Useful keyboard guide for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.
The vast majority of these keystrokes and shortcuts will also
work in later versions of Windows. This list should assist
novices in the Windows environment and was a free download from
the Microsoft Website. It is also provided free by myself and is
as is and has not been altered in
any way. Other than for the HTML tags I have inserted so that
this document will display reasonably in your Web browser, you
have Microsoft and not me to thank for this easy to
follow, line-by-line list of shortcuts. The introduction to the
list starts immediately below.
This document presents basic keyboard navigation for Microsoft(R)
Windows(R) 95 and Microsoft Windows NT(R) 4.0. For general
Windows concepts and descriptions of the interface, consult
online Help or the documentation supplied with your operating
system. Developers may also find The Windows Interface Guidelines
for Software Design by Microsoft
Press to be useful.
This document describes conventions that are supported by most
applications designed for Windows 95 or Windows NT. However,
different applications and different contexts do vary slightly.
Also, while we recommend that applications generate a warning
sound when unsupported keystrokes are used, many do not.
Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 provide Accessibility Options that
can make typing easier for people who have difficulty using the
keyboard or pressing more than one key at a time. Consult online
Help for details.
1. General Windows Keys
Keys: F1
Action: Displays Help information for the active object or the
window as
a whole.
Keys: Windows logo key or CTRL+ESC
Action: Opens the Start menu located on the taskbar.
Keys: CTRL+ALT+DELETE
Action: In Microsoft Windows 95, opens the Close Program dialog
box that
contains a list box of applications to be closed and command
buttons for
Ending Task, Shutting Down, and Cancel.
In Microsoft Windows NT, opens the Windows NT Security dialog
box, with
the following options: Lock Workstation, Logoff, Shut Down,
Change
Password, Task Manager, and Cancel. If you are not logged on,
brings up
the logon dialog box.
Keys: DELETE
Action: Deletes the selected item(s). If the items are files,
moves them
to the Recycle Bin.
Keys: DELETE+SHIFT
Action: Delete the selected item(s). If the items are files,
destroys
them immediately without moving them to the Recycle Bin.
Keys: CTRL+N
Action: Opens the New dialog box. (This can also be opened from
the File
menu.)
Keys: CTRL+O
Action: Opens the Open dialog box. (This can also be opened from
the
File menu.)
Keys: CTRL+P
Action: Opens the Print dialog box. (This can also be opened from
the
File menu.)
Keys: CTRL+S
Action: Opens the Save dialog box. (This can also be opened from
the
File menu.)
Keys: CTRL+X
Action: Cuts the selected item(s) to the clipboard. (This can
also be
opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: CTRL+INSERT OR CTRL+C
Action: Copies the selected item(s) to the clipboard. (This can
also be
opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: SHIFT+INSERT OR CTRL+V
Action: Pastes the copied items(s) from the clipboard. (This can
also be
opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: ALT+BACKSPACE OR CTRL+Z
Action: Undoes the last action. Note that not all actions, such
as
shutting down, can be undone. (This can also be opened from the
Edit
menu.)
Keys: ALT+SHIFT+BACKSPACE
Action: Redoes the previously undone action. (This can also be
opened
from the Edit menu.)
Keys: Windows logo key+M
Action: Minimizes all open windows. The keyboard focus goes to
the least
recently selected icon on the desktop. Add SHIFT to expand
previously
opened windows and return focus to the most recently used
application.
Keys: Windows logo key+E
Action: Opens the Windows Explorer. (This can also be opened from
the
Program item in the Start menu.)
Keys: Windows logo key+F
Action: Opens the Find: All Files dialog box. (This can also be
opened
from the Find item in the Start menu.)
Keys: Windows logo key+R
Action: Opens the Run dialog box. (This can also be opened from
the Run
item in the Start menu.)
Keys: Windows logo key+BREAK
Action: Opens the System Properties dialog box. (This can also
be opened
from the Systems item in Control Panel.)
Keys: Windows logo key+CTRL+F
Action: Opens the Find Computer dialog box. (This can also be
opened
from the Find item in the Start menu.)
Keys: Windows logo key+number
Action: Reserved for use by computer manufacturers.
Keys: SHIFT+F10 or Application key (also the right mouse click)
Action: Opens the shortcut menu for the active item. This can be
selected text, a toolbar button, a taskbar button, or other item.
