Useful Windows 10 key combinations. Reassigning Windows hotkeys

Skills such as using the keyboard effectively help you navigate your operating system quickly without becoming fatigued as you work through it. Windows 10 hotkeys contribute well to this. Setting up for efficiency can force you to learn certain combinations of buttons, which will help make the work of a person working at a computer much easier. There are already familiar combinations that are inherited from previous generation operating systems. It is not necessary to learn such combinations in one day; it is enough to first write down the most necessary ones, and then, as the training progresses, gradually learn new ones. All combinations are typed on the keyboard, where the Win button, or Win, or Start, or Start is a key with the image of the Windows logo. In the article we call it differently for the convenience of those who are accustomed to one option. But essentially, it's the same thing.

Window management

This section describes keyboard shortcuts for working with Windows 10 windows.

Win + left arrow - this way you can attach the program window to the left side of the screen.
Win + right arrow - this way you can attach the program window to the right side of the screen.
Win + up arrow - with this combination you can expand the program window to full screen.
Win + down arrow - these keys minimize the window of a running application.
Win + D - These keys either show or hide the desktop.
Win + Shift + M - this way you can restore minimized windows.
Win + Home - this combination minimizes all windows except the one in which the user is working.
Alt + Tab - this combination switches running applications.
Alt + F4 - this combination closes the running window.
Win + Shift + left (or right) arrow - move windows to another monitor.
Win + T - using this combination you can go through the icons located on the taskbar one after another. In this case, the Enter button starts the application.
Win + 0…9 - launches from the taskbar those applications that are assigned to a specific serial number.

Working with Explorer

Start + E - with this combination you can launch the file manager.
Ctrl + N - this combination opens a new window.
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel - means changing the appearance of elements (tables, icons, etc.).
Alt + up arrow - go up one level.
Alt + left arrow - look at the previous folder one by one.
Alt + right arrow - look at the next folder in order.

Desktops

Start + Ctrl + D - add a new virtual desktop.
Start + Ctrl + left arrow - using this combination we switch between desktops from right to left.
Start + Ctrl + right arrow - using this combination we switch between desktops in the opposite direction.
Start + Ctrl + F4 - this is how we close the desktop that is currently in use.
Start + Tab - view all desktops and their applications.

System

Hot keys significantly speed up your work on the computer. If you learn them, then the time will come when interaction with the computer will come into the realm of the subconscious. That is, you don’t have to worry about how to call certain buttons or windows. Of course, everything doesn’t happen at once, but the more you practice working with the keys, the faster they will be remembered. There will come a time when you won't need to look at the keyboard at all. In the age of information technology, this is a very useful skill. Only specialized programs help you set up your own hotkeys, but is it really worth wasting time if there are already ready-made solutions?

Agree, it’s convenient when the computer interface is made for you and you don’t need to waste time searching for the right command or activating some function. You just need to press a certain key combination and voila - in a couple of seconds the PC will provide the necessary information.

In Windows 10, the hotkey settings remained the same as in the 7th and 8th versions, but some new items also appeared, which will be discussed now.

How to change the hotkey combination in Windows 10 using a special program MKey

Changing hotkeys Windows 10

Unfortunately, in the new version of Windows you cannot assign your own keyboard shortcuts; this is only available in the language bar. Hotkeys are most often needed to configure programs. In order to change the key settings, it is better to use other programs. For example, the MKey application. It is designed to add additional functions to single keys.

At the beginning, the MKey application was conceived as a program for quickly changing keys, but a little later it expanded its functionality, thanks to which the keyboard can be completely turned into a field of permanent hotkey combinations. What's the point? Yes, in simple time saving: you won’t have to spend unnecessary time searching for this or that shortcut or opening a command.

The presence of hot keys is especially good in the case of a large number of programs and applications. Suppose you need to open several programs at once, but you have no time or are even too lazy to move your hand, just quickly type the key combinations you have chosen and opening the programs will take you 2-3 times less time than usual. If there are too many shortcuts on your desktop, thanks to MKey you can put them in one folder and use the application to set hotkeys to the desired shortcuts.

