Windows is the most popular computer OS, with about 4/5th of the PCs globally using it and out of its versions, Windows 7 is still a widely used, and knowing the shortcuts will help you to manage the OS better.

In this article, we bring all the keyboard shortcuts that are used in Windows 7 and some of the essential applications in nine subsections and hope that you benefit from the list.

Note: Since this is an extensive list, we recommend that you press Ctrl+F and enter the function for which you’re trying to find the keyboard shortcut.

Here is the list of keyboard shortcuts in Windows 7 that you must know.

General Keyboard Shortcuts

• F1:  Displays help.
• Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert): Copies the selected item.
• Ctrl + X: Cuts the selected item.
• Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert): Pastes the selected item.
• Ctrl + Z: Undo an action.
• Ctrl + Y: To redo an action.
• Delete (or Ctrl + D): To delete the item and move it to the Recycle Bin.
• Shift + Delete: To delete the item permanently.
• F2: To rename the selected item.
• Ctrl + Right Arrow: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next word.
• Ctrl + Left Arrow: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.
• Ctrl + Down Arrow: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.
• Ctrl + Up Arrow: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
• Ctrl + Shift with arrow key: To select a block of text.
• Shift with any arrow key: To select a bunch of items in a window or on the desktop. Can also be used to select text within a document.
• Ctrl with any arrow key + Spacebar: To select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop.
• Ctrl + A: To select all items in a document or window.
• F3: To search for a file or folder.
• Alt + Enter key: To display properties for the selected item.
• Alt + F4: To close the active item, or exit the active program.
• Alt + Spacebar: Opens a shortcut menu for the active window.
• Ctrl + F4: Closes the active document.
• Alt + Tab: Switches between open items.
• Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use the arrow keys to switch between open app tabs.
• Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Changes the size of icons on the desktop.
• Windows logo key + Tab: Cycles through programs present on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
• Ctrl + Windows logo key + Tab: Uses the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
• Alt + Esc: Cycles through items in the order they were launched.
• F6: Cycles screen elements.
• F4: Displays address bar list in Explorer.
• Shift + F10: Shows a shortcut menu for the selected list of items.
• Ctrl + Esc: Open the Start menu.
• Alt + underlined letter: Displays the corresponding menu.
• Alt + underlined letter: Performs the menu command (or other underlined command).
• F10: Enables menu bar in an active program.
• Right Arrow: Opens the next menu to the right, or is used to open a submenu.
• Left Arrow: Opens the next menu to the left, or to close a submenu.
• F5 (or Ctrl + R): Refresh.
• Alt + Up Arrow: View the folder one level up in Explorer.
• Esc: Cancel the active task.
• Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Access Task Manager.
• Shift after inserting a CD: Prevents the CD from automatically playing.
• Left Alt + Shift: Switches the input language when multiple input languages are enabled.
• Ctrl+Shift: Switches the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled.
• Right or Left Ctrl + Shift: Changes the reading direction of text in right-to-left.

Also read: Everything you need to know about Refresh function [F5 key] in Windows

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

• Windows logo key: Open/close the Start menu.
• Windows logo key + Pause: Show System Properties.
• Windows logo key + D: To display the desktop.
• Windows logo key + M: To minimize all open windows.
• Windows logo key + Shift + M: To restore the minimized windows to the desktop.
• Windows logo key + E: To open the computer.
• Windows logo key + F: To search for computers (if you’re on a network).
• Windows logo key + L: To lock your computer or switch users.
• Windows logo key + R: Open Run dialogue box.
• Windows logo key + T: To cycle through programs on the taskbar.
• Windows logo key + number: To start the program which is on the taskbar. Number indicates the position of the program.
• Shift+Windows logo key + number: To start a new program that is pinned on the taskbar as indicated by the number position.
• Ctrl+Windows logo key + number: To switch to the last active window of the program that is pinned to the taskbar.
• Alt+Windows logo key + number: To open the jump list for the program which is pinned to the taskbar as indicated by the number.
• Windows logo key + Tab: Toggle through the programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
• Ctrl + Windows logo key + Tab: To use the arrow keys to toggle through the programs that are pinned on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
• Ctrl + Windows logo key + B: To switch to the program which was displaying a message in the notification area.
• Windows logo key + Spacebar: To preview the desktop.
• Windows logo key + Up Arrow: Maximize window.
• Windows logo key + Left Arrow: To maximise the window to the left.
• Windows logo key + Right Arrow: To maximise the window to the right.
• Windows logo key + Down Arrow: Minimize window.
• Windows logo key + Home: To minimise all the windows except the active windows.
• Windows logo key + Shift + Up Arrow: To stretch the screen — both at the top and the bottom.
• Windows logo key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Shift window from one monitor to another.
• Windows logo key + P: To choose a presentation display mode.
• Windows logo key + G: To cycle through the gadgets.
• Windows logo key + U: To open ease of access centre.
• Windows logo key + X: To open Windows Mobility Center.

