Windows XP keyboard shortcuts 

Windows XP    

Zeynel -
3 years ago
- Shortcuts

Windows XP is considered an outdated operating system as this article has written. However, for some (valid) reason if you're still using it, you may want to take advantage of these shortcuts. They're mostly not changed in newer Windows versions, but we thought a Windows XP-specific article would be nice. Use these shortcuts to get faster through the operating system, and please don't forget to keep your unsupported system secure by using an antivirus.

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Ctrl + C

Copy

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or Ctrl + C
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Ctrl + Z

Undo

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or Ctrl + Z
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Ctrl + A

Select all

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Ctrl + A

Select All

0
Ctrl + Y

Redo

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or Ctrl + Y
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Ctrl + V

Paste

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or Ctrl + V
0
or Ctrl + V
0
Del

Delete

-1
Ctrl + X

Cut

0
or Ctrl + X
0
Ctrl + W

Open a new window

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Space

Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

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Tab

Move forward through the options

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⤶ Enter

Perform the command for the active option or button

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Ctrl + C

Copy selected files/folders

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Ctrl + S

Save the open console

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F5

Refresh the active window

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or F5
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F5

Update the content of all console windows

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Ctrl + Z

Undo last action (undo copy, move, delete, etc)

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F2

Rename the selected item

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Ctrl + A

Select all (in current folder)

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Del

Delete (by default, will move items to Recycle Bin)

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F3

Search for a file or a folder

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Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder

0

Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder

0
Ctrl + X

Cut selected files/folders

0
Ctrl + N

Open a new console

0
Ctrl + O

Open a saved console

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F4

Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer

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F4

Display the Address bar list

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F6

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

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Home

Go to the top of the list

0
Backspace

Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

0

Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

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End

Go to the bottom of the list

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↑  Shift

(when inserting a CD or DVD) Prevent automatically playing / launching the CD or DVD

0
Ctrl + M

Add or remove a console item

0
F10

Activate the menu bar in the active program (similar to Alt key)

0
↑  Shift + Tab

Move backward through the options

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Ctrl

(hold when dragging an item) Copy selected item

0
or Ctrl
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Ctrl +

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word

0
Ctrl +

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word

0
Ctrl + Tab

Move forward through the tabs

0
Ctrl +

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph

0
Ctrl +

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph

0
Alt + F4

Close the console

0
Ctrl + F4

Close active document or tab in a program

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Ctrl + ↑  Shift + Tab

Move backward through the tabs

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↑  Shift + Del

Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.

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or ↑  Shift + Del
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Alt + A

Display the Action menu

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↑  Shift + F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

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Alt + F

Display the File menu

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↑  Shift +

Select a block of text one character at a time

0
Alt + O

Display the Favorites menu

0
Alt + V

Display the View menu

0
Alt + Space

Display the System menu for the active window

0
Alt + Space

Display the MMC window menu

0
Ctrl + ↑  Shift +

Highlight a block of text

0
Ctrl + ↑  Shift

(hold when dragging an item) Create a shortcut to selected item

0
or Ctrl + ↑  Shift
0
Alt + Tab

Switch between open programs in taskbar

0
↑   Right Shift

(hold for 8 seconds) Switch FilterKeys either on or off

0
Ctrl + Esc

Open / Close the Start menu

0
or Ctrl + Esc
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Num Lock

(hold for 5 seconds) Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off

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Win

Open / Close the Start menu

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Win + E

Open Windows Explorer

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Win + M

Minimize all open windows

0
Win + F

Search for a file or a folder

0
Win + L

Lock the computer (opens login screen)

0
Win + D

Display desktop, hide other windows. Press again to restore all windows

0
Win + ↑  Shift + M

Restore minimized windows

1
Win + R

Open the Run dialog box

0
Win + U

Open Utility Manager

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or Win + U
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Ctrl + Win + F

Search for computers

0
Win + F1

Display Windows Help

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Left Alt + ↑   Left Shift + Print Screen

Switch High Contrast either on or off

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Left Alt + ↑   Left Shift + Num Lock

Switch the MouseKeys either on or off

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↑  Shift then ↑  Shift then ↑  Shift then ↑  Shift then ↑  Shift

(5 times Shift) Switch the StickyKeys either on or off

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Alt then A - Z

(press underlined letter in a menu) Display the corresponding menu

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Num Lock + +

Display the contents of the selected folder

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Num Lock + -

Collapse the selected folder

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Alt then A - Z

(press underlined letter in a menu) Display the corresponding menu option

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These shortcuts involve using Windows key on your keyboard. They're usually globally available, meaning you may use them no matter what program is currently active.
These shortcuts can be used when editing text or when working with any type of items. Windows XP and many programs support them.
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Num Lock + *

Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder

These general shortcuts can also be used in Windows Explorer:

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Program information

Program name: Windows XP Windows XP (General)

Windows XP is an operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released in October 25, 2001. With increased performance and stability, an easier user interface, improved hardware support, Windows XP received positive reviews upon its release. Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14, 2009. Extended support ended on April 8, 2014.

Web page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_...

Last update: 11/30/2021 7:35 PM UTC

How easy to press shortcuts: 80%

More information >>

Updated: Updated program information. (3 updates.) 11/30/2021 2:10:30 PM New program added.
11/30/2021 2:14:22 PM Updated program information.
11/30/2021 7:35:31 PM Updated program information.

Shortcut count: 92

Platform detected: Windows or Linux

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