All Keyboard CTRL Shortcuts (2022)

Last Updated on June 4, 2022 by Tech Queries Team

Keyboard Shortcuts are a quick and easy way of performing an action on your PC. Therefore, it is essential for every computer user to learn the keyboard shortcut if they want to save time and energy. In this article, we will share all Keyboard CTRL Shortcuts (CTRL is Pronunced as Control).

There are two CTRL Keys on every keyboard, but both perform the same activity. We have discussed all the Functions of CTRL A to Z in our previous article. However, CTRL has combinations with other keys on the keyboard besides alphabets, which we are going to discuss today.

Keyboard CTRL Shortcuts:

CTRL ESC

By using the Keyboard Shortcut CTRL + ESC, you can open the Start Menu. It is also done using Windows Key.

CTRL ALT DELETE

Among all the CTRL Shortcuts, it is the most used one. Windows users use it whenever their PC stops working. By using this hotkey, you can open Windows Task Manager. Most people use it when an application/game stops responding or when the PC hangs.

CTRL INS

By using CTRL + Insert, you can copy the selected cell (in Excel), text (in Documents), file, or folder. CTRL + INS is the alternative for CTRL + C. And, SHIFT + INS is the alternative for CTRL + V (Used to paste the selected item).

CTRL +

By pressing CTRL and + (plus key) you can zoom in on the webpage (In Web Browser). Keep on pressing the CTRL and Plus key to Zoom In further. You can Zoom in up to 500%. This feature also works in Notepad. However, pressing CTRL + works as Insert in Excel Sheet.

CTRL –

While CTRL Plus helps you Zoom In, CTRL Minus will help you Zoom Out. You can Zoom out up to 25% in your web browser. It works similarly on Notepad. But, in Excel, pressing CTRL – will open the Delete Cell window.

CTRL 0

By pressing CTRL and 0, you can restore the default zoom level in the Web browser and Notepad. 

CTRL 1

In Web Browser, it will switch to the first tab in the current window. 

CTRL 2 to 8

Similarly, using the CTRL + 2 Shortcut Key will switch to the second tab in the window. Using CTRL + 3 will switch to the third tab, CTRL + 4 will switch to the 4th tab, and so on. (Till 8th Tab)

CTRL 9

If you have 9 tabs opened, using the CTRL + 9 keys will shift to the 9th Tab.

However, if you have more than 9 tabs opened in a browser, using CTRL + 9 will shift to the last tab, not the ninth tab.

Here are some more useful CTRL Shortcuts:

CTRL + END

It will take the cursor to the last line of a Word Document, the last cell of an Excel Sheet, and the last slide of Powerpoint.

CTRL + HOME

It works similar to CTRL + END, but instead, it will take you to the beginning of the document.

CTRL + ENTER

In Web Browser, using CTRL + ENTER will autocomplete the website address by adding www and .com to it. For example, if you simply enter alltechqueries in the address bar and use CTRL + ENTER, then it will automatically add www in the beginning and .com at the end of the address to open the websites. TRY IT.

When you select multiple folders and files, use CTRL + ENTER to open all those folders at the same time in different windows.

CTRL + SPACE

In a Word document, you can use the CTRL button and SPACE bar to clear the formatting of the selected text. Using CTRL SPACE in an Excel file will select the entire column (Note: it works differently if you have merged cells). You can also use CTRL + SPACE to select and deselect files in Windows Explorer.

CTRL + TAB

While using ALT + TAB allows you to switch between all the windows, the keyboard shortcut CTRL + TAB lets you switch between the tabs in a web browser. Use CTRL + SHIFT + TAB to go in backward order. 

CTRL + DEL

You can delete a character/letter by using the DEL key on the keyboard. However, CTRL + DEL is used to delete the next word in Word Document or Notepad. In Excel, you can use it to delete everything next to the cursor (in a single cell).

CTRL + BACKSPACE

It works the same as CTRL + DEL. But, using CTRL and BACKSPACE will delete the subject in front of it.

CTRL + PAGE UP & PAGE DOWN

By simply pressing the Page up or Page down button, you can shift to the previous or next page. Holding CTRL while using Page Up or Page Down will shift the page and keep the cursor at the first line of the page.

CTRL + F1

By using CTRL F1, you can show or hide the Ribbon in Windows Explorer, Word, Excel, and other documents.

CTRL + F2

CTRL + F2 Shortcut Key shows Print Preview in most applications like Word, Excel, etc.

CTRL + F3

It opens up the Name Manager in Excel. CTRL + F3 is also used to View Page Sources in Opera Web Browser.

CTRL + F4

By pressing this, the Windows will immediately close the current tab in your Web Browser. It also works in other applications like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.

CTRL + F5

It forces the webpage to reload. See the full Difference Between F5 and CTRL F5 here.

CTRL + F6

Useful in specific applications to shift the window. For Example, if you have multiple MS Word Documents opened, you can use CTRL + F6 to shift between those Documents. Works the same on other MS Office products like Excel, Powerpoint, etc.

CTRL + F7 & CTRL + F8

These CTRL Shortcuts work only with specific applications for specific actions set by the application.

CTRL + F9

It minimizes the sheet in Excel. Works with Powerpoint as well. In Word Document, it adds open and close flower brackets like { }

CTRL + F10

It Restores the minimized sheet/slide in Excel and Powerpoint. You can also toggle the Word Document window by using CTRL + F10.

CTRL + F11

Works only with specific applications like Opera, GOM Player, Eclipse, etc.

CTRL + F12

CTRL F12 will let you pin/keep a window on top of others (Third-Party App Required)

CTRL + ARROW KEYS

By Holding CTRL, you can use the arrow keys in Word Document to navigate the cursor word to word. In excel, using the left and right arrows will navigate the cursor to the first and last cell of the row. The up and down arrows will let you jump to the next and previous sections.

More Keyboard CTRL Shortcuts using CTRL and Mouse:

CTRL + Mouse Click

Among all the Keyboard Shortcuts using CTRL, it is the most used one. By holding the CTRL button, you can use LMB (left mouse button) to select multiple files. 

CTRL + Mouse Click and Drag

While holding the CTRL button, if you select multiple files, and drag them, it will create copies of those files. It mostly happens by accident when users are trying to select multiple files. 

Therefore, if you don’t want to hold the CTRL button, you can enable the check box feature to make the selection process much easier,

CTRL + Mouse Scroll

By holding the CTRL button if you use the Mouse Scroll up, it will zoom in. And Zoom Outs when holding CTRL and use Mouse Scroll down. It works in all applications whether it’s Web Browser, Word Document, Excel Sheet, Powerpoint Slide, and more.

Conclusion:

Some online tutorials indicate the CTRL key as ^^ . So, if it’s written as ^ C or ^ V, it means you should press CTRL + C and CTRL + V. It is also indicated in various other ways such as CTRL+C, CTRL-C, C-C, CTRL/C, etc. You can make use of all the Keyboard CTRL Shortcuts to quicken your work.