Hotkeys and shortcuts for Windows 10 File Explorer (Windows)

(Total 72)

Win + E
Manage Windows Explorer
Open Explorer
Alt + F , then N
Manage Windows Explorer
Duplicate Explorer Window via File, New Window
Ctrl + Q
Manage Windows Explorer
Quit/ close Windows Explorer
Alt + D , then Tab (forward) or Alt + Tab (backwards)
Manage Windows Explorer
Set baseline to Address Bar. Then navigate between (1) Address Bar, (2) Ribbon (3) Left Navigation Pane, (4) Folder Content Pane (Main Content Window), and (5) Sort Bar of Content Pane if present.
F5
Manage Windows Explorer
Refresh Explorer Window
F11
Manage Windows Explorer
Toggle Full Screen
Alt + D
Address Bar - Basics
Jump/ focus Address Bar with content selected
Alt + D , then Ctrl + C
Address Bar - Basics
Copy current path
Alt + D , then c:\(directory name}
Address Bar - Basics
With help of dropdown and Enter, select sub-directories. Note that the backslash is required for items in sub-directory to be visible.
Alt + D , then Alt + Down Arrow
Address Bar - Basics
Show previous locations
Alt + Up Arrow
Address Bar - Basics
Jump one level up
Alt + D , press and hold Alt then press Left Arrow , Right Arrow
Address Bar - Basics
Change focus from Address Bar to Folder Content (goes to previous/ next location and then changes focus to Folder Content; only works if a previous item is available)
%SystemDrive% or %HomeDrive%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\
%WinDir% or %SystemRoot%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\Windows
%HomePath%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\Users\UserName
%AppData%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming
%LocalAppData%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local
%Temp% or %Tmp%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typcially C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Temp
%Public%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\Users\Public
%ProgramFiles%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\ProgramFiles
%CommonProgramFiles%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\Program Files\Common Files
%AllUserProfile%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typically C:\ProgramData
%OneDrive%
Address Bar - Environment Variable Shorthands
Typcially C:\Users\UserName\OneDrive
*.docx
Windows Search Shortcuts
Search for all files with ending .docx
term1 AND term2
Windows Search Shortcuts
Search for term1 and term2 combined
term1 OR term2
Windows Search Shortcuts
Search for files/ folders containing term1 or term2
term1 -term2
Windows Search Shortcuts
Search for files/ folders containing term1, but not term2
"term1 term2"
Windows Search Shortcuts
Search for exact phrase
term1 date:>1/ 1 /2017
Windows Search Shortcuts
Search for files with timestamp greater Jan 1, 2017. < works equivalent
term size:(small/medium/large/etc.)
Windows Search Shortcuts
Search for files by size. After typing size:, options are offered in drop-down
Esc
Windows Search Shortcuts
Cancel Search
Alt + D , then 2x Tab
Left Navigation Pane Shortctus
Jump/ focus Navigation Pane
Arrow Up / Arrow Down
Left Navigation Pane Shortctus
One item up/ down
Page Up / Page Down
Left Navigation Pane Shortctus
One page up/ down
Home / End
Left Navigation Pane Shortctus
Go to first itme/ last item
Ctrl + Arrow Up / Arrow Down
Left Navigation Pane Shortctus
Scroll directory tree up/ down without changing focus
Arrow Left / Right Arrow on tree parent
Left Navigation Pane Shortctus
Open/ close directory tree
Shift + Arrow Left
Left Navigation Pane Shortctus
Change to parent element in tree when in sub-element
Alt + D , then 3x Tab
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Jump/ focus Folder Content Pane
Alt + H , then S A
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Select all items via Home, Select All. Also shorthand for changing focus to Folder Content
Arrow Up / Arrow Down
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
One item up/ down
Page Up / Page Down
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
One page up/ down
Home / End
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Go to first itme/ last item
Ctrl + Arrow Up / Arrow Down
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Scroll directory tree up/ down without changing focus
Shift + Arrow Up / Arrow Down
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Select multiple (adjacent) items
Press and hold Ctrl , Arow Keys , and press Space on multiple items
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Select multiple (non-adjacent) items
Alt + Arrow Left / Arrow Right
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Go to previous/ next location
Alt + Up Arrrow
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Up one level. There is no down one level, but you may use Alt+left to go to previous location
Alt + Enter on item
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Show properties of file or folder
Shift + F10 on item
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Navigate Files/ Folders
Open context menu of file or folder
Ctrl + Shift + N
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Manage File/ Folders
Create new folder
Ctrl + C , Ctrl + X , Ctrl + V
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Manage File/ Folders
Copy, cut, paste
Ctrl + Z
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Manage File/ Folders
Undo an action
Ctrl + Y
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Manage File/ Folders
Redo an action
Delete
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Manage File/ Folders
Delete an item and place it into the Recycle Bin
Shift + Delete
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Manage File/ Folders
Delete an item permanently without placing it into the Recycle Bin
F2
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Manage File/ Folders
Edit Item. Select name excluding file extension
Alt + D , then 3x Tab
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Jump/ focus Folder Content Pane (required for changing views with Ctrl+Shift+1…8
Ctrl + Shift + 1
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Extra Large Icons
Ctrl + Shift + 2
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Large Icons
Ctrl + Shift + 3
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Medium Icons
Ctrl + Shift + 4
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Small Icons
Ctrl + Shift + 5
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to List View
Ctrl + Shift + 6
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Details View
Ctrl + Shift + 7
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Tiles View
Ctrl + Shift + 8
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Content View
Alt + V , then S F
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Views
Change View to Size Fit all items within column width
With focus anywhere, Alt + D , then 4x Tab , then Enter
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Item Order
Jump/ focus Sort Bar (Content Area Table Header)
With focus on Folder Content Pane, 1x Tab
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Item Order
Jump/ focus Sort Bar (Content Area Table Header). Use after changing sort order to change again.
Arrow Left / Right Arrow on Sort Bar
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Item Order
Select sort column
Press Enter on Sort Bar Item
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Item Order
Change sort order ascending (or descending) by name, date, etc.
After changing sort order, press Tab , then Enter
Folder Content (Main Pane) - Change Item Order
Change sort order descending (or ascending)