CMS- Computer & Mobile Services

Know your Internet browser shortcuts

There are dozens of different shortcut keys that can be used with Internet browsers. Below are a few of our top suggested Internet browser shortcuts.

- Pressing Alt + D in any major Internet browser will move the cursor into the address bar. This is a great way to quickly enter an Internet address without having to click the mouse cursor in the address bar.
- Hold down the Ctrl key and press the + or - to increase and decrease the size of text.
- Press the backspace key or hold down the Alt key + left arrow to go back a page.
- Press F5 to refresh or reload a web page.
- Press F11 to make the Internet browser screen full screen. Press F11 again to return back to the normal view.
- Press Ctrl + B to open your Internet bookmarks.
- Press Ctrl + F to open the find box in the browser to search for text within the web page you're looking at.

Windows keyboard key shortcuts

Below is a listing of Windows keys that can be used on computers running a Microsoft Windows 95 or later and using a keyboard with a Windows key. In the below list of shortcuts, the Windows key is represented by "WINKEY" and because not all these shortcuts will work in all versions of Windows we've mentioned what versions of Windows support each Windows key shortcut key.

All versions of Windows

WINKEY
Pressing the Windows key alone will open or hide the Windows Start menu. In Windows 8, this will open or hide the Start screen.

WINKEY + F1
Open the Microsoft Windows help and support center.

WINKEY + Pause / Break key
Open the System Properties window.

WINKEY + D
Opens the Desktop to the top of all other windows.

WINKEY + E
Open Microsoft Windows Explorer.

WINKEY + F
Display the Windows Search or Find feature.

WINKEY + Ctrl + F
Display the search for computers window.

WINKEY + L
Lock the computer and switch users if needed (Windows XP and above only).

WINKEY + M
Minimizes all windows.

WINKEY + Shift + M
Undo the minimize done by WINKEY + M and WINKEY + D.

WINKEY + R
Open the run window.

WINKEY + U
Open Utility Manager or the Ease of Access Center.

Windows function key shortcuts

Below is a listing of keyboard shortcuts that use the keyboard function keys. See our what are F1 through F12 keys page for a full listing of what function keys do with all other programs.

F1
Activates help for current open application. If you're at the Windows Desktop, this will activate the help for Windows.

F2
Renames a highlighted icon, file, or folder in all versions of Windows.

F3
Starts find or search when at the Windows Desktop in all versions of Windows.

F4
In Windows 95 and later this opens the drive selection or address bar when browsing files in Windows Explorer.

Pressing Alt + F4 closes the current open program window without a prompt in all versions of Windows.
Pressing Ctrl + F4 closes the open window within the current active window in Microsoft Windows. This will only work in programs that support multiple windows or tabs in the same program window.
F6
While in Windows Explorer, this will move the cursor to different Windows Explorer pane or in Windows 7 browse available drives.

F8
Pressing F8 over and over as the computer is booting will start the computer in Safe Mode.

F10
Activates the File menu bar in all versions of Windows.

Simulates a right-click on selected item. This is useful if right-click is difficult or impossible using the mouse.