100 + Best Keyboard Shortcuts Worth Mastering

5 minutes read

Look:

Time is money.

Time is life.

Life is energy…

…and of course life is short.

So, why waste your energy and minutes doing a computer task that can be completed within seconds?

It’s like trekking from Washington DC to Alabama instead of simply taking a flight.

Haven’t you heard of Keyboard shortcuts?

Are you using them to the fullest?

If no, well you definitely should.

Learning keyboard shortcuts may seem like a big deal for now, but it shouldn’t…

If you learn them today (at least, the ones on this post)-trust me-you’ll love them.

The guys who made all these operating systems we see today knew the importance of keyboard shortcuts, and that’s why they put them there.

It’s your duty as the end user to utilize the opportunity offered you.

Today, I’ll be sharing with you keyboard shortcuts you need to know.

Why?

Because they are remarkable:

  • They’ll make your work easier.
  • They’ll save you time.
  • They’ll make you efficient, and hence increase your productivity.
  • They’ll improve your life.
  • They’ll even make you feel like a boss!

I’ve long been an advocate of two-fisted computing-using both your keyboard and your mouse to the fullest. That’s what keyboard shortcuts are to me. I’m not sure why this always has to be spun as a cage match between the keyboard and the mouse. Keyboard shortcuts don’t replace my mousing; they complement it. – Horror’s Jeff Atwood.

Keyboard shortcut image

 

Firstly, let us discuss:

How to master keyboard shortcuts

Tip 1: Use them frequently…

…you’ll notice that you’ll become conversant with them in no time.

For example, the more I used Crtl +C, Crtl+X, etc., the more the knowledge of their functions was programmed in my mind.

Tips 2: You can use an application that shows you the keyboard shortcut every time you perform an action with the mouse.

For example, if you use your mouse to click Edit > Copy, these programs will pop up the shortcut (Ctrl+C for Windows or Cmd+C for Mac).

For Windows, you can use Keyrocket

…and on Mac you can use Eve.

In fact, you should master these within the next 20 minutes…

…because they are the ones you probably use always:

Common Keyboard shortcuts for windows and Mac computer applications

Shortcut Description Windows Mac
Select entire page Ctrl + A Cmd+A
Copy selected information Ctrl + C Cmd + C
Cut selected information Ctrl + X Cmd + X
Paste Copied information Ctrl + V Cmd + V
Open a file Ctrl + O Cmd + O
Save a file Ctrl + S Cmd + S
Undo the last operation Ctrl + Z Cmd + Z
Redo the last operation Ctrl + Y Cmd + F
Task Manager Ctrl + Shift + Esc Alt + Cmd + Esc
Application Switcher Alt + Tab Cmd + Tab
Run an Application Win + R Cmd + Space
Application Switcher Alt + Tab Cmd + Tab
Minimize the current window Win + DOWN ARROW Cmd + M
Minimize all windows Win + M Alt + Cmd + M
Jump to the applications menubar F10 Shift + Cmd + /
Take a screenshot Print Screen Shift + Cmd + 3

 

Keyboard shortcuts for browsers

They work in all browsers…

At least, Mozilla, Chrome, and windows explorer.

Shortcuts for Tabs/Navigation

Keyboard Shortcut Description
Ctrl+1-8 Switch to the specified tab counting from the left
Ctrl+9 Switch to the last tab
Ctrl+Tab Switch to the next tab on the right
Ctrl+Shift+Tab Moves backwards through the tabs.
Ctrl+W,Ctrl+F4 They perform the same function–they close the current tab
Ctrl+Shift+T Reopen the last closed tab
Ctrl + T Open a new browser tab
Ctrl + F4 Open a new browser window
Alt +f4 Close current window(applicable to all applications)
Middle click a tab Close the tab
Ctrl+Left Click Middle Click Open a link in a background tab.
Shift+Left Click Open a link in a new browser window
Ctrl+Shift+Left Click Open a link in a foreground tab.
Alt+Left Arrow ,Backspace Back.
Alt+Right Arrow ,Shift+Backspace Forward
F5 Reload
Ctrl+F5 Reload and skip the cache, re-downloading the entire website
Escape Stop
Alt+Home Open homepage
Space, Page Down Scroll down a frame.
Shift+Space, Page Up Scroll up a frame.
Home Top of page.
End Bottom of page.
Middle Click Scroll with the mouse. (Windows only)
Alt+D, F6 — Focus the address bar so you can begin typing.
Ctrl+Enter adds prefix www. and append .com to the text in the address bar, and then load the website. For example, type larnedu into the address bar and press Ctrl+Enter to open www.larnedu.com.
Alt+Enter Open the location in the address bar in a new tab.

