The Ultimate Windows 10 Cheat Sheet: Everything you need to know

Windows 10 cheat sheet

More than 14 million people have already upgraded to Windows 10, but you might not be one of them. You are probably scared that things will go wrong, that your data might be lost, or that Microsoft will soon have you searching for drivers. Don’t worry -The last option doesn’t happen. This process is much simpler than you think.

Below you will find everything you need to know before and after the install.

Before you upgrade

If you haven’t registered for the upgrade yet, do so from the upgrade tool available in the lower-right corner of your screen. Click the Windows icon and perform the necessary steps. During the procedure, you’re also told whether your computer can handle the upgrade.

By following this guide alternatively, you can check that manually. Once you’re done with that, make sure you backup your data to just be on the safe side.

How to Install

Microsoft notifies you when it’s time to upgrade, that is to see the pop-up message in the below. You can bypass the queue without waiting by just following this guide. In either case, confirm you have enough storage space on your PC to download the massive installation file. Then connect tablets and laptops to a power source if once the installation starts.

The hassles after the install

The actual install procedure is as simple as it gets. You have to click a few buttons and Windows 10 will be installed on your machine. On concord, that doesn’t mean you’re done setting up your computer. There are plenty of things that you should consider after you log into Windows 10 for the first time.

Windows 10: The first 5 things you need to do immediately after you install it

Windows 10’s best feature might simply be that it’s not Windows 8, but in this article we’ll discuss five more fantastic features of Windows 10 that will make you want to upgrade right away.

Start Menu
Edge Browser
Cortana
Continuum Mode

Do you know your Windows key shortcuts in Windows 10?

If you need a cheat sheet, Microsoft has just published one that you can download and print.

While Microsoft already offers online documentation on keyboard shortcuts, the format of the page can be difficult to sift through. Fortunately, Microsoft now offers an offline version in Word .DOCX format.

Totally, there are 42 shortcuts, mostly dealing with Start menu, the Task view, Cortana and Window Management. Remember, the list only includes Windows key shortcuts but not the shortcuts involving Ctrl or Alt.

But Microsoft didn’t do a great job formatting its new document. The gigantic header takes up half of the first page, splitting the document across three pages as a result. That’s hardly ideal if you want to view them on a single screen or print out the list.

With a simple edit, however, you can delete the header, and everything will fit on two pages. When viewed in “Multiple Pages” mode. You can view the full list of shortcuts on a single screen. We’ve posted our modified version on Dropbox. Otherwise, you can grab the official document straight from Microsoft.

Keyboard shortcuts in Windows

Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that provide an alternate way to do something that you’d typically do with a mouse.

Copy, paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts

Press this key	To do this
Ctrl + X	Cut the selected item
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)	Copy the selected item
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)	Paste the selected item
Ctrl + Z	Undo an action
Alt + Tab	Switch between open apps
Alt + F4	Close the active item, or exit the active app
Windows logo key + L	Lock your PC
Windows logo key + D	Display and hide the desktop
F2	Rename the selected item
F3	Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
F4	Display the address bar list in File Explorer
F5	Refresh the active window
F6	Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10	Activate the Menu bar in the active app
Alt + F8	Show your password on the sign-in screen
Alt + Esc	Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
Alt + underlined letter	Perform the command for that letter
Alt + Enter	Display properties for the selected item
Alt + Spacebar	Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Alt + Left arrow	Go back
Alt + Right arrow	Go forward
Alt + Page Up	Move up one screen
Alt + Page Down	Move down one screen
Ctrl + F4	Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time)
Ctrl + A	Select all items in a document or window
Ctrl + D (or Delete)	Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Ctrl + R (or F5)	Refresh the active window
Ctrl + Y	Redo an action
Ctrl + Right arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
Ctrl + Left arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Ctrl + Down arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
Ctrl + Up arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl + Alt + Tab	Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + arrow keys	When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified
Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar	Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key	Select a block of text
Ctrl + Esc	Open Start
Ctrl + Shift + Esc	Open Task Manager
Ctrl + Shift	Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available
Ctrl + Spacebar	Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off
Shift + F10	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Shift with any arrow key	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document
Shift + Delete	Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
Right arrow	Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu
Left arrow	Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu
Esc	Stop or leave the current task

