Note: Keyboard combos that are new to the Consumer Preview are in
bold.
Start
screen/Metro
The
following Windows key shortcuts work in the new Windows shell/Start screen.
WINKEY
(tap)- Toggles between the Start screen and the foremost running app
(Metro-style) or the Windows Desktop.
WINKEY
+ 1, WINKEY + 2, etc. - Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and launch the
nth shortcut in the Windows taskbar. So WINKEY + 1 would launch whichever
application is first in the list, from left to right.
WINKEY
+ B - Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and select the tray notification
area.
WINKEY
+ C - Display Charms and time/date/notification overlay.
WINKEY
+ D - Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and toggle Show Desktop
(hides/shows any applications and other windows).
WINKEY
+ E. Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and launch Windows Explorer with
Computer view displayed.
WINKEY
+ F - Display File Search pane
WINKEY
+ H - Display Share charm.
WINKEY
+ I - Display Settings charm.
WINKEY
+ J - Swaps foreground
between the snapped and filled apps.
WINKEY
+ K - Display Connect charm.
WINKEY
+ L - Lock PC and return to Lock screen.
WINKEY
+ M - Minimize the selected Explorer window.
WINKEY
+ O - Toggle orientation switching on slate and tablet PCs.
WINKEY
+ P - Display the new Project (for "projection") pane for choosing
between available displays.
WINKEY
+ Q - Search (within) Apps using the new Search pane.
WINKEY
+ R - Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and display the Run box.
WINKEY
+ U - Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and launch the Ease of Access
Center.
WINKEY
+ V - Cycles through Notification toasts.
WINKEY
+ W - Display Settings Search pane
WINKEY
+ SHIFT + V - Cycles through Notification toasts in
reverse order.
WINKEY + X - Access the advanced
context menu on the Start preview tip.
WINKEY + Z - Access the App Bar.
WINKEY
+ ENTER - Launches Narrator.
WINKEY
+ SPACEBAR - Switch input language and keyboard layout
WINKEY
+ TAB - Cycle through apps in
Switcher.
WINKEY
+ SHIFT + TAB - Cycle through apps in
Switcher in reverse order.
WINKEY
+ CTRL + TAB - Cycle through apps,
snapping them as you go.
WINKEY
+ , - Peeks at the Windows
desktop.
WINKEY
+ . - Snaps application to
the left.
WINKEY
+ SHIFT + . - Snaps application to
the right.
WINKEY
+ PGUP - Moves the Start
screen to the display on the left.
WINKEY
+ PGDN - Moves the Start
screen to the display on the right.
Windows
desktop/Explorer
The
following Windows key shortcuts work in the classic Windows desktop. Note that
while many of these shortcuts also work in Windows 7, some are new to Windows
8.
WINKEY
(tap)- Toggles between the Windows desktop environment and the new Start
screen.
WINKEY
+ 1, WINKEY + 2, etc. - Launch the nth shortcut in the Windows taskbar. So
WINKEY + 1 would launch whichever application is first in the list, from left
to right.
WINKEY
+ B - Select the tray notification area.
WINKEY
+ C - Display Charms and time/date/notification overlay.
WINKEY
+ D - Toggle Show Desktop (hides/shows any applications and other windows).
WINKEY
+ E. Launch Windows Explorer with Computer view displayed.
WINKEY
+ F - Search Files using the new Windows Search pane.
WINKEY
+ I - Display Settings pane for Windows Desktop (also provides access to
Networks, Volume, Screen Brightness, Notifications, Power, and Language).
WINKEY
+ L - Lock PC and return to Lock screen.
WINKEY
+ M - Minimize the selected Explorer window.
WINKEY
+ O - Toggle orientation switching on slate and tablet PCs.
WINKEY
+ P - Display the new Project (for "projection") pane for choosing
between available displays.
WINKEY
+ Q - Search (within) Apps using the new Windows Search pane.
WINKEY
+ R - Display Run box.
WINKEY
+ U - Launch Ease of Access Center.
WINKEY
+ W - Search Settings using the new Windows Search pane.
WINKEY
+ X - Display Windows Mobility Center application.
WINKEY
+ ARROW KEYS - Aero Snap.
If you learn just one keyboard
shortcut, this it is: WINKEY + C will bring up the Charms bar,
a system-wide menu of sorts that provides access to several key Windows 8
capabilities: Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings.
Of course, if you’re an overachiever,
you may want to access these capabilities directly. Not surprisingly, you can
do so, using WINKEY keyboard shortcuts that are dedicated to each:
WINKEY + Q: Search the current
app or Search Apps
WINKEY + W: Search Settings
(and control panels)
WINKEY + F: Search Files
WINKEY + H: Share
WINKEY: Start (acts as a
toggle between Start screen and the current experience)
WINKEY + K: Devices
WINKEY + I: Settings
If you were going to learn just two
keyboard shortcuts, I’d recommend WINKEY + C (Charms) and WINKEY + I
(Settings). That’s because, after several months of using Windows 8
exclusively, those are the two keyboard shortcuts I use the most frequently. (I
use Start Search for searching, where you tap the WINKEY key and then just
start typing.)
Other useful
keyboard shortcuts
In addition to the keyboard shortcuts
listed above, there are a handful of capabilities that are easily accessed via
keyboard. These include:
Printing. While the Devices
shortcut (WINKEY + K) can get you to your list of printers (and other
devices), using CTRL + P is more direct, assuming it’s supported.
What I’ve found is that some, but not all, Metro-style apps support the
desktop-based CTRL + P shortcut. If that doesn’t work, just use the Devices
pane (WINKEY + K) instead.
Presentation mode. In Windows 7, using WINKEY
+ P would bring up a Presentation Mode pop-up, letting you quickly
determine how to handle a second screen, or projector. This still works in
Windows 8, and offers the same choices, though the interface is now a Metro
pane instead.
App bar. To open the
app bar in any Metro experience (Start screen, PC Settings, apps), typeWINKEY
+ Z.
Power user menu. To open the power
user menu on the desktop, type WINKEY + X.
Lock. Also not new to
Windows 8, WINKEY + L will lock the PC and, by default,
display the new lock screen.
Magnifier. This Ease of Access
feature is served by a surprising range of keyboard shortcuts, including WINKEY
+ =, which turns on Magnifier, or, if it’s already on, zooms in the view. WINKEY
+ - can be used to zoom out the view (assuming Magnifier is currently
running). CTRL + ALT + Dwill dock Magnifier at the top of the
screen. CTRL + ALT + L will place Magnifier in Lens mode.CTRL
+ ALT + I will invert the colors in the Magnifier display (it’s a
toggle). And ESC will exit Magnifier.