Search

Keyboard Shortcut Description
Ctrl+K, Ctrl+E Focus the browser’s built-in search box or focus the address bar if the browser doesn’t have a dedicated search box. (Ctrl+K doesn’t work in IE, Ctrl+E does.)
Alt+Enter Perform a search from the search box in a new tab.
Ctrl+F, F3 Open the in-page search box to search on the current page.
Ctrl+G,F3 Find the next match of the searched text on the page.
Ctrl+Shift+G, Shift+F3 Find the previous match of the searched text on the page.

History & Bookmarks

Ctrl+H Open the browsing history.
Ctrl+J Open the download history.
Ctrl+D Bookmark the current website.
Ctrl+Shift+Del Open the Clear Browsing History window.

Zooming

Ctrl and +, Ctrl+Mousewheel Up — Zoom in.
Ctrl and -, Ctrl+Mousewheel Down – Zoom out.
Ctrl+0 Default zoom level.
F11 Full-screen mode.

Other functions

Ctrl+P Print the current page.
Ctrl+S Save the current page to your computer.
Ctrl+O Open a file from your computer.
Ctrl+U Open the current page’s source code. (Not in IE.)
F12 Open Developer Tools. (Requires Firebug extension for Firefox.)

 

Keyboard shortcuts with Windows logo key

These keyboard shortcuts are peculiar to only windows computers…

I’ve also mentioned some in the beginning of this article.

 

Keyboard Shortcut Description
Win Display or hide the Start menu
Win+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box)
Win+D Display the desktop
Win+M Minimize all of the windows
Win+Shift+M Restore the minimized windows
Win+E Open My Computer
Win+F Search for a file or a folder)
CTRL+Win+F Search for computers
Win+F1 Display Windows Help
Win+Left Arrow or Right Arrow Compare and contrast in a snap.Snap is the easiest way I know to compare two documents-or to write up something while also looking at a web browser.
Win + Down Arrow Minimize the window
Win + Up Arrow Maximize the window
Ctrl+Alt+Delete to open up Task Manager or to lock your computer
Win + L Lock your PC or switch users
Windows + P Choose a presentation display mode
Win + Plus Sign or Minus Sign Zoom in, zoom out
Win + U Open Utility Manager.
Win + R Open the Run dialog box
CTRL + P Print the current page or active pane
F2 key Rename the selected item
CTRL+Shift with any of the arrow keys Highlight a block of text
Shift+Delete Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu
Alt+Spacebar Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
F4 key Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
Alt+ESC Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
F6 key Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
CTRL+HOME Move to the first character
CTRL+END Move to the last character)
Alt+Tab Switch between open windows.

 

Do you know of any keyboard shortcut you feel should be on this list?

Use the comment section to share it with the world.

 

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Giovanni O.C Olakunori

Giovanni Chinecherem Olakunle Olakunori(commonly known as Giovanni Olakunori) is an aspiring data scientist at heart, business developer and educator with a deep interest in ancient philosophy, healthy living, and developing economies. He’s the founder of LarnEdu, a community that inspires and supports lifelong learning especially in underdeveloped nations. He currently lives in the UK after living in 4 other countries across Europe and Africa. You can read more about him or follow him on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to see his public posts about how much he loves hot Kenkey and Jolof rice.

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