I have been using Windows 10 for over 6 months now and it is much better than Windows 8. I use it on my main computer and am generally satisfied. Perhaps the best thing Microsoft has done is simply bring back the Start menu. I am currently trying to become a more power user, so I learned to customize Windows 10 to my liking and use the new snapping features and multiple desktops.
In this post, I’ll go over 10 keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10 that I think you should definitely explore. There are literally hundreds of them, most of which no one will ever use. I’ve already seen a few doodles write messages like the 30 best keyboard shortcuts in Windows 10, but for the average user that’s too much. I use 5 to 10 shortcuts almost every day. Either way, you can speed things up a bit by using shortcuts, especially if you have a giant ultra-high-res flat panel.
Best Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts
Windows key. A simple Windows key press will bring up the Start menu with its combination of Windows 7 and Windows 8 styles. I use this shortcut most often because you can just start typing the name of a Store app or app or computer settings and then press Enter to open it
Windows Key + D – Missing Desktop? This hotkey will hide all windows and show you the desktop. If you click it again, the same windows that were active earlier will return.
Windows Key + L – This hotkey will lock the screen in Windows 10. You can also press CTRL + ALT + DEL and then press Enter to lock the screen, but this is also a good option.
Windows Key + E – Opens Windows Explorer. I’ve been messing around with files almost always, so this is a very useful shortcut. You can also customize the default folder for Explorer that will open on this computer or in Quick Access.
Windows Key + R – Brings up the Run dialog box, which allows you to quickly run commands. Also, with this shortcut, it’s easy to open the command prompt just by typing CMD.
Windows Key + Tab – This will show you a thumbnail of all open programs on the current desktop, as well as a small thumbnail of each desktop at the bottom. You can use the arrow keys to select a different program on the active desktop.
Windows Key + I – Opens the Windows 10 Settings dialog box where you can set up networking, backup, Wi-Fi, privacy, security, and more.
CTRL + Windows Key + L / R Arrow is another shortcut that I use a lot. This allows me to quickly switch between desktops using the right or left arrows in combination with CTRL + Windows Key. The order of the first two keys also doesn’t matter.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc will open the new Windows 10 Task Manager. The shortcut is the same as in previous versions of Windows.
Windows Key + C – This will bring up Cortana in Listen Mode if you have Cortana enabled. I don’t use Cortana mostly for privacy reasons, but that’s just me. If you use it, it’s a handy shortcut.
So, these are the 10 shortcuts that I find most useful in Windows 10. Many of them use the Windows key, so it’s a little easier to remember. Tell us what you think! Enjoy!
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