Keys: SHIFT
Action: Press down and hold the SHIFT key while you insert a
CD-ROM to
bypass the AutoPlay feature. Hold down the SHIFT key while
Microsoft Word
is loading to suppress the AutoExec macro.
2. Selecting Items by Access Key or by Name
Most dialog box controls, menu titles, and menu items have
underlined
access keys. You can press ALT along with the access key to
activate the
control or menu anywhere within the active window. If an item
doesn't
have an underlined character, its access key is the first
character in
its name.
Access keys can sometimes be used without the ALT key for
choosing
controls or menu items. Use access keys without ALT to select
items from
an open menu. You can choose a dialog box control by typing its
access
key alone, except when the focus is on an edit box, a list box,
or
another control that expects typed characters. Therefore, using
the ALT
is a more reliable method.
Choosing controls in this way normally activates them, except
when more
than one item has the same access key. In that case, it will
navigate to
the next item assigned that key, but will not activate it. You
must then
press ENTER to activate it.
Within a list box, list view, tree view, or on the desktop, you
can
select an item by typing the first one or more characters in its
name.
You can begin typing a new name by pausing, and in some cases by
pressing BACKSPACE. Pressing the same character more than once
at the
beginning of a name will select the next item beginning with that
character.
3. Desktop and Taskbar Navigation Keys
Depending on your setup, various items appear on your desktop
when you
start Microsoft Windows. For example, the My Computer icon
provides
access to a list of the drives and files on your computer. You
can use
the ARROW KEYS to move from one icon to another, or you can
select items
by typing their names.
By default, the Start button and the taskbar are located at the
bottom
of your screen when you start Windows and are always visible when
Windows is running. Every time you start a program or open a
window, a
button representing that window appears on the taskbar. When you
close a
window, its button disappears from the taskbar. The taskbar it
has
status indicators, including the time, shown at the rightmost
end.
Keys: Windows logo key+M
Action: Minimizes all open windows. The keyboard focus goes to
the most
recently selected icon on the desktop. Add SHIFT to expand
previously
opened windows and return focus to the most recently used
application.
Keys: ARROW KEY
Action: Selects the adjacent icon or taskbar button in the
direction of
the arrow.
Keys: Any printing character
Action: Selects the next icon with the specified name or initial
letter.
Keys: Windows logo key or CTRL+ESC
Action: Opens the Start menu from the taskbar. Press ESC again
to place
the keyboard focus on the Start button.
Keys: TAB
Action: Moves between the last selected icon on the desktop, the
Start
button on the taskbar, and the taskbar as a whole. There is no
visual
indication of the focus on the taskbar, but you can use the ARROW
KEYS to
move between the taskbar buttons. You can also use SHIFT+F10 to
bring up
the shortcut menu for the taskbar.
Keys: Windows logo key+TAB
Action: Cycles through the taskbar buttons.
Keys: F2
Action: Rename a selected item. A bold rectangle appears around
the
title creating a text box. Type the new name and press ENTER.
Press ESC to
cancel. Some icons on the desktop cannot be renamed.
Keys: F3
Action: Opens the Find: All files dialog box.
It is often easier to use the Windows Explorer to manipulate
objects
that are on the desktop and in My Computer. The desktop is
treated as
the highest level directory on your computer in Windows Explorer,
above
the My Computer icon. Using the real desktop is often
inconvenient
because you have to minimize all other windows to be able to see
it, but
you can easily switch between Windows Explorer displaying the
desktop
group and any other application windows.
Like the desktop, one normally doesn't need to use the task bar
except
for the Start menu which can be accessed at all times by
CTRL+ESC. The
following section describes keystrokes for switching between
windows
that can be used in place of the taskbar buttons.
4. Window manipulation keys
Application windows contain running applications. At the top of
the
window is a title bar with the name of the application and the
associated document. The title bar of the window you are
currently using
is usually a different color than those of the inactive windows.
The
application's menu bar is located directly below the title bar.
Application windows can be positioned anywhere within the desktop
borders. Since the active window always appears in the foreground
it
might overlap inactive windows, partially or completely obscuring
them.
Windows can be arranged on the desktop through the taskbar
shortcut
menu. To reach this menu, use this sequence of keys: CTRL+ESC,
ESC, TAB,
SHIFT+F10. The following options are on the shortcut menu and may
be
reached using ARROW KEYS or the underlined keys: Cascade, Tile
Horizontally, Tile Vertically, Minimize all, Undo minimize all,
Properties.