The design of MKey looks like a table in which the first column contains combinations of hotkeys used, the second column shows other possible combinations, and the third column shows the settings for each operation. To get acquainted with the program, you can click on the “Add” button in the lower left corner, select a keyboard shortcut and try to use it.

Thanks to MKey, you can use just one key:

Open folders

Easily launch applications

Change desktop wallpaper

Turn off, turn on, restart the computer

Save files

Connect and disconnect from networks

Manage working windows, that is, change their size, minimize and expand, close, etc.

How to set up hotkeys in Windows 10 using MKey

1. Click the “Add” button at the bottom, left corner of the screen

2. Then press one or two keys, which will execute the command you need

3. Name your team

4. Click on the “Actions” button and select the function that the command will perform

Thus, thanks to such a simple program as MKey, you can assign the necessary hotkey combinations in a couple of minutes, thanks to which the process of working on your PC will speed up and simplify. The only thing is that you need to remember these combinations, but after a couple of days of using the combinations, everything will be pressed automatically.

Download MKey— http://www.seriosoft.org/download.php

The Windows operating system is quite complex, but at the same time very functional. Many things can be done quite easily with the mouse. But it can be even faster to get to frequently used elements using keyboard shortcuts, bypassing all the menus and many clicks. Below you will learn about the 10 most useful hotkeys for Windows 10, which will definitely come in handy to speed up your daily work on your computer.

Win– a button on the keyboard with the Windows logo. By clicking it, the “Start” menu opens, from where you can launch programs, system settings, or manage the computer’s power (reboot, turn off, activate sleep mode).

You can also use it to find files, folders and programs on your computer if immediately after clicking you start writing the name of the file, application or folder.

Win+D– a combination that will minimize all open windows and show the desktop. A very useful combination if you often have a large number of applications open and from time to time you need to find something on your desktop, some documents.

Consistently minimizing all open windows or reaching to the lower right corner is not the fastest option. But pressing Win + D is very simple. Pressing it again returns all minimized windows back to the way they were positioned before.

Win+L- The easiest way to lock your computer is by going to the lock screen. If you urgently need to go somewhere, then simply click on this combination and a splash screen will appear on the screen, after which you will need to enter a password to log into your account.

Doing similar actions through the Start menu is far from the fastest way, but pressing the Win + L key combination is easier than ever.

Win+E– opens “Explorer”. I already wrote in the article ““ that I refused to use third-party file managers, because the functionality of the standard “Explorer” was more than enough to solve my problems.

So, to quickly launch Explorer from the keyboard, simply press Win + E.

Win+R– a combination that opens the “Run” window, where you can enter commands or names of programs to run. With its help it is very convenient to launch some rare applications or commands to perform some specific tasks.

For example, after pressing Win + R, entering regedit and pressing Enter, the Windows Registry Editor opens (by the way, if you use the Reg Organizer program, you can open it by entering three Latin letters P in this line - rrr).

Win + Tab– a combination to open an interface that allows you to switch between virtual desktops, if you are using them.

After clicking, a special screen opens that shows all your desktops and the applications that are running on them.

Win+I– opens a new Windows 10 settings window, which is designed to replace the old Control Panel, although this has not yet 100% happened. In fact, there are now two control panels in Windows 10 - new and old.

Someday this problem will probably be solved... But nevertheless, you can launch new settings in one click.

Ctrl + Win + ←/→– a combination for switching between desktops. If you use multiple desktops and want to switch between them with one touch, then this combination is for you. By the way, switching between desktops itself is done with very cool animation.

Depending on which desktop you want to switch to, you need to press the left or right arrows, along with the Ctrl and Win keys held down.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc- a combination that launches the Windows 10 task manager, which has changed significantly compared to Windows 7.

Now it is a very powerful tool for controlling running applications, programs launched at system startup, as well as monitoring computer resources. Very cool, visual and convenient!

Win + →/←//↓– another great combination that allows you to change the position of the active window on the screen with one click. This way you can arrange the windows of various programs on your desktop so that you can see their contents. This is a real lifesaver if you work with several applications at once or with several windows of one application.

