MS Windows Keyboard Guide
This document presents basic keyboard navigation for Microsoft Windows 2000. For general Windows concepts and descriptions of the interface, consult online Help or the documentation supplied with your operating system. Developers may also find The Windows Interface Guidelines for Software Design by Microsoft Press to be useful.
This document describes conventions that are supported by most applications designed for Microsoft Windows 2000. However, different applications and different contexts do vary slightly. Also, while we recommend that applications generate a warning sound when unsupported keystrokes are used, many do not.
Microsoft Windows 2000 provides Accessibility Options that can make typing easier for people who have difficulty using the keyboard or pressing more than one key at a time. Consult online Help for details.
- General Keys
- Selecting Items by Access Key or by Name
- Desktop and Taskbar Navigation Keys
- Window manipulation keys
- Menu commands
- Windows Explorer keys
- View Control Keys
- Tree View Control Keys
- Dialog Boxes
- Text Navigation and Editing Keys
- Accessibility Keys
- Shortcut Keys for Applications or Documents
- Word Commands List
The following keys work throughout Microsoft Windows.
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Selecting Items by Access Key or by Name
Most dialog box controls, menu titles, and menu items have underlined access keys. You can press ALT along with the access key to activate the control or menu anywhere within the active window. If an item doesn't have an underlined character, its access key is the first character in its name.
Access keys can sometimes be used without the ALT key for choosing controls or menu items. Use access keys without ALT to select items from an open menu. You can choose a dialog box control by typing its access key alone, except when the focus is on an edit box, a list box, or another control that expects typed characters. Therefore, using the ALT is a more reliable method.
Choosing controls in this way normally activates them, except when more than one item has the same access key. In that case, it will navigate to the next item assigned that key, but will not activate it. You must then press enter to activate it.
Within a list box, list view, tree view, or on the desktop, you can select an item by typing the first one or more characters in its name. You can begin typing a new name by pausing, and in some cases by pressing BACKSPACE. Pressing the same character more than once at the beginning of a name will select the next item beginning with that character.
Desktop and Taskbar Navigation Keys
Depending on your setup, various items appear on your desktop when you start Microsoft Windows. For example, the My Computer icon provides access to a list of the drives and files on your computer. You can use the arrow keys to move from one icon to another, or you can select items by typing their names.
By default, the Start button and the taskbar are located at the bottom of your screen when you start Windows and are always visible when Windows is running. Every time you start a program or open a window, a button representing that window appears on the taskbar. When you close a window, its button disappears from the taskbar. The taskbar it has status indicators, including the time, shown at the rightmost end.
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It is often easier to use the Windows Explorer to manipulate objects that are on the desktop and in My Computer. The desktop is treated as the highest level directory on your computer in Windows Explorer, above the My Computer icon. Using the real desktop is often inconvenient because you have to minimize all other windows to be able to see it, but you can easily switch between Windows Explorer displaying the desktop group and any other application windows.
Like the desktop, one normally doesn't need to use the task bar except for the Start menu which can be accessed at all times by ctrl+esc. The following section describes keystrokes for switching between windows that can be used in place of the taskbar buttons.
Application windows contain running applications. At the top of the window is a title bar with the name of the application and the associated document. The title bar of the window you are currently using is usually a different color than those of the inactive windows. The application's menu bar is located directly below the title bar. Application windows can be positioned anywhere within the desktop borders. Since the active window always appears in the foreground it might overlap inactive windows, partially or completely obscuring them.
Windows can be arranged on the desktop through the taskbar shortcut menu. To reach this menu, use this sequence of keys: ctrl+esc, esc, tab, shift+f10. The following options are on the shortcut menu and may be reached using arrow keys or the underlined keys: Cascade, Tile Horizontally, Tile Vertically, Minimize all, Undo minimize all, Properties.
To move a window, choose the Move command from the leftmost icon on the title bar. Use arrow keys to move the window, followed by enter to accept or esc to cancel. To resize a window, choose the Size command then use an arrow key to choose which window border you want to move, then move it with the appropriate arrow keys, finally ending with enter to accept or esc to cancel
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Applications can have multiple document windows. Document windows appear within the applications windows, and like application windows may tile or overlap. Document windows have their own title bars unless they are maximized. When maximized, they fill the application workspace and share the application window's title bar and the document name is included with the name of the application on a shared title bar. The document window's document icon is added to the application menu bar on the far left. For example, in Microsoft Word the title bar says "Microsoft Word - Name of Document" when the document window is maximized. Commands that affect the application window affect the document window as well.
