Windows 8 Touch Gestures and Keystrokes
Windows 8 Touch Gestures and Keystrokes
Windows 8 provides simple, easy, mouseless ways to navigate whether you're on your computer, your mobile phone, or your tablet.
- Strni vseUsing Keystrokes to Navigate the Windows 8 Start screenUsing Keystrokes to Navigate the Windows 8 Start screen
Refer to the following chart for the most common Windows 8 keystroke combinations and the resulting actions.
Keystrokes Result Windows key (
)Switches between the Windows 8 apps and Start screen and the Windows Desktop (or the last full-screen application that displayed).
Windows key + C
Opens the charms bar and the Clock. To open the charms bar on a notebook computer, swipe the edge of the track pad.
Windows key + H
Opens the Share charm.
Windows key + I
Opens the Settings charm.
Windows key + K
Opens the Devices charm.
Windows key + O
Locks or unlocks the screen orientation if your computer can detect and adjust screen orientation.
Windows key + W
Opens the Search charm with the Settings mode selected.
Windows key + F
Opens the Search charm with the Files mode selected.
Windows key + Q
Opens the Search charm with the Apps mode selected.
Windows key + X
Opens the menu on the Desktop or the Start screen.
Windows key + Z
Opens the commands or options for the app currently open on the screen (if the app has any commands or options defined).
Windows key + Tab
Shows the most recently used or currently running apps on the Start screen. To move from app to app, hold the Windows key and press the Tab key.
Windows key + Prt Scr (Print Screen)
Takes and saves screenshots instantly. Your screen flashes and Windows saves the screenshot to your Pictures folder as a PNG image file.
Alt + Tab
Shows all the apps that are open on the computer. Hold the Alt key and press the Tab key to move from app to app.
Alt + F4
Closes the software you are currently using. If you select Windows Desktop, the Windows Shut Down menu displays.
Ctrl + F1
Toggles the Explorer ribbon in File Explorer and other apps that support this function.
- Strni vseUsing Touch Gestures to Navigate the Windows 8 Start screenUsing Touch Gestures to Navigate the Windows 8 Start screen
Refer to the following chart for the most common Windows 8 touch gestures and the resulting actions.
Touch Gestures Action Start at the right edge and swipe across the screen.
Opens the charms bar.
Start at the left edge and swipe across the screen.
Opens the previously used app.
Start at the the right edge and swipe across the screen to open the Charms Bar, tap the Settings charm, and then tap Power.
Shuts down the computer.
Start at the bottom edge of the Start Screen and swipe up to open the lower pane, and then tap All Apps.
Opens the Apps List.
When using a Windows app, start at the bottom edge and swipe up.
Opens the app-specific controls and settings.
Start at the right edge and swipe across the screen to open the charms bar, tap the Search charm, and tap the category you want to open, such as Files. Then tap the search box to use the on-screen keyboard.
Searches for an app, setting, or file.
Start at the top of the screen, and swipe down to the bottom.
Closes a Windows 8 app. (To close Desktop apps, tap the Close icon in the upper right corner.)
Tap the Desktop tile.
Switches from the Start screen to the Desktop.
Tap the lower left hand corner of the screen.
Switches from the Desktop to the Start screen.
Start at the right edge and swipe across the screen to open the charmsbar, and then tap Start.
Opens the Start screen.
Touch an object on the screen, and then slide your finger to drag the object to a new location
Scrolls through lists and pages, moves objects, and assists with drawing and writing.
Pinch or stretch two fingers on the screen.
Zooms the Start screen to provide an easy way to jump to the beginning, end, or a specific location within a list.
Rotate two or more fingers.
Turn or rotate an object or screen. You can turn the whole screen by 90 degrees when you rotate your device.
Start at the top edge and swipe down to the bottom edge.
Lets you pin the current app to Start (docking) or close the current app.
- Strni vseUsing Mouse Gestures to Navigate the Windows 8 Start screenUsing Mouse Gestures to Navigate the Windows 8 Start screen
Use the following information to navigate Windows with a mouse, keyboard, and touchpad (for notebook computers).
To switch between the Start screen and the desktop, move the mouse pointer to the lower left corner of the screen, and then click the small Start overlay that appears.
Figure 1: Switching from the desktop to the Start screen
To zoom on the Start screen (and other apps that support zoom), move the mouse to the bottom right of the screen and click the zoom icon.
Figure 2: Zoom icon in lower right corner
To open the charms with the mouse, move the mouse pointer to the top right corner of the screen, and then down to the charms when they appear.
Figure 3: Opening the Charms with a mouse
Switch between open apps (Alt+tab) by swiping from the left across a touch pad; with a mouse, you must click on the upper left corner of the screen and select the appropriate window to change between open apps.
To see all of your open apps, hover the mouse over the top left corner of the screen and drag down to see thumbnails of the apps.
To open the charms on a notebook computer, swipe in from the right edge of the touchpad.
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