To move a window, choose the Move command from the leftmost icon
on the
title bar. Use ARROW KEYS to move the window, followed by ENTER
to accept
or ESC to cancel. To resize a window, choose the Size command
then use
an ARROW KEY to choose which window border you want to move, then
move it
with the appropriate ARROW KEYS, finally ending with ENTER to
accept or ESC
to cancel
Keys: ALT+F4
Action: Closes the active application window. (This can also be
opened
from the Program menu of the active application.)
Keys: ALT+SPACE
Action: Opens the Program menu from the leftmost icon on the
title bar
of the active window. The Program menu typically contains the
following
commands: Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize and Close.
Keys: ALT+TAB
Action: Switches to the most recently used application window.
To select
an application from a list, continue to hold ALT down and press
TAB more
than once to move through the list. Add SHIFT to reverse
direction
through the list.
Keys: ALT+ESC
Action: Switches keyboard focus to next application window,
including
minimized windows on the taskbar. Press ESC more than once to
switch
through successive windows and add SHIFT to reverse the
direction.
Keys: ALT+ENTER
Action: Switches a MS DOS-based application between full-screen
and
windowed modes.
Keys: PRINT SCREEN
Action: Copies an image of the screen to the clipboard.
Keys: ALT+PRINT SCREEN
Action: Copies an image of the active window to the clipboard.
Applications can have multiple document windows. Document windows
appear
within the applications windows, and like application windows may
tile
or overlap. Document windows have their own title bars unless
they are
maximized. When maximized, they fill the application workspace
and share
the application window's title bar and the document name is
included
with the name of the application on a shared title bar. The
document
window's document icon is added to the application menu bar on
the far
left. For example, in Microsoft Word the title bar says
"Microsoft Word
- Name of Document" when the document window is maximized.
Commands that
affect the application window affect the document window as well.
Keys: CTRL+F4
Action: Closes the active document window.
Keys: CTRL+F6
Action: Switches to next document window in the active
application. Add
SHIFT to switch to the previous document window.
Keys: ALT+HYPHEN
Action: Opens the Document menu from the leftmost icon on the
title bar
of the active document window. The Document menu typically
contains the
following commands: Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize and
Close.
For some applications, the application and document windows can
be
divided into two or more separate viewing areas called panes.
This is
useful when moving or copying information from one document to
another
or from one part of a document to another. Panes are also used
when
viewing both the body of the documents and the footnotes or
annotations.
To split a window into two panes, open the Window menu and choose
the
Split command. The Split Bar appears in the middle of the window
with
the keyboard focus indicated by arrows. Move the split bar to the
desired location using the ARROW KEYS. Press ENTER to set the
split bar in
the desired location. Use F6 or TAB to move between panes in a
clockwise
direction; add SHIFT to reverse direction.
5. Menu commands
Applications frequently include commands that are listed in
menus. Menus
are represented by names on a menu bar at the top of each
application
window. In Microsoft Windows, you select a menu, and then choose
a
command from that menu. Choosing the command initiates the
action. An
ellipsis (...) after the menu indicates that a dialog box will
appear
after the command is chosen to ask for information that the
application
needs to carry out the command.
Keys: Windows logo key or CTRL+ESC
Action: Opens the Start menu on the taskbar.
Keys: F10 or ALT
Action: Activates the menu bar of the active window. The leftmost
menu
name is selected. (When you have a maximized document window, the
leftmost menu has an icon instead of a name and there is no
visual
indication that it is selected.) Press F10 or ALT again to toggle
the
focus back to where it was previously.
Keys: LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW
Action: Moves the focus between menus on the menu bar in the
direction
of the arrow. If the original menu was open, the target menu will
be
opened and the focus on the first item.
Keys: UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW
Action: Opens the selected menu. DOWN ARROW selects the next
command in
the list. UP ARROW selects the previous command in the list.
Keys: ENTER
Action: Opens the selected menu when focus is on the menu title,
but it
activates a menu item when focus is on a menu item. If the
selected menu
item is unavailable, ENTER closes the menu.
Keys: ALT+SPACE
Action: Opens the Program menu from the leftmost icon on the
title bar
of the active window. The Program menu typically contains the
following
commands: Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize and Close.