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For some applications, the application and document windows can be divided into two or more separate viewing areas called panes. This is useful when moving or copying information from one document to another or from one part of a document to another. Panes are also used when viewing both the body of the documents and the footnotes or annotations.
To split a window into two panes, open the Window menu and choose the Split command. The Split Bar appears in the middle of the window with the keyboard focus indicated by arrows. Move the split bar to the desired location using the arrow keys. Press enter to set the split bar in the desired location. Use f6 or tab to move between panes in a clockwise direction; add shift to reverse direction.
Applications frequently include commands that are listed in menus. Menus are represented by names on a menu bar at the top of each application window. In Microsoft Windows, you select a menu, and then choose a command from that menu. Choosing the command initiates the action. An ellipsis (...) after the menu indicates that a dialog box will appear after the command is chosen to ask for information that the application needs to carry out the command.
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The Windows Explorer displays the contents of a computer, drive or directory. The Windows logo key+e opens the Windows Explorer at any time, and it can also be started from Programs on the Start menu. It normally has two panes, the left pane showing a tree view of your folders, and the right pane showing the contents of one folder.
Windows Explorer can also show a single-pane, without the tree view. In this case it normally hides the toolbar unless you explicitly turn it on using the View menu. The same information is can be accessed using the My Computer icon from the desktop, and in the standard Open and Save As dialog boxes.
In the View menu offers a choice of icon displays. The Large Icons view displays the contents of a drive or directory as large icons in horizontal rows. The Small Icons view displays the same information in small icons in horizontal rows. The List menu item displays directories and files as small icons in vertical columns. The Details view displays files as a single column of icons with multiple columns of information about each file.
Files and folders can be moved or copied by using the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands from the Edit menu or by shortcut keys. Moving a program icon does not change the performance of the program. Deleting a program icon does not delete all the files associated with the program, so install or delete programs using the Add/Remove Programs option in Control Panel.
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Tree views display a set of objects as an indented outline based on their hierarchical relationships. For example, the All Folders pane in the Windows Explorer is a tree view. Files and folders can be moved or copied in tree view by using the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands. Tree view only supports single selection of items.
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A dialog box is a window that appears temporarily on top of your application window to request information. Message boxes are simple dialog boxes that appear to display additional information, warnings, or to explain why a requested task could not be accomplished. Dialog boxes often contain groups of controls necessary to set options or settings for programs. A typical dialog box might contain some text, a set of radio buttons, and OK and Cancel push buttons.
Controls that have an access key in their titles can be selected or chosen by typing alt+the underlined letter at any time when the dialog box is active. tab will move the keyboard focus between controls, but which items are visited by tab and their order may vary between applications. Typically, items that cannot be changed are not visited by the tab key. arrow keys are used to move within a list box, groups of option controls, or groups of page tabs. arrow keys can move the keyboard focus between other controls but this behavior is not reliable. Options that are unavailable appear dimmed and cannot be selected.
While the controls described here are typically found on dialog boxes, they can also occur in other contexts.
Command buttons (also known as push buttons) initiate an immediate action. One command button in each dialog box carries out the command you choose, using the information supplied in the dialog box. This is normally labeled "OK". Other command buttons let you cancel the command or choose from additional options.
Command buttons marked with an ellipsis (...) open another dialog box so you can provide more information or confirm an action. Command buttons marked with a pair of greater-than symbols (>>) expand the current dialog box to show more controls. Command buttons marked with an arrow display a menu.
The default button is initially indicated by a dark border. Press enter at any time to choose the button with a dark border. Use tab to move the keyboard focus to the next control, and add shift to reverse the direction. When you move the keyboard focus to a command button it temporarily takes the dark border, but when the keyboard focus is not on a command button the dark border returns to the default button. Press space to choose the command button you selected with tab. Use esc to immediately choose the Cancel button if there is one. Typing the access key for a push button will immediately carry out the command.
Check boxes may be selected or cleared to turn on or off an option. Check boxes may have two states (checked and unchecked) or three states (checked, unchecked, and indeterminate). Check boxes are often displayed in sets of related options, for example in setting Font Effects in Microsoft Word the check boxes offer Strikethrough, Superscript, Subscript, Hidden, Small caps, and All caps.
Use tab to move between boxes and space tp change the check box to the next state. Typing the access key for a check box will also move the focus to the box and change its state.
