Windows 10 Tip: Master New Keyboard Shortcuts

With Window 10 and its renewed focus on the desktop, Microsoft is expanding the already-broad collection of keyboard shortcuts in Windows to address new features and functionality. Not surprisingly, many of them are related to multitasking.

Note: I wrote previously about Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts in Windows 8 Tip: Windows Key Shortcuts and Windows 8 Tip: Master Keyboard Shortcuts. Most if not all of the shortcuts discussed in those articles still work in Windows 10.

The following new keyboard shortcuts are available in the Windows Technical Preview version of Windows 10:

Snap

WINKEY + LEFT and WINKEY + RIGHT still position apps horizontally. But you can now use WINKEY + UP and WINKEY + DOWN to position apps vertically (i.e. in quadrants).

Task View

WINKEY + TAB activates the new Task View, which lets you access running apps and virtual desktops. Unlike with previous WINKEY + TAB functionality (Windows Flip 3D in Vista/7 and Switcher in Windows 8), you can now release both keys Task View will remain open.

Virtual desktops

Several keyboard shortcuts are available for virtual desktops:

WINKEY + TAB: Enter Task View and access virtual desktops.

WINKEY + CTRL + LEFT and WINKEY + CTRL + RIGHT: Switch between virtual desktops.

WINKEY + CTRL + D: Create a new virtual [D]esktop.

WINKEY + CTRL + F4: Close the current virtual desktop.