Keys: ALT+HYPHEN
Action: Opens the Document menu from the leftmost icon on the
title bar
if the active document window. The Document menu typically
contains the
following commands: Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize and
Close.
Keys: ESC
Action: Closes an open menu and moves the focus back to the
parent menu
if there is one. Otherwise it returns the focus to the menu
title. If
the focus was already on the menu title, focus moves back to
wherever it
was before activating the menu bar.
Keys: ALT+Any printing character
Action: Chooses the menu with the underlined character (access
key) on
the main menu bar.
Keys: Any printing character
Action: Chooses the command with the underlined character (access
key)
on an open menu.
Keys: SHIFT+F10 or Application key (also the right mouse click)
Action: Opens the shortcut menu for the active item. This can be
selected text, a toolbar button, a taskbar button, or other item.
6. Windows Explorer keys
The Windows Explorer displays the contents of a computer, drive
or
directory. The Windows logo key+E opens the Windows Explorer at
any
time, and it can also be started from Programs on the Start menu.
It
normally has two panes, the left pane showing a tree view of your
folders, and the right pane showing the contents of one folder.
Windows Explorer can also show a single-pane, without the tree
view. In
this case it normally hides the toolbar unless you explicitly
turn it on
using the View menu. The same information is can be accessed
using the
My Computer icon from the desktop, and in the standard Open and
Save As
dialog boxes.
In the View menu offers a choice of icon displays. The Large
Icons view
displays the contents of a drive or directory as large icons in
horizontal rows. The Small Icons view displays the same
information in
small icons in horizontal rows. The List menu item displays
directories
and files as small icons in vertical columns. The Details view
displays
files as a single column of icons with multiple columns of
information
about each file.
Files and folders can be moved or copied by using the Cut, Copy,
and
Paste commands from the Edit menu or by shortcut keys. Moving a
program
icon does not change the performance of the program. Deleting a
program
icon does not delete all the files associated with the program,
so
install or delete programs using the Add/Remove Programs option
in
Control Panel.
6.1 View Control Keys
Keys: ARROW KEYS
Action: Select the next item in the indicated direction. Add
SHIFT to
select or deselect additional items. Add CTRL to move to the item
without
selecting it. In Details View there is only one column so RIGHT
and LEFT
ARROW scrolls the window a small amount to the right or left. In
List
View the UP and DOWN ARROW keys wrap between columns.
Keys: PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN
Action: Moves to the bottom or top item on the screen. Use a
second time
to select the item one screen above or below. Add SHIFT to select
additional items. Add CTRL to move to the item without selecting
it.
Keys: HOME or END
Action: Selects the first or last item in the list. Add SHIFT to
select
or deselect additional items. Add CTRL to move to the item
without
selecting it.
Keys: Any printing character
Action: Selects the next icon with the specified name or initial
letter.
SPACE behaves this way when it is typed as part of a name.
Keys: ENTER
Action: Opens the selected item. This may open a new window,
depending
on the options you have selected. (This can also be opened from
the File
menu.)
Keys: BACKSPACE
Action: Displays the contents of the parent directory. This may
open a
new window, depending on the options you have selected.
Keys: SPACE
Action: When typed alone, selects the current item if it is not
already
selected. Use after moving with the CTRL key to select separate
groups
of items.
Keys: CTRL+SPACE
Action: Selects or deselects the current item. Use after moving
with the
CTRL key to select separate groups of items.
Keys: SHIFT+SPACE
Action: Extends the selection to the current item. If you have
already
selected more than one item, it selects only the items from the
first
item you selected to the current item.
Keys: CTRL+Z
Action: Undoes the last action. Some actions cannot be undone.
(This can
also be opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: CTRL+X
Action: Cuts the selected item(s) to the clipboard. (This can
also be
opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: CTRL+C
Action: Copies the selected item(s) to clipboard. (This can also
be
opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: CTRL+V
Action: Pastes the copied item(s) from clipboard. (This can also
be
opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: CTRL+A
Action: Selects all the items in the current window. (This can
also be
opened from the Edit menu.)
Keys: CTRL+G
Action: Opens Go To Folder dialogue. (This can also be opened
from the
Tools menu).
Keys: CTRL+F or F3
Action: Opens Find: All Files dialog box. (This can also be
opened from
the Tools menu).