Option controls (also known as radio buttons) are used to select only one option from a group of options. (Like check boxes, option buttons may represent two or three states.) Use the arrow keys to select the next or previous buttons within the group. In some applications, you can add ctrl to move to the button without selecting it, then use space to choose the currently selected option button. Typing the access key for an option control will also move the focus to the control and select it.
Tabbed pages are used to fit many options into a single dialog box. They appear visually similar to dividers from a notebook. Each page contains separate groups of controls such as check boxes or option controls. Use tab to move the focus to the tab for the currently visible page. Typing the access key for a page tab will also move the focus to the tab and display its page.
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Sliders appear as an indicator on a vertical or horizontal gauge. The slider both displays and sets a value from a continuous range, such as speed, brightness, or volume. Use tab or the appropriate access key to move the focus to the slider.
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Spin boxes appear as a text box with up and down arrows used to select from a list of fixed values. Use tab to move the keyboard focus to the text box, then enter a valid value in the box or use the up arrow or down arrow keys to select the next higher or lower values.
List boxes display a column of available choices. If there are more choices than can fit in the open list box, moving the selection through the list will cause more choices to scroll into view. Use tab or type the appropriate access key to move the focus to the list box.
Single selection list boxes allow only one item to be selected from the list at a time. Items are selected when navigating to them, and moving to a second item will automatically deselect all other items.
Drop-down list boxes show only the selected item. There is a small button to the right of the control that shows a downward-pointing arrow. This displays more items from the list box while you make your selection. You can also show or hide the list using alt+down arrow, alt+up arrow, or f4. In all other respects it behaves like a normal single-selection list box.
Extended selection list boxes support selecting single items, blocks of items, or combinations of the two. After selecting an item as in a single-selection list box, hold down shift+Navigation keys to select or deselect more items.
Multiple selection list boxes typically have comparatively long lists and more of these items are expected to be chosen individually (not in blocks). Navigating to items does not automatically select them nor does selecting an item change the status of other selections. Press space to select or deselect an item.
Combo-boxes and drop-down combo boxes are list boxes with attached edit boxes. You can make your selection by either typing in the edit box or using the standard commands to select from the list.
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Edit controls are rectangular boxes used for displaying or editing text. See the following section for more information. Use tab or the appropriate access key to move the focus to the edit control and select the text.
8. Text Navigation and Editing Keys
When you open a document window in a word processing (or similar) program, a pointer appears in the upper-left corner of the window. The text you enter will appear at the pointer. In insertion mode, the new text is inserted into the existing text - the existing text is automatically pushed back to follow the new text. In overwrite mode, the new text overwrites the existing text. The following keys automatically scroll the window to keep the pointer in view when it is necessary. These keys also work in the text boxes of dialog boxes and list boxes.
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Press shift with the above text navigation keys to select blocks of text for editing. For example, press shift+end to select text from the pointer to the end of the line. shift toggles, in other words you can also use shift+the above navigation keys to both select and deselect text.
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10. Shortcut Keys for Applications or Documents
Shortcuts provide easy access to the documents and programs you use most often. You can put shortcuts to any program or document on your desktop or on your Start menu and give them shortcut keys. Typing a shortcut key at any time will switch to the application or document, or start it if it is not already running.
The items on your Start menu are shortcuts and you can assign them shortcut keys. The Start menu is also a convenient place to put shortcuts you create.
To create a shortcut and place it in the Start menu:
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You can also place shortcuts on the desktop through the Windows Explorer.
To assign a shortcut key to a shortcut:
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11. Word Commands List
Sometimes it is handy to see a list of commands supplied with Word, along with how they are invoked. Word includes a macro that allows you to do this automatically. To create such a list, follow these steps:
1. Go to Tools>Macro>Macros
2. In the "Macros In" drop-down list, choose Word Commands.
3. In the list of macros, choose the ListCommands macro and press the Run button.
Word creates a new document that contains the desired information. It shows commands in one column, shortcut keys to invoke those commands, and which menus they are available from.
BTW, to find the command that is run when you click on a toolbar icon, hold down Ctrl+Alt and the + sign on the key pad. A "four leaf clover" replaces the pointer and the underlying function will be displayed when you click the button.
If you want to remove an item from the Most Recently Used (MRU) list, or from a menu, hold down Ctrl+Alt and the hyphen key (NOT the minus sign on the key pad). The pointer changes to a wide line and it will delete the item you click on.
Default entries can be restored by choosing Tool>Customize. Select the Menu toolbar and click the Restore button.