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

Windows logo key	Open or close Start
Windows logo key + A	Open Action center
Windows logo key + B	Set focus in the notification area
Windows logo key + Shift + C	Open Cortana in listening mode Note: Cortana is available only in certain countries/regions, and some Cortana features might not be available everywhere. If Cortana isn’t available or is turned off, you can still use search.
Windows logo key + D	Display and hide the desktop
Windows logo key + Alt + D	Display and hide the date and time on the desktop
Windows logo key + E	Open File Explorer
Windows logo key + F	Open Feedback Hub
Windows logo key + G	Open Game bar when a game is open
Windows logo key + H	Open the Share charm
Windows logo key + I	Open Settings
Windows logo key + J	Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available. When a Windows tip appears, bring focus to the Tip. Pressing the keyboard shortcuts again to bring focus to the element on the screen to which the Windows tip is anchored.
Windows logo key + K	Open the Connect quick action
Windows logo key + L	Lock your PC or switch accounts
Windows logo key + M	Minimize all windows
Windows logo key + O	Lock device orientation
Windows logo key + P	Choose a presentation display mode
Windows logo key + R	Open the Run dialog box
Windows logo key + S	Open search
Windows logo key + T	Cycle through apps on the taskbar
Windows logo key + U	Open Ease of Access Center
Windows logo key + V	Cycle through notifications
Windows logo key + Shift + V	Cycle through notifications in reverse order
Windows logo key + X	Open the Quick Link menu
Windows logo key + Z	Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode
Windows logo key + comma (,)	Temporarily peek at the desktop
Windows logo key + Pause	Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows logo key + Ctrl + F	Search for PCs (if you’re on a network)
Windows logo key + Shift + M	Restore minimized windows on the desktop
Windows logo key + number	Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app.
Windows logo key + Shift + number	Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows logo key + Ctrl + number	Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows logo key + Alt + number	Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + number	Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator
Windows logo key + Tab	Open Task view
Windows logo key + Up arrow	Maximize the window
Windows logo key + Down arrow	Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window
Windows logo key + Left arrow	Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen
Windows logo key + Right arrow	Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen
Windows logo key + Home	Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)
Windows logo key + Shift + Up arrow	Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen
Windows logo key + Shift + Down arrow	Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width
Windows logo key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow	Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another
Windows logo key + Spacebar	Switch input language and keyboard layout
Windows logo key + Ctrl + Spacebar	Change to a previously selected input
Windows logo key + Enter	Open Narrator
Windows logo key + forward slash (/)	Begin IME reconversion
Windows logo key + plus (+) or minus (-)	Zoom in or out using Magnifier
Windows logo key + Esc	Exit Magnifier

Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts

Press this key	To do this
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)	Copy the selected text
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)	Paste the selected text
Ctrl + M	Enter Mark mode
Alt + selection key	Begin selection in block mode
Arrow keys	Move the cursor in the direction specified
Page up	Move the cursor by one page up
Page down	Move the cursor by one page down
Ctrl + Home (Mark mode)	Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer
Ctrl + End (Mark mode)	Move the cursor to the end of the buffer
Ctrl + Up arrow	Move up one line in the output history
Ctrl + Down arrow	Move down one line in the output history
Ctrl + Home (History navigation)	If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line.
Ctrl + End (History navigation)	If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line.Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line.

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

Press this key	To do this
F4	Display the items in the active list
Ctrl + Tab	Move forward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Move back through tabs
Ctrl + number (number 1–9)	Move to nth tab
Tab	Move forward through options
Shift + Tab	Move back through options
Alt + underlined letter	Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter
Spacebar	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Backspace	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
Arrow keys	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

File Explorer keyboard shortcuts

Press this key	To do this
Alt + D	Select the address bar
Ctrl + E	Select the search box
Ctrl + F	Select the search box
Ctrl + N	Open a new window
Ctrl + W	Close the active window
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel	Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons
Ctrl + Shift + E	Display all folders above the selected folder
Ctrl + Shift + N	Create a new folder
Num Lock + asterisk (*)	Display all subfolders under the selected folder
Num Lock + plus (+)	Display the contents of the selected folder
Num Lock + minus (-)	Collapse the selected folder
Alt + P	Display the preview panel
Alt + Enter	Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item
Alt + Right arrow	View the next folder
Alt + Up arrow	View the folder that the folder was in
Alt + Left arrow	View the previous folder
Backspace	View the previous folder
Right arrow	Display the current selection (if it’s collapsed), or select the first subfolder
Left arrow	Collapse the current selection (if it’s expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in
End	Display the bottom of the active window
Home	Display the top of the active window
F11	Maximize or minimize the active window

Virtual desktops keyboard shortcuts

Press this key	To do this
Windows logo key + Tab	Open Task view
Windows logo key + Ctrl + D	Add a virtual desktop
Windows logo key + Ctrl + Right arrow	Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right
Windows logo key + Ctrl + Left arrow	Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left
Windows logo key + Ctrl + F4	Close the virtual desktop you’re using

Taskbar keyboard shortcuts

Press this key	To do this
Shift + click a taskbar button	Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app
Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar button	Open an app as an administrator
Shift + right-click a taskbar button	Show the window menu for the app
Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button	Show the window menu for the group
Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar button	Cycle through the windows of the group

Settings keyboard shortcuts

Press this key	To do this
Windows logo key + I	Open settings
Backspace	Go back to the settings home page
Type on any page with search box	Search settings