Keys: DELETE
Action: Deletes the selected item(s) to the Recycle Bin. (This
can also
be opened from the File menu.)
Keys: SHIFT+DELETE
Action: Delete the selected item(s) immediately without moving
the
item(s) to the Recycle Bin.
Keys: ALT+ENTER
Action: Displays the properties of the selected item. (This can
also be
opened from the Files menu.)
Keys: F2
Action: Renames a selected item. A bold rectangle appears around
the
item. Type the new name and press ENTER. Press ESC to cancel.
(This can
also be opened from the File menu.)
Keys: F4
Action: Opens the drop-down list box on the toolbar. Pressing F4
again
moves the keyboard focus back to the previously used item..
Keys: F5
Action: Refreshes the current window. (This can also be opened
from the
View menu.)
Keys: F6 or TAB
Action: Switches between panes and the toolbar.
6.2 Tree View Control Keys
Tree views display a set of objects as an indented outline based
on
their hierarchical relationships. For example, the All Folders
pane in
the Windows Explorer is a tree view. Files and folders can be
moved or
copied in tree view by using the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands.
Tree
view only supports single selection of items.
Keys: RIGHT ARROW
Action: Opens a branch, or selects the first item in the branch.
Keys: LEFT ARROW
Action: Closes a branch, or selects the parent of the current
item.
Keys: ASTERISK (on the numeric keypad)
Action: Expands everything under the current selection.
Keys: MINUS SIGN (on the numeric keypad)
Action: Closes everything under the current selection.
Keys: PLUS SIGN (on the numeric keypad)
Action: Expands everything under the current selection back to
a
previously opened state, or opens only one level if it has not
previously been opened.
Keys: UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW
Action: Selects the next visible object above or below.
Keys: PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN
Action: Moves to the top or bottom item on the screen. Use a
second time
to move up or down one screen.
Keys: HOME or END
Action: Selects the first or last item on the tree.
Keys: Any printing character
Action: Selects the next icon with the specified name or initial
letter.
Repeating the character selects successive items beginning with
the same
character.
Keys: BACKSPACE
Action: Chooses the parent directory
7. Dialog Boxes
A dialog box is a window that appears temporarily on top of your
application window to request information. Message boxes are
simple
dialog boxes that appear to display additional information,
warnings, or
to explain why a requested task could not be accomplished. Dialog
boxes
often contain groups of controls necessary to set options or
settings
for programs. A typical dialog box might contain some text, a set
of
radio buttons, and OK and Cancel push buttons.
Controls that have an access key in their titles can be selected
or
chosen by typing ALT+the underlined letter at any time when the
dialog
box is active. TAB will move the keyboard focus between controls,
but
which items are visited by TAB and their order may vary between
applications. Typically, items that cannot be changed are not
visited by
the TAB key. ARROW KEYS are used to move within a list box,
groups of
option controls, or groups of page tabs. ARROW KEYS can move the
keyboard
focus between other controls but this behavior is not reliable.
Options
that are unavailable appear dimmed and cannot be selected.
While the controls described here are typically found on dialog
boxes,
they can also occur in other contexts.
Command buttons (also known as push buttons) initiate an
immediate
action. One command button in each dialog box carries out the
command
you choose, using the information supplied in the dialog box.
This is
normally labeled "OK". Other command buttons let you cancel the
command
or choose from additional options.
Command buttons marked with an ellipsis (...) open another dialog
box so
you can provide more information or confirm an action. Command
buttons
marked with a pair of greater-than symbols (>>) expand the
current
dialog box to show more controls. Command buttons marked with an
arrow
display a menu.
The default button is initially indicated by a dark border. Press
ENTER
at any time to choose the button with a dark border. Use TAB to
move the
keyboard focus to the next control, and add SHIFT to reverse the
direction. When you move the keyboard focus to a command button
it
temporarily takes the dark border, but when the keyboard focus
is not on
a command button the dark border returns to the default button.
Press
SPACE to choose the command button you selected with TAB. Use ESC
to
immediately choose the Cancel button if there is one. Typing the
access
key for a push button will immediately carry out the command.
Check boxes may be selected or cleared to turn on or off an
option.