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

• Ctrl + Tab: Moves forward through tabs.
• Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Moves back through tabs.
• Tab: Moves forward through options.
• Shift + Tab: Moves backwards through options.
• Alt + underlined letter: Performs the command (or selects the option) that goes with that letter.
• Enter: This command replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands.
• Spacebar: To select or clear the checkbox if the active option is a checkbox.
• Arrow keys: To select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.
• F1: Displays Help.
• F4: Displays active items.
• Backspace: To open a folder one level up if a folder is already selected in the Save As or Open dialogue box.

Also read: Every Chromebook keyboard shortcut you need to know

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

• Ctrl + N: New window.
• Ctrl + W: Close current window.
• Ctrl + Shift + N: New folder.
• End: Go to the end of the window.
• Home: To display the top of the window which is active.
• F11: To maximise/minimise the active window.
• Ctrl + Period (.): To rotate a picture in a clockwise direction.
• Ctrl + Comma (,): To rotate a picture in counter-clockwise direction.
• Num Lock + Asterisk Key (*) on the numeric keypad: This shortcut displays all subfolders in the folder that you have selected.
• Num Lock + Plus Sign Key (+) on the numeric keypad: To display the contents of the folder that you have selected.
• Num Lock + Minus Sign Key (-) on the numeric keypad: If the folder is currently selected, this command will collapse it.
• Alt + Enter: To open the property dialogue box.
• Alt + P: Display preview pane.
• Alt + Left Arrow: View previous folder.
• Backspace: View previous folder (same as the above shortcut).
• Right Arrow: To display the first subfolder.
• Alt + Right Arrow: Show next folder.
• Alt + Up Arrow: To view the main folder.
• Ctrl + Shift + E: To display all the folders above the folder that you have selected.
• Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Magnify or de-magnify screen.
• Alt + D: To select the address bar.
• Ctrl + E/ Ctrl + F:  To select the search bar.

Windows Taskbar keyboard shortcuts

• Shift + single click on a taskbar button: To open a program.
• Ctrl + Shift + left-click on a taskbar button: This shortcut will open a program as an administrator.
• Shift + right-click on a taskbar button: This shortcut will display the windows menu for a program.
• Shift + right-click on a grouped taskbar button: This shortcut will open the windows menu for the group of programs.
• Ctrl + left-click on a grouped taskbar button: This shortcut will help you to cycle through the windows of the selected programs in a group.

Remote Desktop Connection keyboard shortcuts

• Alt + Page Up button: To move your display between the apps from left to right.
• Alt + Page Down button: To move your display between the apps from right to left.
• Alt + Insert: This shortcut will help you to cycle between the programs in the order that they were started.
• Alt + Home: Displays the start menu.
• Ctrl + Alt + Break: Toggle between a window and full screen.
• Ctrl + Alt + End: To dislpay the Windows Security dialogue box.
• Alt + Delete: Displays the system menu.
• Ctrl + Alt + Minus Sign button (-) on the numeric keypad/Alt+PrtScn: This shortcut places an active window which is present within a client, on the Terminal Server’s clipboard.
• Ctrl + Alt + Plus Sign button (+) on the numeric keypad/ PrtScn key: This shortcut places the entire window area on the Terminal Server’s clipboard.
• Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow/ Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow: This shortcut helps you to move out of the remote desktop controls to host program controls.

