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Surface Shortcuts

archapacman

New Member
We should pin this somewhere. I would like to know all the newly discovered shortcuts. Very useful.

Some that I have found ultra useful:

Screenshot:
Tablet's windows button + lower volume button

Open OneNote select screenshot from anywhere:
Windows Key + S

Go back to desktop:
Windows key + D
Windows key + M

Snap right/left:
Windows + .
Windows + Shift + .
(can also keep shifting)

Switch apps:
Windows + tab

Switch apps and desktop applications:
Alt + tab



However, most of these are desktop features of the surface. I would like to know some tablet features
 
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dvdcatalyst

Guest
Thanks for the screenshot one, that comes in handy.

Here are a few more:

Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
Windows Logo+R: Run dialog
Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows
Windows Logo+P: Second Screen stuff
Windows Logo+C: Opens settings panel (right side) (same as corner swipe)
Windows Logo+K: Opens send to devices
Windows Logo+I: Opens settings menu on the right side (change pc settings at bottom right)
 

Mr.NK

Super Moderator
Although gestures are the first way, i think shortcuts are essential. With all the new threads, sticky seems to be right :D
 
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dvdcatalyst

Guest
Although gestures are the first way, i think shortcuts are essential. With all the new threads, sticky seems to be right :D

I think a Sticky is good for this as well.

Especially with the Surface, but also during computer stuff, I rely on a few shortcuts(mainly the first 2 I mentioned, the run dialog and windows explorer) and I was VERY pleased to find out that those 2 worked like I am used to.
 

leeshor

Well-Known Member
Here is a really extensive list. Some are Windows 8 only but most work on RT

Windows key: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application
Windows key + C: Access the charms bar
Windows key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop Taskbar
Windows key + I: Access the Settings charm
Windows key + H: Access the Share charm
Windows key + K: Access the Devices charm
Windows key + Q: Access the Apps Search screen
Windows key + F: Access the Files Search screen
Windows key + W: Access the Settings Search screen
Windows key + P: Access the Second Screen bar
Windows key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App running
Windows key + X: Access the Windows Tools Menu
Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation
Windows key + . : Move the screen split to the right
Windows key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left
Windows key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications
Windows key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order
Windows key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as Screenshot
Windows key + Enter: Launch Narrator
Windows key + E: Open Computer
Windows key + R: Open the Run dialog box
Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access Center
Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog box
Windows key + Pause/Break: Open the System page
Windows key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item
Windows key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area
Windows key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar
Windows key + M: Minimize all windows
Windows key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows
Windows key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows)
Windows key + L: Lock computer
Windows key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window
Windows key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window
Windows key + Home: Minimize all but the current window
Windows key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen
Windows key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen
Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen
Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next
Windows key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support

PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
Esc: Close a charm
Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application
Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen

Alt: Display a hidden Menu Bar
Alt + D: Select the Address Bar
Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer
Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows
Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows
Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop
Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window
Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened
Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item
Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboard
Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP)
Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder
Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder
Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Autoplay or Autorun
Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin)
Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item
Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items
Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program
Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected item
Ctrl + A: Select all items
Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item
Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item
Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item
Ctrl + D: Delete selected item
Ctrl + Z: Undo an action
Ctrl + Y: Redo an action
Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer
Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer
Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of a window
Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder
Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager
Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windows
Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen
Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items
Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folder
Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folder
Ctrl + Tab: Move forward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an Administrator
Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the group
F1: Display Help
F2: Rename a file
F3: Open Search
F4: Display the Address Bar list
F5: Refresh display
F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt
F10: Display hidden Menu Bar
F11: Toggle full screen display
Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboard
Home: Move to the top of the active window
End: Move to the bottom of the active window
Delete: Delete the selected item
Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows Explorer Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog box
Esc: Close a dialog box
Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the selected folder
Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folder
Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under the selected folder

Press Shift 5 times Turn StickyKeys on or off
Hold down right Shift for 8 seconds Turn FilterKeys on or off
Hold down Num Lock for 5 seconds Turn ToggleKeys on or off

Mainly Surface Pro tips
1. Buy the biggest SDXC card you can right away
2. Many programs will not install to a removable drive (sdxc card) so create a directory junction on drive c: to drive d:
2.a window key+x, command prompt (admin), cd\, mklink /j drived d:\, exit
2.b now you can refer to drive d: as c:\drived and your programs will install and work on your sdxc card
3. Window key + x is your friend
4. Window bezel button + Vol up = narrator on/off
5. Window bezel button + Vol down = screen shot to clipboard
6. Window bezel button + power button = ctrl+alt+delete
7. From powered off, power on button + Vol up = bios settings
8. From powered off, power on button + Vol down = advanced boot options
9. Turn off hibernate feature and save about 3GB of space
9.a window key + x, command prompt (admin), powercfg /h off
10. Get rid of recover partition, put it on a cheap usb 3 memory drive and save 7.8GB of space
10.a insert usb 3 memory drive in usb port
10.b window key + x, run, recoverydrive, choose copy and follow prompts, choose to delete recovery partition
 
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J515OP

Super Moderator
Here are shortcuts specific to Win 8 and RT New keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8 and Windows RT - Microsoft Windows

Key 1/ Key 2/ Key 3/ Action

Windows logo key* start typing Search your PC

Ctrl plus (+) or minus (-) Zoom in or out of a large number of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen

Ctrl scroll wheel Zoom in or out of a large number of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen

Windows logo key* C Open the charms

Windows logo key* F Open the Search charm to search files

Windows logo key* H Open the Share charm

Windows logo key* I Open the Settings charm

Windows logo key* J Switch the main app and snapped app

Windows logo key* K Open the Devices charm

Windows logo key* O Lock the screen orientation (portrait or landscape)

Windows logo key* Q Open the Search charm to search apps

Windows logo key* W Open the Search charm to search settings

Windows logo key* Z Show the commands available in the app

Windows logo key* spacebar Switch input language and keyboard layout

Windows logo key* Ctrl spacebar Change to a previously selected input

Windows logo key* Tab Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps)

Windows logo key* Ctrl Tab Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps) and snap them as they are cycled

Windows logo key* Shift Tab Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps) in reverse order

Windows logo key* PgUp Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the left (Apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)

Windows logo key* PgDown Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the right (apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)

Windows logo key* Shift period (.) Snaps an app to the left

Windows logo key* period (.) Snaps an app to the right
 

ArnoldC

New Member
This list is on the Microsoft website. Cut and paste it into your OneNote and you're good.
Sent from my Windows Phone 8S by HTC using Board Express
 

J515OP

Super Moderator
I thought we started with the pocket versions and got back to it by only using half of the ones from the list you gave ;) I think the key (ha no pun intended) is the Windows key is the one that is used primarily with Win8/RT. The rest (Alt, Shift, Ctrl) are general Windows shortcuts that work with most versions of Windows including 8/RT.

It can't hurt to have it listed all sorts of ways. You never know which one will be the one that jumps out to a particular persons needs :D
 
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