Launch Narrator. |
Windows+ Shift + V | Cycle through Notification toasts in reverse order. |
Windows + V | Cycle through Notification toasts. |
Windows + , | Temporarily peek at the desktop. |
Windows + Print Screen | Screenshot of the current screen and saves in Pictures folder |
Windows + O | Lock device orientation. |
Windows + Space | Switch input language and keyboard layout. |
Windows | Toggles Metro Start Screen |
Existing Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts
Key Combination | Function |
---|---|
Alt+F4 | Close the current window |
Windows +Shift Right | Move window to right monitor |
Windows +Shift Left | Move window to left monitor |
Windows +Shift Down | Restore vertical size |
Windows +Shift Up | Maximize vertical size of window |
Windows +Right | Snap window to the right side |
Windows +Down | Minimize windows / Restore |
Windows +Left | Snap window to the left side |
Windows +Up | Maximize window |
Windows +D | Toggle showing the desktop |
Windows +Shift+M | Undo all window minimization |
Windows +M | Minimize all open windows |
Windows +X | Launch the Mobility Center |
Windows + - | Zoom out |
Windows ++ | Zoom in |
Windows +L | Lock computer |
Windows += | Start the Magnifier |
Windows +G | Show/Hide desktop gadgets |
Windows + A number (1, 2, 3..) | Open the corresponding taskbar pinned program |
Windows +P | Show the different presentation mode options |
Ctrl + V | Paste |
Ctrl + C | Copy |
Windows +R | Opens Run dialog box |
Windows + T | Cycle through applications on taskbar (showing its thumbnail) |
Shift+Click a pinned taskbar icon | Runs a new instance of the program |
Ctrl+Click a pinned taskbar icon | Allows you to cycle through the programs open windows |
Conclusion
Windows 8 really has a plethora of keyboard shortcuts so please forgive me if I’ve missed out on any. You’ve also got to remember that different programs have different shortcuts, I’ve only covered the basic Windows operating system shortcuts, otherwise, this list would go on forever. Of course, since we’ve only got the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 to date, there’s still every chance that Microsoft will change some of these shortcuts. I’ll be sure to publish a final version when Windows 8 is brought to the market officially.