Check boxes may have two states (checked and unchecked) or three
states
(checked, unchecked, and indeterminate). Check boxes are often
displayed
in sets of related options, for example in setting Font Effects
in
Microsoft Word the check boxes offer Strikethrough, Superscript,
Subscript, Hidden, Small caps, and All caps.
Use TAB to move between boxes and SPACE to change the check box
to the next state. Typing the access key for a check box will
also move
the focus to the box and change its state.
Option controls (also known as radio buttons) are used to select
only
one option from a group of options. (Like check boxes, option
buttons
may represent two or three states.) Use the ARROW KEYS to select
the next
or previous buttons within the group. In some applications, you
can add
CTRL to move to the button without selecting it, then use SPACE
to choose
the currently selected option button. Typing the access key for
an
option control will also move the focus to the control and select
it.
Tabbed pages are used to fit many options into a single dialog
box. They
appear visually similar to dividers from a notebook. Each page
contains
separate groups of controls such as check boxes or option
controls. Use
TAB to move the focus to the tab for the currently visible page.
Typing
the access key for a page tab will also move the focus to the tab
and
display its page.
Keys: CTRL+PAGE DOWN or CTRL+TAB
Action: Switches to the next tab and displays the page.
Keys: CTRL+PAGE UP or CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Action: Switches to the previous tab and displays the page.
Keys: RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW
Action: When the focus is on a tab selector, chooses the next or
previous tab in the current row and displays the page.
Keys: DOWN ARROW OR UP ARROW
Action: Chooses the tab in the next or previous row and displays
the
page.
Sliders appear as an indicator on a vertical or horizontal gauge.
The
slider both displays and sets a value from a continuous range,
such as
speed, brightness, or volume. Use TAB or the appropriate access
key to
move the focus to the slider.
Keys: RIGHT ARROW or DOWN ARROW
Action: Selects the next higher setting.
Keys: LEFT ARROW or UP ARROW
Action: Selects the next lower setting.
Keys: HOME or END
Action: Selects the lowest or highest setting.
Keys: PAGE DOWN
Action: Selects a somewhat lower or higher setting depending on
the
application. (This is the equivalent of pressing an ARROW key
many
times.)
Keys: PAGE UP
Action: Moves in the reverse of the PAGE DOWN.
Spin boxes appear as a text box with up and down arrows used to
select
from a list of fixed values. Use TAB to move the keyboard focus
to the
text box, then enter a valid value in the box or use the UP ARROW
or DOWN
ARROW keys to select the next higher or lower values.
List boxes display a column of available choices. If there are
more
choices than can fit in the open list box, moving the selection
through
the list will cause more choices to scroll into view. Use TAB or
type
the appropriate access key to move the focus to the list box.
Single selection list boxes allow only one item to be selected
from the
list at a time. Items are selected when navigating to them, and
moving
to a second item will automatically deselect all other items.
Drop-down list boxes show only the selected item. There is a
small
button to the right of the control that shows a downward-pointing
arrow.
This displays more items from the list box while you make your
selection. You can also show or hide the list using ALT+DOWN
ARROW, ALT+UP
ARROW, or F4. In all other respects it behaves like a normal
single-
selection list box.
Extended selection list boxes support selecting single items,
blocks of
items, or combinations of the two. After selecting an item as in
a
single-selection list box, hold down SHIFT+Navigation keys to
select or
deselect more items.
Multiple selection list boxes typically have comparatively long
lists
and more of these items are expected to be chosen individually
(not in
blocks). Navigating to items does not automatically select them
nor does
selecting an item change the status of other selections. Press
SPACE to
select or deselect an item.
Combo-boxes and drop-down combo boxes are list boxes with
attached edit
boxes. You can make your selection by either typing in the edit
box or
using the standard commands to select from the list.
Keys: UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW
Action: Selects the previous or next item. In an extended
selection list
box, add SHIFT to select additional items and add CTRL to move
to an item
without selecting it. In an multiple selection list box, moves
without
changing the selection.
Keys: PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN
Action: Selects the item up or down one screen. In an extended
selection
list box, add SHIFT to select additional items and add CTRL to
move to an
item without selecting it. In an multiple selection list box,
moves
without changing the selection.
Keys: HOME OR END
Action: Selects the first or last item in the list box. In an
extended
selection list box, add SHIFT to select additional items and add
CTRL to
move to an item without selecting it. In an multiple selection
list box,
moves without changing the selection.
