Technology Knowledge Base
Commonly used keyboard shortcuts
A keyboard shortcut is a series of keys you can press to complete a computer command. Keys that are meant to be pressed at the same time are joined by a plus sign (+) in written text. For example, Ctrl+C means you should press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the C key.
Review the table below for a list of the most commonly used keyboard shortcuts. Please note the abbreviation “Ctrl” is short for the Control key on a Windows computer, and the abbreviation “Cmnd” is short for the Command key on a Mac computer.
| Command | Windows shortcut | Mac shortcut | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| New | Ctrl + N | Cmnd + N | Opens a new window or document |
| Save | Ctrl + S | Cmnd + S | Saves a file or document |
| Find | Ctrl + F | Cmnd + F | Opens a search box to find specific words on a page or in a document |
| Select All | Ctrl + A | Cmnd + A | Selects all text and items on a page or in a document |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | Cmnd + X | Copies and removes an item or text (use with the Paste command) |
| Copy | Ctrl + C | Cmnd + C | Copies an item or text (use with the Paste command) |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | Cmnd + V | Inserts the item that was most recently cut or copied |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Cmnd + Z | Undoes the previous action |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | Cmnd + Y | Redoes the previous action that had been undone |
| Ctrl + P | Cmnd + P | Prints the open file or document | |
| New browser tab | Ctrl + T | Cmnd + T | Opens new browser tab |
| Close browser tab | Ctrl + W | Cmnd + W | Closes open browser tab |
| Restore browser tab | Ctrl + Shift + T | Cmnd + Shift + T | Reopens previously closed browser tab(s) |
| Close window | Ctrl + Shift + W | Cmnd + Shift + W | Closes window |
| Task Manager / Force Quit | Ctrl + Alt + Delete | Cmnd + Opt + Esc | Opens Task Manager (useful for terminating crashed programs or shutting down a frozen computer) |
Resources
- “Keyboard Shortcuts,” from Computer Applications for Managers
- “How to Close Browser Tabs With a Keyboard Shortcut (in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari),” from How-To Geek
- “Keyboard shortcuts in Windows,” from Microsoft Support
- “Mac keyboard shortcuts,” from Apple Support