Also read: VLC Keyboard shortcuts: A comprehensive list

Paint keyboard shortcuts

• Ctrl + N: To create a new picture.
• Ctrl + O: To open an existing picture.
• Ctrl + S: To save changes or edits to a picture.
• F12: To save a picture as a new file.
• Ctrl + P: To print a picture.
• Alt + F4: To close the picture along with the paint window.
• Ctrl + Z: To undo a change.
• Ctrl + Y: To redo a change.
• Ctrl + A: To select the whole picture.
• Ctrl + X: To cut a part of the picture that you have selected.
• Ctrl + C: To copy a selected part of the picture to the clipboard.
• Ctrl + V: To paste a selection that you have cut or copied from the clipboard.
• Right Arrow: Moves selection by a pixel.
• Left Arrow: Moves selection to the left by a pixel.
• Down Arrow: Moves selection to the right by a pixel.
• Esc: Cancels a selection.
• Delete button: Deletes a selection.
• Ctrl + B: To change the selected text to bold.
• Ctrl + Plus (+): Increases the brush’s width, line or the shape outline by a single pixel.
• Ctrl + Minus (-): Decreases the brush’s width, line or the shape outline by a single pixel.
• Ctrl + U: Selected text gets underlined.
• Ctrl + E: Opens properties dialogue box.
• Ctrl + W: Opens Resize and Skew dialogue box.
• Ctrl + Page Up: To zoom in.
• Ctrl + Page Down: To zoom out.
• F11: You can view the picture in a full-screen mode.
• Ctrl + R: Shows/Hides the ruler.
• Ctrl + G: Shows/Hides the gridlines.
• F10 or Alt button: Displays key tips.
• Shift + F10: Shows the current shortcut menu.
• F1: Paint help box.

Also read: Master Boot Record (MBR) vs GUID Partition Table (GPT)

Wordpad keyboard shortcuts

• Ctrl + N: Creates a new document.
• Ctrl + O: Open an already existing document.
• Ctrl + S: Saves the changes to a document.
• F12: Saves the document as an another, new file.
• Ctrl + P: Prints a document.
• Alt + F4: Closes the WordPad app.
• Ctrl + Z: To undo the changes.
• Ctrl + Y: To redo the changes.
• Ctrl + A: Select the whole document.
• Ctrl + X: To cut a selection.
• Ctrl + C: Copy to clipboard.
• Ctrl + V: Pastes from clipboard.
• Ctrl + B: Makes the selected text in bold.
• Ctrl + I: Italicises the selected text.
• Ctrl + U: Underlines the text that you have selected.
• Ctrl + =: Makes the selected text as a subscript.
• Ctrl + Shift + =: Makes the selected text as a superscript.
• Ctrl + L: Text alignment to the left.
• Ctrl + E: Text alignment to the centre.
• Ctrl + R: Text alignment to the right.
• Ctrl + J: Justify the text.
• Ctrl + 1: Sets a single line spacing.
• Ctrl + 2: Sets a double line spacing.
• Ctrl + 5: Sets line spacing to 1.5
• Ctrl + Shift + >: Increase font size.
• Ctrl + Shift + <: Decrease font size.
• Ctrl + Shift + A: Changes the character to capital.
• Ctrl + Shift + L: Changes to bullet style.
• Ctrl + D: Inserts a Microsoft Paint drawing.
• Ctrl + F: To search for particular keywords.
• Ctrl + H: Replaces the text in a document.
• Ctrl + Left Arrow: Moves the cursor by one word to the left.
• Ctrl + Right Arrow: Cursor one word to the right.
• Ctrl + Up Arrow: Moves the cursor to the line above.
• Ctrl + Down Arrow: Moves the cursor to the line below.
• Ctrl + Home: Go to the beginning of the document.
• Ctrl + End: Go to the end of the document.
• Ctrl + Page Up: Moves up by one page.
• Ctrl + Page Down: Moves down by one page.
• Ctrl + Delete: Deletes the next word.
• F10: Display the key tips.
• Shift + F10: Shows the current shortcut menu.
• F1: WordPad help box.

Windows Help Viewer keyboard shortcuts

• Alt + C: Displays the table of contents.
• Alt + N: Displays the Connection Settings.
• F10: Displays the option menu.
• Alt + Left Arrow: Lets you move back to the topic that you previously viewed.
• Alt + Right Arrow: Lets you move forward to the topic that you[ previously viewed.
• Alt + A: Displays the customer support page.
• Alt + Home: Displays the Help and Support home page.
• Home: Lets you move to the beginning of the topic.
• End: Lets you move to the end of the topic.
• Ctrl + F: Lets you to search the topic.
• Ctrl + P: Lets you to print the topic.
• F3: Go to the search box.

Also read: Kindle keyboard shortcuts for Mac and Kindle keyboard shortcuts for Windows