If you press Win + Left, the active window will be located on the left half of the screen. If you then press Win + Up, the active window will be moved to the upper left corner (quarter) of the screen.

Continuing the topic of working with Windows 10 hotkeys (the first part of the topic, dedicated to the list of keyboard shortcuts, is located), it is worth mentioning how you can change them in your own way. We will assume that you are already familiar with the main ones and have an idea of what it is. For example, having familiarized yourself with the system keys for quick access to functions, you found that some of them are not very convenient for you to use. You would like to configure some functions in a way that is convenient for you.

Unfortunately, this is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. By default, the system has combinations of buttons on the keyboard that allow you to quickly perform some actions without the need to navigate through a multi-level context menu. The developer simply did not provide an easy way to reassign hotkeys for Windows 10 and older versions. In this article we will tell you possible options for changing the keys for quick access to some operating system operations.

How to find a list of hotkeys

In fact, there are enough hotkeys in Windows 10 to scare off inexperienced users. In the previous article on this topic, we published the main list of abbreviations that work in system applications. But the trouble is that some third-party applications, for example, Microsoft Office, browsers or other products, may have their own shortcut keys that do not match the system ones. What to do in this case?

There are several ways to get help for each software product:

Press the F1 key and read the help information built into the application. But for this, the program developer needs to take care of this. In this case, you do not need an Internet connection to use the help section. Practice shows that this option is not always available. Then you can go to the “Help” section in the program menu.
Regardless of what application you are running, you can press the Win + F1 key combination, after which the browser set as the main one will launch, with a link to the help section of the Microsoft website. Some programs can lead to a web resource of their own content. Accordingly, in this case, you will need a connection to the World Wide Web, because all information is not built into the program code, but is stored on a remote server.
Can be called the simplest way; When using the context menu with the right mouse button, please note that almost every action contains information about which hot keys are responsible for it. Typically, users use the same functions in each program, and over time, keyboard shortcuts can be learned to speed up the workflow.

How to change Windows hotkeys

Unfortunately, as mentioned a little above, Windows developers did not provide the ability to change any system hotkeys using the built-in functionality of the operating system. The only combination that can be changed is switching languages and keyboard layouts. This operation is possible in any version of Windows, both the newest 10 and the older 7 or 8.

After installing the operating system, languages can be switched using the Alt + Shift combination, and already in Windows 8 and 10 the Win + Space combination was added. But habit is a serious matter and many users find it much more convenient to switch languages, for example, using the combination Ctrl + Shift or Ctrl + Alt. What are your hotkey settings for switching languages?

Open Control Panel - Languages - Advanced Settings - Change language bar keyboard shortcuts.
In the small window that opens, select “Change keyboard shortcut” and select one option from the many offered.
Save your changes and start using your usual button combination.

Nothing complicated, right?

How to assign application launcher hotkeys

If it is impossible to change hotkeys for performing system actions, then assigning them to launch almost any application is very simple. To do this, after installing the program, you need to right-click on the shortcut on the desktop, select “Properties” - “Shortcut” - “Shortcut” and click on the button or combination thereof, which you will use to launch the program. Please note that if hotkeys are already in use by the system, they will be reset. Be careful!

Hotkey Managers

The easiest and most accessible way to change hotkeys on Windows 10 is to use special utilities for this. We will look at the two most popular of them.

Key Remapper

An excellent program with rich functionality that allows you to reassign almost any button on the keyboard, mouse, even using the scroll wheel. Utility features:

Overriding almost any keyboard and mouse key, as well as intercepting the mouse wheel.
Redefining existing keys to those that are physically missing.
Change the location of the buttons.
Emulation of keyboard shortcuts and mouse clicks.
Limiting the program's action to a specific application.
Ability to assign multiple key profiles.

The program does not clog your computer's registry and does not require a reboot for your new assignments to take effect. You can download the program from the link http://atnsoft.ru/keyremapper/.

MKey

The original purpose of this utility is to use additional keys on multimedia keyboards. These are those keyboards on which, in addition to alphabetic and numeric buttons, there are many additional ones for launching certain applications and functions. First of all, you can use them, but if you have a regular keyboard, without all these buttons, the program can also be used to reassign regular keys.

