Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

Start Screen

Win	Toggle the new start menu on or off
Win+D	Switch to classic Windows desktop
Win+,	Peek at desktop
←	Select the tile to the left
→	Select the tile to the right
Win+PgUp	Move tiles to the left
Win+PgDn	Move tiles to the right
Win+B	Switch to classic Windows desktop and select notification tray

Starting Programs

Win+1	Open the first program on your Quick Launch bar
Win+2	Open the second program on your Quick Launch bar
Win+n	Open the nth program on your Quick Launch bar
Win+Q	Open Application Search panel
Win+F	Open File Search panel
Win+E	Open Explorer
Win+R	Open the Run window [more info]
Ctrl+Shift+Esc	Open Windows Task Manager

Logging In And Out

Win+X,U,U	Shutdown
Win+X,U,R	Restart
Win+X,U,S	Sleep
Win+X,U,I	Sign out
Win+L	Locks computer

Charms, Share, Search, Settings, and other Panels

Win+C	Open Charms panel to search, share, and change settings
Win+H	Open Share panel
Win+I	Open Settings panel to change settings for the current application, volume, wireless networks, shut down
Win+P	Open Projection panel (generally used for laptops connected to projectors)
Win+K	Open Devices panel for connecting to a projector or other device
Win+Z	Open the current application's application bar
Win+Q	Open Application Search panel
Win+W	Open Settings Search panel
Win+F	Open File Search panel

Managing Windows

Win+Tab	Switch between Metro applications
Win+.	Snap current Metro application to the right
Win+Shift.	Snap current Metro application to the left
Win+J	Cycle through snapped Metro applications
Alt+F4	Close the active window
Alt+Tab	Switch to previous active window
Alt+Esc	Cycle through all open windows
Win+T	Cycle through applications on taskbar (showing its live preview)
Win+M	Minimize all open windows
Win+D	Toggle showing the desktop
Win+↑	Maximize the current window
Win+↓	If the current window is maximized, restore it; if the current window is restored, minimize it
Win+←	Dock the current window to the left half of the screen *If it is already docked left, it is moved to the right half of the screen *If it is already docked right, it is restored to its original size
Win+→	Dock the current window to the right half of the screen *If it is already docked right, it is moved to the left half of the screen *If it is already docked left, it is restored to its original size
Win+Shift+←	Move current window to the left monitor (with dual monitors)
Win+Shift+→	Move current window to the right monitor (with dual monitors)
Win+Home	Minimize all but the current window (press again to undo)
Win+Y	Peek at the desktop
Win+[Plus sign]	Zoom in
Win+[Minus sign]	Zoom out
Win+V	Cycle through toasts
Win+ShiftV	Cycle in reverse through toasts

Taskbar Modifiers

Shift+Click	Open a new instance of the program
Ctrl+Click	Cycle between windows in a group
Middle Click	Open a new instance of the program
Ctrl+Shift+Click	Open a new instance of the program as Administrator
Shift+Right-Click	Show window menu

 

Viewing Folders With Explorer

Alt+P	Show/hide the preview pane
Alt+←	Go back
Alt+→	Go forward
Alt+↑	Go up a directory
Alt+D	Move focus to address bar
Alt+D, Tab	Move focus to search bar
Alt+Enter	Open the Properties window of the current selection
Ctrl+Mousewheel	Change the view type (extra large, small, list view, detail, etc.)
Alt+P	Show/hide the preview pane

Other

Win+L	Lock computer
Win+B	Move focus to notification tray (the right-most portion of the taskbar)
Win+O	Lock device orientation (landscape/portrait); for devices with a gyroscope
Win+Space	Switch input language and keyboard layout
Win+Enter	Open Narrator
Win+Pause	Open the System Properties portion from the Control Panel