A keyboard shortcut, or hotkey, is a key or combination of keys that performs a command in an operating system or application. Most use a modifier such as Ctrl, Alt, Shift, or Cmd on a Mac, pressed together with a letter or function key.
Why it matters
Shortcuts reduce repeated trips to the mouse and speed up common tasks. They also matter for accessibility, since people who cannot use a pointer rely on keyboard operation. Many shortcuts are consistent between applications, which makes new software easier to learn, though Windows and macOS use different modifier keys.
Example
Common ones on Windows (replace Ctrl with Cmd on macOS):
Ctrl+C copy
Ctrl+V paste
Ctrl+Z undo
Ctrl+F find
Alt+Tab switch window
Win+L lock the screen
In a browser, Ctrl+Shift+T reopens the last closed tab, and F12 commonly opens developer tools.
Common mistakes
- Defining custom web app shortcuts that clash with browser or screen-reader keys.
- Assuming shortcuts are identical across applications and platforms.
- Pressing
Ctrl+Alt+DelorCtrl+Shift+Escrepeatedly on a frozen system instead of waiting; the system may need time.
Related
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यह पेज सामान्य जानकारी है, जिसे हमारी संपादकीय टीम ने लिखा है और दस्तावेज़ीकरण बदलने पर अपडेट किया जाता है। सर्वर और प्रदाता अलग-अलग होते हैं, इसलिए बदलाव पहले सुरक्षित तरीके से जाँचें। देखें: संपादकीय नीति और अस्वीकरण.