File Explorer is one of the apps you open most in Windows 11, and nearly everything you do in it goes faster from the keyboard. Below are the seven shortcuts worth learning first, followed by a cheat sheet of more that Microsoft lists for the current version of Windows 11. All of them work out of the box, with no extra software to install.
The 7 File Explorer shortcuts to learn first
- Windows+E: open File Explorer. This works from the desktop and from almost any app, although some full screen games block keys that use the Windows key. By default it opens on Home. If you would rather land on This PC, click the three dots menu in the toolbar, choose Options, and change the Open File Explorer to setting.
- Ctrl+T: open a new tab. Windows 11 File Explorer has browser style tabs, and Ctrl+T opens a fresh one and switches to it. Close the current tab with Ctrl+W, move between tabs with Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+Shift+Tab, or jump straight to a tab by position with Ctrl plus a number from 1 through 9.
- Ctrl+N: open a new window. Tabs are great for browsing, but moving files between two folders is still easiest with two windows side by side. Press Ctrl+N, then snap each window to half the screen with Windows+Left arrow and Windows+Right arrow.
- Ctrl+Shift+N: create a new folder. The folder appears with its name already selected, so you can start typing right away and press Enter. It skips the right click menu entirely.
- F2: rename. Select a file or folder and press F2 to edit its name. Select several files first and F2 renames them all at once: type one base name and Windows adds a number in parentheses to each file.
- Alt+P: toggle the preview pane. The preview pane shows images, PDFs and many documents without opening them. Its partner, Alt+Shift+P, toggles the details pane, which shows file size, dates and other properties.
- Alt+D: jump to the address bar. Type or paste a folder path and press Enter to go there instantly. Ctrl+L and F4 do the same job, so use whichever your fingers find first.
File Explorer shortcut cheat sheet for Windows 11
These come from Microsoft’s own list of File Explorer shortcuts. Keep the table handy until they become muscle memory.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Windows+E | Open File Explorer |
| Ctrl+T | Open a new tab and switch to it |
| Ctrl+W | Close the active tab, or the window if only one tab is open |
| Ctrl+Tab | Move to the next tab |
| Ctrl+N | Open a new window |
| Ctrl+Shift+N | Create a new folder |
| F2 | Rename the selected item |
| Alt+P | Show or hide the preview pane |
| Alt+Shift+P | Show or hide the details pane |
| Alt+D or Ctrl+L | Select the address bar |
| Ctrl+E or Ctrl+F | Select the search box |
| Alt+Up arrow | Move up one level in the folder path |
| Alt+Left arrow | Go back to the previous folder |
| Alt+Enter | Open Properties for the selected item |
| Ctrl+Shift+6 | Switch to Details view (2 gives Large icons) |
Selecting, moving and deleting without the mouse
The classic editing keys work in File Explorer just as they do in a document. Ctrl+A selects everything in a folder, Ctrl+C copies, Ctrl+X cuts and Ctrl+V pastes. If a move goes wrong, Ctrl+Z undoes it. To pick a range of files, hold Shift and use the arrow keys. To pick scattered items, hold Ctrl, move with the arrow keys and tap the Spacebar on each file you want.
Modifier keys also change what a mouse drag does. Hold Ctrl while you drop a file to copy it, hold Shift to move it, and hold Alt to create a shortcut to it instead. That removes the guesswork when you drag between drives, where Windows otherwise copies by default.
Change views and navigate faster
If you switch between a photo folder and a folder full of documents, the view shortcuts are worth knowing. Ctrl+Shift plus a number key changes the layout, with 2 for Large icons and 6 for Details. Holding Ctrl while you turn the mouse wheel resizes icons gradually instead.
For navigation, Alt+Up arrow moves up one level, Alt+Left arrow goes back and Alt+Right arrow goes forward. F5 refreshes a folder that has not caught up with a download, and Shift+F10 opens the right click menu for the selected file, which helps on laptops with a cramped touchpad.
FAQ
Why does Windows+E open Home instead of This PC?
Home is the default in Windows 11. Open the three dots menu in File Explorer, choose Options, and set Open File Explorer to This PC. Windows+E and new tabs will follow that setting.
Do these shortcuts work in Windows 10?
Most do, including Windows+E, Ctrl+N, Ctrl+Shift+N, F2, Alt+P and Alt+D. The tab shortcuts are the exception, because tabs exist only in the Windows 11 version of File Explorer.
Can I create my own File Explorer shortcuts?
File Explorer has no built in way to define new shortcuts. Microsoft’s free PowerToys app includes Keyboard Manager, which can remap keys and shortcuts across Windows if you want a different layout.
Why does a shortcut do nothing?
Check that File Explorer is the active window and that the selection is where you expect. On some laptops the function keys need the Fn key, and a few apps running in the background can grab shortcuts before Windows sees them.
The verdict
You do not need to memorize the whole list. Start with Windows+E, Ctrl+T, Ctrl+N, Ctrl+Shift+N, F2, Alt+P and Alt+D, use them for a week, then add the selection and view shortcuts. File management gets noticeably quicker once your hands stay on the keyboard.
Updated October 2026: rewritten for the current Windows 11 File Explorer, with shortcuts checked against Microsoft’s official keyboard shortcut list.
Featured photo: Alexander Sinn on Unsplash.
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