#tech ### Get a closer look Need to see something on-screen at a larger scale? Hold down the **Win** key and then tap **+** (the plus key) to launch the Magnifier utility. You can then tap the same shortcut again to carry on zooming in or use **Win** and **-** (the minus key) to zoom out. ### See apps across desktops Windows 11 lets you set up multiple desktops as a way of separating programs out — your personal stuff and your work stuff, for example — and the **Win+Tab** shortcut acts as a supercharged **Alt+Tab**, cycling through all of the apps on all of your desktops. ### Access the clipboard history The old **Ctrl+V** paste shortcut is old news now. All the cool kids have moved on to **Win+V**, which opens up the Windows 11 clipboard history panel. From there, you can copy any of the last 25 items that were copied or cut to the clipboard. :format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24954128/01_clipboard.jpg) _Win+V opens up the Windows 11 clipboard history panel._ ### Show the Windows desktop There are all kinds of reasons to quickly jump to the desktop and minimize all open windows — maybe the boss is walking past, or you’re on a secret shopping mission for your partner and they just got home. A tap of **Win+D** will do the job. ### Refresh a webpage Checking sports scores or eBay auctions? If your keyboard comes with a row of function keys attached, you can tap **F5** to refresh the webpage you’re currently looking at in any browser on Windows 11, so there’s no need to click the refresh icon in the toolbar. If the function keys do double duty on your keyboard (for media playback and volume, for instance), you’ll also need the **Fn** key to make sure the function keys take priority. On some keyboards, the **Fn** key needs to be held down, and on others, the **Fn** key toggles the function keys on and off. ### Bring back a tab Don’t panic if you’ve accidentally closed a web browser tab that you actually really need because the **Ctrl+Shift+T** shortcut will bring it back again for you. Keep tapping it to bring back even more tabs from your browsing history. ### Zoom in or out Here’s another option for zooming: hold down **Ctrl+Alt** and then tap the **+** (plus) key to zoom in or the **-** (minus) key to zoom out. This shortcut is useful because it works in a variety of different applications, including just about any web browser and the Windows 11 File Explorer, where it makes thumbnail icons smaller or larger. :format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24954136/02_zoom.jpg) _If you can’t find your reading glasses, hit Ctrl+Alt and then tap the plus key to zoom in._ ### Keep on scrolling Once you’ve mastered zooming, you can do some scrolling as well. Tapping **Space** will scroll down page by page in just about every web browser out there. If you want to go in the other direction, use **Shift+Space**. ### Go full screen with your apps Windows 11 can run apps in full-screen mode just like macOS, but it’s not obvious how to do it — the option doesn’t appear among the icons in the top-right corner of each window. **F11** is the keyboard shortcut you need, letting you focus on one app at a time. ### Go straight to the Start menu(s) The Start menu is the jumping-off point for everything on Windows 11, and **Ctrl+Esc** gets you straight there. There’s also a “secret” Start menu with links to the key areas of the operating system that you can get at with **Win+X**. :format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24954152/03_start.jpg) _There’s a “secret” Start menu with links to the key areas of the operating system that you can get at with Win+X._ ### Snap a screenshot If you want to skip the Snipping Tool that pops up when you hit **PrtSc**, use **Win+PrtSc**. It sends a PNG of the whole screen to your Pictures folder (inside Screenshots) and copies it to the clipboard. Use **Alt+PrtSc** to just capture the current active window instead, and then use **Ctrl-V** to paste it into a document. ### Navigate around File Explorer If you’re using File Explorer to browse files, there are keyboard shortcuts that can help here, too. Use **Backspace** or **Alt+Left** to go to the previously viewed folder, **Alt+Right** to go back in the other direction, and **Alt+Up** to go to the parent folder. ### Skip the Recycle Bin If you want to make sure something is truly deleted and not hanging around in the Recycle Bin for a few days before being wiped, use the **Shift+Delete** shortcut in File Explorer with the relevant files selected. :format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24954355/04_recycle.jpg) _Use the Shift+Delete shortcut in File Explorer to bypass the Recycle Bin._ ### Rename one or more files **F2** is really useful for renaming files in File Explorer. If you have multiple files selected (**Ctrl+click**) or all the files in the folder selected (**Ctrl+A**), you can press **F2** to give them all the same name with sequential numbers attached. ### Undo an undo **Ctrl+Z** to undo the last action is one of the most well-known shortcuts there is, but not everyone knows you can use **Ctrl+Y** to cycle back the other way — to undo the undo, or multiple undos, if that’s what’s happened. It’s very handy for the indecisive. There’s plenty more to explore as well. In the past, we’ve mentioned keyboard shortcuts for [opening LinkedIn and Microsoft programs](https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/15/23874798/microsoft-windows-linkedin-onenote-keyboard-shortcut), [typing special characters](https://www.theverge.com/23034476/windows-11-pc-how-to-type-special-characters), [pasting text as plaintext](https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/9/23632415/microsoft-word-control-shift-v-paste-shortcut-plaintext), [finding your mouse cursor](https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/20/22847428/how-to-find-my-mouse-cursor-pointer-windows-11-powertoys-til), [pausing the Task Manager](https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/16/23834125/microsoft-windows-task-manager-pause-shortcut), and [using Markdown to format text in Google Docs](https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/29/23002138/google-docs-markdown-support-formatting-update).