Possibilities:

Media Control

Supports almost all the most popular audio and video players: start, play, stop.
Adjust the volume, rewind a music or video file.
Laserdisc drive control: opening, closing, starting disc playback.

Ability to run any application installed on your computer.
Launch any Explorer folders.
All functions with files and folders: insert, copy, move.
Managing open windows: minimize, maximize, close, move, lock.
Power management: turn off, sleep, reboot, lock; setting the timer.
Change the desktop background.
Change the language and keyboard layout.
Network connection management.

Working with applications

Manage any installed browser.
Document management: open, save, create new, print, undo and redo.
Email management: reply, forward, send.
Emulates almost any key in program windows.

Additional functions

The finest settings, excellent customization options.
Notifications in the system tray.
Insert text, date and time according to a specified template.
Ability to create a screenshot.
10 clipboards, advanced ability to manage their contents.
Several parameter profiles, customization of each of them.
Creating your own combination in each individual application.
Emulates absolutely any keyboard or mouse button.
Recording macros.
Additional external plugins.
Minimal resource usage.
You do not need to reboot your device for the changes to take effect.

Conclusion

Initially, the hotkeys are designed conveniently and can be used without changing them at all. But if you still want to change them, use one of the tips in our article.

In the comments, please tell us if you have changed the keyboard shortcuts on your Windows 10. If so, how.

Let's look at everything in detail Windows 10 hotkeys. The WINDOWS key (a window in the form of four squares) on most keyboards is located between the Ctrl and Alt buttons. Simply pressing it once opens the user menu -> Start.

But various combinations of this key with other buttons, the so-called “hot” keys, can make life easier for many users, eliminating unnecessary actions and numerous mouse clicks on the screen in search of the desired function.

Some of the functions were active in previous Windows shells, but new combinations also appeared that were introduced only in Windows 10.

Let's go through just some of the hot combinations that involve the key Win and which users may like.

Win+ TAB– Convenient scrolling and flipping through all active windows. At any time, you can stop at the desired window and switch to full-screen mode by releasing the keys.

Win + S– activation and opening of an automatic search query. Using a word, phrase, or link previously saved in the clipboard (hot keys Ctrl+C or Copy), you can immediately go to the page with search results.

Win+ D— all open windows are minimized and you have a clean desktop in front of you. A useful function for those who like to do “non-work” things at work. Pressing again returns all active windows to their original position.

Combination Win + M in the same way it minimizes all windows, but does not allow you to return it back by pressing it again.

WIN+ L– instant transition to the screen with the user’s login password. The second way to quickly hide your home screen from prying eyes.

WIN+ E- a useful combination for those who are used to using Explorer and do not want to spend a long time looking for the “My Computer” icon on the desktop

WIN+ R– open the “Run” command so that you can enter the appropriate command in the prompt line.

WIN+ X– go to a window with a choice of the option to shut down or restart the computer.

WIN+ G– On Windows 10, this keyboard shortcut activates the additional X Games application. If you delve into the settings, you can configure video recording of games for later saving the video and uploading it to third-party resources.

WIN + I– go to the Windows 10 shell settings menu.

Win+ arrow(left or right) – snap the window to the left or right area of the screen.

Win+ arrow(down) – minimizes the active window.

Win+arrow(up) – allows you to expand the active window to full screen.

Win+ numbers(1,2,3, etc.) – to activate applications in the order they are located on the taskbar.

Win + P– open the Projector menu. A convenient function for switching between screens and selecting a display method when connecting external devices to a laptop or computer.

Win+ T– sequential switching between icons located on the taskbar.

Win+ A– in the Win 10 shell, this combination opens all active notifications from Windows.

This is not a complete list of useful keyboard shortcuts in Windows 10. There are shortcuts consisting of three keys (in addition to letters, auxiliary keys Ctrl, Alt, Shift, etc. are also used), but not every user has enough free time to remember them, so a small a cheat sheet in the form of a simple table may come in handy.