The keyboard is a fascinating invention allowing user experience with PCs and laptops to be at the greatest. There are several keys on the keyboard functioning individually and together with other keys. One such key, the windows key, is used for several shortcuts.
Read on to learn where you can locate the windows key and how you can use it.
Where Is Windows Key On The Keyboard
The windows key, also known as the “winkie”, is found on most keyboards, especially IBM compatible keyboards used with a laptop or a personal computer. The windows key can be easily found as the one with the Microsoft logo on it.
It is present between the Control (Ctrl) and Alt key on the left side of the keyboard on the extreme bottom row, or also in the middle between the Alt and Menu key on the right side of the space bar.
The windows key is easy to use but often encounters issues. To troubleshoot the problem with your windows key, read the content below.
What If The Windows Key Is Not Working?
If the windows key does not work, check out the pointers below to troubleshoot the problem.
While checking for the windows key to work, press the Windows key alone and also with any other shortcut key to understand if there is a problem individually or in the application altogether.
- Turn off your function key while troubleshooting problems with the windows key.
- Check for the modifier keys on the keyboard and press all of them. For example, try pressing the shift, control, and alt keys on both the keyboard at least once.
- Try rebooting the computer.
- Plug out the keyboard from the system and plugin again
- If none of the above works, you may have to get the keyboard checked with an IT specialist and replace it.
However, if one of the keys does not work, then there may be dust caught underneath the key or the link to the keyboard may be broken.
Complete List Of Windows Key Shortcuts – Windows 10
Pressing the Windows key alone, it pops the start menu. The key can be paired up with several other keys for the shortcut.
Here is a complete list of shortcuts employed with the windows key for better usability:
- Windows Key or Ctrl + Esc: Open Start Menu
- Windows key + A: Open the Action Center
- Windows key + B: Navigate to Icons at the right position of the taskbar
- Windows key + D: Shows desktop
- Windows key + E: Open Windows File Explorer
- Windows key + F: Open Comments Hub
- Windows key + Ctrl + F: Search for computers on the network
- Windows key + G: Open Game Bar
- Windows key + H: Open the Share sidebar
- Windows key + I: Open the Settings menu
- Windows key + K: Open the Connect sidebar for connecting to new Bluetooth or Miracast devices.
- Windows key + L: Lock the computer session
- Windows key + M: Minimize all windows
- Windows key + Shift + M: Restore minimized windows.
- Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation
- Windows key + P: Open projection sidebar
- Windows key + Q: Open taskbar search
- Windows key + R: Open Run window
- Windows key + S: Open taskbar search
- Windows key + T: Scroll pinned icons at the taskbar
- Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access settings windows
- Windows key + V: Paste from Windows Clipboard
- Windows key + W: Open the Windows Ink Workspace
- Windows key + X: Open the context menu for the Start button
- Windows key + [Number]: Open the app pinned in the [number] position on the taskbar. For example, if you have Edge pinned in the first position on the taskbar and you click Windows key + 1, Edge will open
- Windows key + Alt + [Number]: Open the right-click menu for the app pinned in the [number] position on the taskbar
- Windows key + F1: Open “how to get help in Windows 10” Bing search in the Edge browser
- Windows key + Home: Minimize all windows except the selected or currently active window
- Windows key + Up arrow: Maximize the selected window
- Windows key + Shift + Up arrow: Maximize the active window vertically while maintaining its width
- Windows key + Down arrow: Minimize the selected window
- Windows key + Left arrow or Right arrow: Snap selected window to the left or right half of the screen
- Windows key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow: Move the selected window to the left or right monitor
- Windows key + Tab: Open Task view (Virtual Desktops)
- Windows key + Ctrl + D: Add new virtual desktop
- Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow: Move to the next virtual desktop (to the right)
- Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow: Move to the previous virtual desktop (to the left)
- Windows key + Ctrl + F4: Close current virtual desktop
- Windows key + Pause: Open System Properties window
- Windows key + . or ; : Open Emojis window
- Windows key + Ctrl + M: Open Magnifier Ease of Access settings
Endnotes
Keyboard shortcuts are a great way to minimize effort on a large-scale. Windows key is not present on the Chromebook and Apple computers. It is only found on the keyboards that are designed for Microsoft. In Apple keyboards, there is the Command key instead of the Windows key.
In addition to that, the Chromebook keyboard has a search key similar to the windows key. However, the design and placement of the option can the search key may be different from that of the windows key in the Microsoft keyboard.