Keys: Any printing character
Action: Moves to the next item matching the characters being
typed. Use
BACKSPACE to change. In an multiple selection list box, moves to
an item
without selecting it.
Keys: SPACE or CTRL+SPACE
Action: Selects or deselects the current item in an
extended-selection
list box.
Keys: SHIFT+SPACE
Action: Extends the selection from the last selected item to the
current
item in an extended selection list-box.
Keys: SHIFT+F8
Action: In extended selection list boxes, pressing SHIFT+F8
allows you to
move without changing the selection. You can then press
CTRL+SPACE or
SHIFT+SPACE to select additional items. The list box returns to
normal
operation when you press SHIFT+F8 a second time or switch to
another
window or control.
Edit controls are rectangular boxes used for displaying or
editing text.
See the following section for more information. Use TAB or the
appropriate access key to move the focus to the edit control and
select
the text.
8. Text Navigation and Editing Keys
When you open a document window in a word processing (or similar)
program, a pointer appears in the upper-left corner of the
window. The
text you enter will appear at the pointer. In insertion mode, the
new
text is inserted into the existing text--the existing text is
automatically pushed back to follow the new text. In overwrite
mode, the
new text overwrites the existing text. The following keys
automatically
scroll the window to keep the pointer in view when it is
necessary.
These keys also work in the text boxes of dialog boxes and list
boxes.
Keys: INSERT
Action: Toggles between overtype and insertion modes. (Edit
controls
only support insert mode.)
Keys: ARROW KEY
Action: Moves the pointer one character in the direction of the
ARROW
KEY. If there is selected text, moves the pointer to the end of
the
selection and deselects the text.
Keys: HOME OR END
Action: Moves the pointer to the beginning or end of the current
line.
Keys: PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN
Action: Moves the pointer up or down one screen or to the first
or last
line.
Keys: CTRL+RIGHT or CTRL+LEFT
Action: Moves the pointer to the beginning of the next or
previous word.
Keys: CTRL+UP or CTRL+DOWN
Action: Moves the pointer to the beginning of the preceding or
next
paragraph. (Not supported in edit controls.)
Keys: CTRL+HOME OR CTRL+END
Action: Moves the pointer to the beginning or the end of the
document.
(Not supported in edit controls.)
Press SHIFT with the above text navigation keys to select blocks
of text
for editing. For example, press SHIFT+END to select text from the
pointer
to the end of the line. SHIFT toggles, in other words you can
also use
SHIFT+the above navigation keys to both select and deselect text.
Keys: DELETE
Action: Deletes the next character or the selected text.
Keys: BACKSPACE
Action: Deletes the previous character or the selected text.
Keys: ALT+BACKSPACE or CTRL+Z
Action: Undoes the last action.
Keys: CTRL+INSERT or CTRL+C
Action: Copies selected text to clipboard.
Keys: SHIFT+DELETE or CTRL+X
Action: Cuts the selected text to the clipboard.
Keys: SHIFT+INSERT or CTRL+V
Action: Pastes copied text from clipboard.
9. Accessibility Keys
Use the Control Panel to turn on these keys for both Microsoft
Windows
95 and Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. Under previous versions of
Windows,
Windows NT and MS-DOS the Accessibility features were not on the
system
until the Access Pack has been installed. Once Access Pack is
installed,
the hot keys are on by default. These features are not available
on
Windows NT 3.1.
Keys: Five taps on SHIFT
Action: Toggles the StickyKeys feature on and off. Use StickyKeys
if you
want to use the SHIFT, CONTROL, or ALT keys one key at a time in
combination with other keys.
Keys: Left ALT+Left SHIFT+NUM LOCK
Action: Toggles the MouseKeys feature on and off. Use MouseKeys
if you
want to control the mouse pointer with the numeric keypad.
Keys: Hold NUM LOCK for 5 seconds
Action: Toggles the ToggleKeys feature on and off. Use ToggleKeys
if you
want to hear tones when pressing CAPS LOCK, NUM LOCK and SCROLL
LOCK.
Keys: Hold Right SHIFT for 8 seconds
Action: Three beeps followed by a sliding beep signals eight
seconds.
