Internet Explorer shortcut keys

Below is a listing of all the major shortcut keys in Microsoft Internet Explorer. See our main shortcut page if you're looking for other shortcut keys used in other programs.

Microsoft Windows shortcut keys

Below is a listing of all the major shortcut keys in Microsoft Windows as well as the versions of Microsoft Windows they're supported in. If you're looking for shortcut keys or information about how to navigate Microsoft Windows using your keyboard instead of the mouse see document CH000791. See our main shortcut page if you're looking for other shortcut keys used in other programs.

Windows key keyboard shortcuts

Below is a listing of Windows keys that can be used on computers running a Microsoft Windows operating system and using a keyboard with a Windows key. In the below list of shortcuts, the Windows key is represented by "WINKEY".

What are the F1 through F12 keys?

Question:

What are the F1 through F12 keys?

Answer:

Commonly known as "function keys", F1 through F12 may have a variety of different uses or no use at all. Depending on the installed operating system and the software program currently open will change how each of these keys operate. A program is capable of not only using each of the function keys, but also combining the function keys with the ALT and/or CTRL keys, for example, Microsoft Windows users can press ALT + F4 to close the program currently active.

Below is a short-listing of some of the common functions of the functions keys on computers running Microsoft Windows. As mentioned above not all programs support function keys and/or may perform different tasks then those mentioned below. If you are looking for more specific shortcut keys and function key examples we suggest seeing our shortcut key page.

F1

• Almost always used as the help key, almost every program will open the help screen when this key is pressed.
• Windows Key + F1 would open the Microsoft Windows help and support center.
• Open the Task Pane.

F2

• In Windows commonly used to rename a highlighted icon or file.
• Alt + Ctrl + F2 opens a new document in Microsoft Word.
• Ctrl + F2 displays the print preview window in Microsoft Word.

F3

• Often opens a search feature for many programs including Microsoft Windows.
• Shift + F3 will change the text in Microsoft Word from upper to lower case or a capital letter at the beginning of every word.

F4

• Open find window.
• Repeat the last action performed (Word 2000+)
• Alt + F4 will close the program currently active in Microsoft Windows.
• Ctrl + F4 will close the open window within the current active window in Microsoft Windows.

F5

• In all modern Internet browsers pressing F5 will refresh or reload the page or document window.
• Open the find, replace, and go to window in Microsoft Word.
• Starts a slideshow in PowerPoint.

F6

• Move the cursor to the Address bar in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
• Ctrl + Shift + F6 opens to another open Microsoft Word document.

F7

• Commonly used to spell check and grammar check a document in Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, etc.
• Shift + F7 runs a Thesaurus check on the word highlighted.
• Turns on Caret browsing in Mozilla Firefox.

F8

• Function key used to enter the Windows startup menu, commonly use to get into Windows safe mode.

F9

• Opens the Measurements toolbar in Quark 5.0.

F10

• In Microsoft Windows activates the menu bar of an open application.
• Shift + F10 is the same as right-clicking on a highlighted icon, file, or Internet link.

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  General keyboard shortcuts

  •	CTRL+C (Copy)
  •	CTRL+X (Cut)
  •	CTRL+V (Paste)
  •	CTRL+Z (Undo)
  •	DELETE (Delete)
  •	SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
  •	CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
  •	CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
  •	F2 key (Rename the selected item)
  •	CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
  •	CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
  •	CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
  •	CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
  •	CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
  •	SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
  •	CTRL+A (Select all)
  •	F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
  •	ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
  •	ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
  •	ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
  •	ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
  •	CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
  •	ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
  •	ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
  •	F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
  •	F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
  •	SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
  •	ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
  •	CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
  •	ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
  •	Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
  •	F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
  •	RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
  •	LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
  •	F5 key (Update the active window)
  •	BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
  •	ESC (Cancel the current task)
  •	SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
  •	CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)

  Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

  If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again. Extended selection mode cancels itself when you move the focus to another control.

  •	CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
  •	CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
  •	TAB (Move forward through the options)
  •	SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
  •	ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
  •	ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
  •	SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
  •	Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
  •	F1 key (Display Help)
  •	F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
  •	BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)