You should try out these Windows key combinations

Many frequently repeated work steps on the PC can be completed much faster with keyboard shortcuts. There are dozens that are impossible to memorize, but every Windows user should know a few particularly practical and helpful shortcuts.

Keyboard shortcuts are a great thing because they make working on a Windows PC so much easier. There are many dozens, but most users probably only know a handful of them at best.

The most popular are probably Control + C and Ctrl + V for copying and pasting selected elements. Control + A to select everything and Control + Z to undo a step are also familiar to most users. The same applies to Ctrl + S to save and Ctrl + P to print.

Control + X to cut something out, Ctrl + O to open files within a program and Ctrl + N to start a new project are perhaps also quite well known.

It's worth trying out other keyboard shortcuts, ntv.de presents some combinations that you should try out. Some of them have only been around since Windows 11, others have been part of the operating system for a long time, but are still unknown to many users.

Windows key + E

The file explorer is often placed on the desktop or in the taskbar for quick access. However, it is much easier to open it with Windows + E.

Ctrl + Alt + Del

Ctrl + Alt + Del used to be common knowledge, as Windows computers often made problems. Windows 10 and 11 are fairly stable, but sometimes a program still freezes. The quickest way to fix the problem is to use the "bracket handle" to access the task manager. After using the combination, you can also change the password, change users, log off or lock the computer. The latter can be done more quickly via Windows + L.

Windows + V

If you press Control + C, you can copy an element to the clipboard to paste it elsewhere. What many users don't know: If you repeat the step, the copied content is not lost. You can find it in the clipboard history, which you open with Windows + V. If the function has not yet been activated, you can do this the first time you use the combination.

Windows + I

You can also activate the clipboard history in the settings by pressing Windows + I.

Windows + A/N

Windows + A opens the quick settings under Windows 11. In Windows 10, this launches the Info Center, which also displays notifications. To see this information in Windows 11, use Windows + N.

Alt + Tab

The Alt + Tab combination is super handy because it opens an overview of all open windows and programs. To select one of them, hold down the Alt key and keep tapping Tab until the desired thumbnail is activated. Then release both keys.

Windows + Tab

Windows + Tab opens the so-called timeline. It also shows a thumbnail overview of open windows and programs. You can also see activities from the past few days and quickly access all virtual desktops or create new ones.

You can also press Windows + Ctrl + D to create a new virtual desktop and switch directly to it. Programs are simply assigned in the task view by dragging them onto the thumbnail of a desktop. If you want to remove a desktop, press Windows + Ctrl + F4 while it is displayed.

Windows + D

If you want to take a look at the desktop, you don't have to close or minimize windows until you can see it. Simply press Windows + D.

Windows + Shift + S

If you want to take a screenshot, you can search for and open the "Cut and sketch" app. However, it is much easier to use Windows + Shift + S to capture the entire screen, a freely selected section, a rectangle or a window.

Various keys + press

If you need a quick screenshot, use Windows + Print to take a screenshot of the screen. It is saved directly in the user folder under Pictures\Screenshots. You can save a screenshot to the clipboard by simply pressing Print. From here, you can paste it into an image editing program, for example. Press Alt + Print to take a screenshot of the active window.

Windows + arrow keys

If you like to work with several windows at the same time, you can use the Windows key and the arrow keys. This is particularly practical for large screens. Windows + left arrow or Windows + right arrow moves the window to the respective corner. To place it in the top or bottom corners, press Windows + up arrow or Windows + down arrow immediately afterwards. If you press Windows + up arrow directly, you maximize the current window; to minimize it, press Windows + down arrow.

Windows + Z

If Windows 11 is installed on the computer, "Snap Assist" helps you to arrange the windows on the desktop by allowing you to select one of six different layouts for two, three or four windows. The function is called up with Windows + Z.

Alt + F4

To close an application, you don't have to click on the small cross in the top right corner. This is much easier and quicker with Alt + F4. If no application is selected, the key combination opens the window to shut down, restart or hibernate the computer. You can log off or switch users at the same point.

Ctrl + Plus/Minus

Ctrl + Plus enlarges screen content, which is good for websites with text that is too small, for example. Ctrl + Minus makes the display smaller again.

Windows + S

Press Windows + S to open the universal search. This is not only the easiest way to find contacts, files, photos and more. It is also the quickest way to start a program that is not fixed in the taskbar or linked to the desktop. If you enter the name of the application, it will appear in the search results after the first few letters.

Windows + W

Some users ignore them, others find the widgets in Windows 11 useful for getting a quick overview of news and information from apps. If this is the case, the quickest way to call them up is with Windows + W.