Microsoft Hot Keys

Here are some useful Hot Keys for various Microsoft applications.


Keyboard

F2
Select a file and press F2 to rename the file
F3
In Windows Explorer and on Desktop, pressing F3 brings up the Find dialog box
Alt + Enter
Select a file and press Alt + Enter to bring up its Properties dialog box
Alt + Space bar
Inside a window, press Alt + Spacebar to bring up the system menu of that window
Ctrl + Escape
Brings up the windows start menu
Alt + Tab
Lets you switch between currently running applications
Shift + Delete
Permanently deletes a file without moving it to Recycle Bin
Ctrl + A
Selects all the files in Windows Explorer. Also selects all the text in text boxes
Alt + F4
Closes the current window
Double left click
Double left click on the system icon of a window closes that window
Ctrl + Tab
Changes the tabs in a tabbed dialog box in forward direction. Also switches windows in an MDI form
Ctrl + Shift + Tab
Changes the tabs in a tabbed dialog box in backward direction
Ctrl + F6
Switches between the currently open child windows in an MDI form
Ctrl + Left click
Deselects a specific item from a selected range. Works in Windows explorer
Crtl + Alt + Delete
Brings up task manager in Windows 95/98. Brings up more options in NT/2000
Crtl + Shift + Escape
Brings up Task Manager in Windows Seven
Shift + F10
Brings up the context sensitive pop-up menu
Ctrl + W
Closes the current window
Windows Key + m
Minimizes all windows
Ctrl + (+) key from the right hand side of the keyboard
Rearranges the widths of the list view's columns properly


Internet Explorer

Ctrl + F
Brings up the Find dialog box
F5
Refreshes the page
Ctrl + N
Opens a new browser window
Alt + Home
Takes you to your homepage
Escape
Stops loading the current page
Ctrl + A
Selects the entire page
F11
Toggles between full-screen mode and normal mode
Backspace
Takes you to the previously loded page
Alt + Right arrow
Forwards you by one page in the available page stack
Alt + Left arrow
Takes you to the previous page in the available page stack
Ctrl + Enter
In the address bar, avoid typing http, ://www and .com by just typing the domain name and pressing Ctrl + Enter
Enter
Not sure if the domain name ends with .com or .net? Type the domain name & press enter. IE will search for the domain
F4
In IE 5.0, F4 drops down the address bar combo box
Ctrl + P
Prints the current page
Control + O
Brings up the 'file open' dialog box
Ctrl + H
Brings up the History window
Control + B
Brings up the 'Organize Favorites' dialog box
Ctrl + R
Reloads/refreshes the current page
Shift + Left click
Opens the clicked link in new window


Outlook

Note: Many of these also work in Outlook Express.
Alt + S
Sends the current mail
Ctrl + Enter
Sends the current mail
Ctrl + K
Resolves the email addresses from the address book
Alt + K
Resolves the email addresses from the address book
F7
Starts spell check
Ctrl + D
Deletes the current mail
Shift + Delete
Permanently deletes the current mail
Ctrl + Z
Undoes the last change
Ctrl + Y
Redoes the last change
F4
Brings up the Find dialog box
Shift + F4
Finds the next occurence of the search string
Ctrl + R
Brings up the reply window for the current mail
Ctrl + Shift + R
Brings up the 'reply all' window for the current mail
Ctrl + P
Prints the current mail
F5
Sends and receives mail



Updated on ... July 28, 2016