You might think that the little windows or ‘win’ key ⊞ on your keyboard only has one function – to bring up the start menu – but it in fact can be used in conjunction with other keys for a vast number of simple shortcuts. These ‘win’ key ⊞ shortcuts will save you those precious minutes and help you perform tasks you never knew you could with your PC.
Tip: For your convenience, we've listed the shortcuts according to alphabetical order.
• ⊞ Win — opens the Start Menu (but in Windows 8.1 it opens the previous window)
• ⊞ Win + A — opens Windows 10’s Action Center
• ⊞ Win + B — chooses the first icon in the Notification Area (then use the arrow keys to switch icons)
• ⊞ Win + Ctrl + B — switches to a new message in the Notification Area
• ⊞ Win + C —brings up the Charm Bar (in Windows 8 and 8.1). In Windows 10 it opens Cortana
• ⊞ Win + D — shows the desktop and minimizes all windows
• ⊞ Win + E — opens Windows Explorer. In Windows 10 opens Quick Launch
• ⊞ Win + F — starts ’Find files and folders’
• ⊞ Win + Ctrl + F — opens ’Find computers’
• ⊞ Win + G — brings all gadgets to the foreground (in Windows 7 and Vista); opens Windows 10’s Game bar
• ⊞ Win + K — opens a new Start menu (only Windows 8 and 8.1)
• ⊞ Win + L — changes user or can lock the workstation
• ⊞ Win + M — minimizes all your windows
• ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + M — restores windows that have been minimized
• ⊞ Win + O — locks device orientation (and disables gyroscope function on tablets);
• ⊞ Win + P — switches operating modes to an outside monitor or projector
• ⊞ Win + Q — opens Search charm for installed apps (in Windows 8)
• ⊞ Win + R — opens the ’Run dialog’ box
• ⊞ Win + T — opens the Taskbar
• ⊞ Win + U — opens the Utility Manager
• ⊞ Win + W — opens Windows Ink Workspace
• ⊞ Win + X — opens the Windows Mobile Application Center (only mobile computers in Windows Vista and 7);
• ⊞ Win + Y — starts Yahoo! Messenger
• ⊞ Win + Pause — opens My Computer
• ⊞ Win + F1 — opens Windows Help
• ⊞ Win + 1 ... 0 — runs or switches to the program pinned to the Taskbar with a specific sequence number
• ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + 1 ... 0 — starts a new program pinned to the Taskbar with a specific sequence number
• ⊞ Win + Ctrl + 1 ... 0 — switches to the last active window of the program that’s pinned to the Taskbar with the specific sequence number
• ⊞ Win + Alt +1 ... 0 — opens the transitions list for the program pinned to the Taskbar with the specific sequence number
• ⊞ Win + ↑ — maximizes the active window
• ⊞ Win + ↓ — restores the default window size or minimizes active windows
• ⊞ Win + ← or → — switches the window deployment mode
• ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + ← or → — switches a window between monitors in multi-monitor set-ups
• ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift + ↑ or ↓ — stretches the active window from the top to the bottom of the screen and restores the window size
• ⊞ Win + Home — minimizes or restores all non-closed windows, except active ones (only Windows 7), goes to the top of the web page
• ⊞ Win + Space — looks at the desktop (only Windows 7). Changes the layout (only Windows 8 and 10)
• ⊞ Win + + — activates the Magnifier Utility or zooms the image by 100%
• ⊞ Win + — — if the Magnifier Utility is active, the image is reduced by 100%
• ⊞ Win + Esc — disables the Magnifier Utility
Image courtesy of Depositphotos
Image courtesy of Depositphotos
Image courtesy of Depositphotos
