Computer Shortcuts & Special Characters Study Guide
This comprehensive study guide contains all the shortcut keys from the reference material, organized cleanly to ensure complete coverage for your exam preparation and study repository on RajNote.
1. Basic Shortcut Keys
Alt + F: File menu options in current program
Alt + E: Edit options in current program
F1: Universal help (for all programs)
Ctrl + A: Select all text
Ctrl + X: Cut selected item
Shift + Del: Cut selected item
Ctrl + C: Copy selected item
Ctrl + Ins: Copy selected item
Ctrl + V: Paste
Shift + Ins: Paste
Home: Go to beginning of current line
Ctrl + Home: Go to beginning of document
End: Go to end of current line
Ctrl + End: Go to end of document
Shift + Home: Highlight from current position to beginning of line
Shift + End: Highlight from current position to end of line
Ctrl + ←: Move one word to the left at a time
Ctrl + →: Move one word to the right at a time
Key Point
Basic shortcut combinations like Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Home, and End form the foundation of efficient text editing and clipboard manipulation across operating systems.
2. Microsoft Windows Shortcut Keys
Alt + Tab: Switch between open applications
Alt + Shift + Tab: Switch backwards between open applications
Alt + Print Screen: Create screen shot for current program
Ctrl + Alt + Del: Reboot / Windows task manager
Ctrl + Esc: Bring up start menu
Alt + Esc: Switch between applications on taskbar
F2: Rename selected icon
F3: Start find from desktop
F4: Open the drive selection when browsing
F5: Refresh contents
Alt + F4: Close current open program
Ctrl + F4: Close window in program
Ctrl + Plus Key: Automatically adjust widths of all columns in Windows Explorer
Alt + Enter: Open properties window of selected icon or program
Shift + F10: Simulate right-click on selected item
Shift + Del: Delete programs/files permanently
Holding Shift During Bootup: Boot safe mode or bypass system files
Holding Shift During Bootup (Audio CD): When putting in an audio CD, will prevent CD Player from playing
3. WinKey Shortcuts
WINKEY + D: Bring desktop to the top of other windows
WINKEY + M: Minimize all windows
WINKEY + Shift + M: Undo the minimize done by WINKEY + M and WINKEY + D
WINKEY + E: Open Microsoft Explorer
WINKEY + Tab: Cycle through open programs on taskbar
WINKEY + F: Display the Windows Search/Find feature
WINKEY + Ctrl + F: Display the search for computers window
WINKEY + F1: Display the Microsoft Windows help
WINKEY + R: Open the run window
WINKEY + Pause/Break: Open the system properties window
WINKEY + U: Open utility manager
WINKEY + L: Lock the computer (Windows XP & later)
Key Point
Windows key (WinKey) shortcuts dramatically accelerate system-level navigation, file browsing, and instant workstation security locking.
4. Word Shortcut Keys
Ctrl + A: Select all contents of the page
Ctrl + B: Bold highlighted selection
Ctrl + C: Copy selected text
Ctrl + X: Cut selected text
Ctrl + N: Open new/blank document
Ctrl + O: Open options
Ctrl + P: Open the print window
Ctrl + F: Open find box
Ctrl + I: Italicize highlighted selection
Ctrl + K: Insert link
Ctrl + U: Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + V: Paste
Ctrl + Y: Redo the last action performed
Ctrl + Z: Undo last action
Ctrl + G / Ctrl + H: Find and replace options
Ctrl + J: Justify paragraph alignment
Ctrl + L / Ctrl + Q: Align selected text or line/paragraph to the left
Ctrl + E: Align selected text or line to the center
Ctrl + R: Align selected text or line to the right
Ctrl + M: Indent the paragraph
Ctrl + T: Hanging indent
Ctrl + D: Font options
Ctrl + Shift + F: Change the font
Ctrl + Shift + > / Ctrl + ]: Increase selected font +1
Ctrl + Shift + < / Ctrl + [: Decrease selected font -1
Ctrl + Shift + *: View or hide non printing characters
Ctrl + ← / Ctrl + →: Move one word to the left / right
Ctrl + ↑ / Ctrl + ↓: Move to beginning of line/paragraph or end of paragraph
Ctrl + Del: Delete word to right of cursor
Ctrl + Backspace: Delete word to left of cursor
Ctrl + End / Ctrl + Home: Move cursor to end / beginning of document
Ctrl + Space: Reset highlighted text to default font
Ctrl + 1: Single-space lines
Ctrl + 2: Double-space lines
Ctrl + 5: 1.5-line spacing
Ctrl + Alt + 1 / 2 / 3: Change text to heading 1, 2, or 3
Shift + F3: Change case of selected text
Shift + Insert: Paste
F4: Repeat last action performed (Word 2000+)
F7: Spell check selected text and/or document
Shift + F7: Activate the thesaurus
F12 / Shift + F12 / Ctrl + S: Save as / Save
Alt + Shift + D / T: Insert current date / time
Ctrl + W: Close document
5. Excel Shortcut Keys
F2: Edit the selected cell
F5 / Ctrl + G: Go to a specific cell / Open go-to options
F7: Spell check selected text and/or document
F11: Create chart
Ctrl + Shift + ;: Enter current time
Ctrl + ;: Enter current date
Alt + Shift + F1: Insert new worksheet
Shift + F3: Open the Excel formula window
Shift + F5 / Ctrl + F / Ctrl + H: Bring up search box / Find and replace options
Ctrl + A: Select all contents of worksheet
Ctrl + B / Ctrl + I / Ctrl + U: Bold, Italicize, or Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V: Copy / Paste
Ctrl + D: Fill
Ctrl + K: Insert link
Ctrl + Y: Underline selected text
Ctrl + 5: Strikethrough highlighted selection
Ctrl + O / Ctrl + N / Ctrl + P / Ctrl + S: Open options, new document, print dialog, save
Ctrl + Z: Undo last action
Ctrl + F9 / Ctrl + F10: Minimize / Maximize current window
Ctrl + F6: Switch between open workbooks/windows
Ctrl + Page Up & Page Down: Move between Excel worksheets in the same document
Ctrl + Tab: Move between two or more open Excel files
Alt + =: Create formula to sum all of above cells
Ctrl + ': Insert value of above cell into current cell
Ctrl + Shift + (!, $, #, %, ^, @): Format number in comma, currency, date, percentage, scientific, or time format
Ctrl + Space / Shift + Space: Select entire column / row
Ctrl + W: Close document
6. Outlook Shortcut Keys
Alt + S: Send the email
Ctrl + C / Ctrl + X: Copy / Cut selected text
Ctrl + P: Open print dialog box
Ctrl + K: Complete name/email typed in address bar
Ctrl + B / Ctrl + I / Ctrl + U: Bold, Italicize, or Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + R: Reply to an email
Ctrl + F: Forward an email
Ctrl + N: Create a new email
Ctrl + Shift + A: Create a new appointment to your calendar
Ctrl + Shift + O / I: Open the outbox / inbox
Ctrl + Shift + K: Add a new task
Ctrl + Shift + C: Create a new contact
Ctrl + Shift + J: Create a new journal entry
Key Point
Microsoft Outlook provides comprehensive keyboard shortcuts to handle messaging, task management, calendar entries, and contact organization seamlessly without relying on the mouse.