Toggles the FilterKeys features (SlowKeys, BounceKeys and
RepeatKeys) on
and off. Use FilterKeys if you want Windows to ignore brief or
repeated
keystrokes or to slow the repeat rate. SlowKeys ignores keys that
are
pressed accidentally or for a short time. BounceKeys ignores keys
that
are pressed more than once too quickly. RepeatKeys adjusts or
disables
the keyboard repeat rate.
Keys: Hold Right SHIFT for 12 seconds
Action: Three beeps followed by a sliding beep followed by a
double beep
signals twelve seconds. Turns on the BounceKeys feature with the
most
conservative settings.
Keys: Hold Right SHIFT for 16 seconds
Action: Three beeps followed by a sliding beep followed by a
double beep
followed by a triple beep signals sixteen seconds. Turns the
SlowKeys
feature on with the most conservative settings.
Keys: Left ALT+Left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN
Action: In Microsoft Windows 95, toggles the High Contrast Mode
feature
on and off. Use this option if you want Windows to display colors
and
fonts designed for easy reading.
In Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, use Control Panel to select from
several
High Contrast schemes in the Appearance page under the Display
option.
10. Shortcut Keys for Applications or Documents
Shortcuts provide easy access to the documents and programs you
use most
often. You can put shortcuts to any program or document on your
desktop
or on your Start menu and give them shortcut keys. Typing a
shortcut key
at any time will switch to the application or document, or start
it if
it is not already running.
The items on your Start menu are shortcuts and you can assign
them
shortcut keys. The Start menu is also a convenient place to put
shortcuts you create.
To create a shortcut and place it in the Start menu:
Action: Press CTRL+ESC.
Result: The Start menu appears.
Action: Choose Programs from the Start menu.
Result: The Programs menu opens.
Action: Choose Windows Explorer from the Programs menu.
Result: The Windows Explorer opens with the contents of 'Start
Menu' in
the Contents pane on the right.
Action: Press F6 and ARROW KEYS.
Result: Use F6 to switch panes and the ARROW KEYS to navigate to
the
program or document to which you are assigning a shortcut.
Action: Press CTRL+C.
Result: Copies the selected item to the clipboard.
Action: Press CTRL+ESC.
Result: The Start menu appears again.
Action: Press ESC.
Result: The keyboard focus moves to the Start button on the
taskbar.
Action: Press SHIFT+F10.
Result: The shortcut menu for the Start button appears.
Action: Press E.
Result: Chooses the Explore command. A second copy of Windows
Explorer
opens with the contents of 'Start Menu' in the Contents pane on
the
right. The keyboard focus is on the first item in the pane.
Action: Press ALT+E.
Result: The Edit menu opens.
Action: Press S.
Result: Chooses the Paste Shortcut command. The new shortcut icon
appears at the end of the list of icons in the Contents of "Start
Menu"
pane.
Action: Choose Close from the File menu.
Result: Closes the second copy of the Windows Explorer. Repeat
to close
the first copy.
You can also place shortcuts on the desktop through the Windows
Explorer.
To assign a shortcut key to a shortcut:
Action: Select the shortcut on the desktop or in the Windows
Explorer.
Result: You can assign shortcut keys only to shortcuts on the
Desktop or
in the Start menu. (To assign shortcut keys to shortcuts on he
Start
menu you will need to go through Explorer.)
Action: Press ALT+ENTER.
Result: Displays the Properties tabbed page.
Action: Press CTRL+TAB.
Result: Chooses the Shortcut page tab.
Action: Press ALT+K or TAB.
Result: Chooses the Shortcut Key edit box.
Action: Press any key combination.
Result: Enter your shortcut and it will appear in the edit box.
Shortcut
keys must include CTRL or ALT, or both, and one other key. For
example,
CTRL+SHIFT+Y. You cannot use ESC, ENTER, TAB, SPACEBAR, PRINT
SCREEN, or
BACKSPACE. Be careful, because no other program will be able to
use this
key combination while it is defined as a shortcut key. Press
BACKSPACE to
delete an existing shortcut keyor change your entry in the text
box.
Action: Press ENTER.
Result: Chooses the OK button. Press ESC to cancel.
By Maryanne K. Snyder and Gregory C. Lowney. Last modified
October 16,
1996.
Copyright (C) 1996 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, and MS-DOS are
trademarks or
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
The information contained in this document represents the current
view
of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date
of
publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market
conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on
the part
of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any
information presented after the date of publication.
This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES
NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.