As is normal with Windows, Microsoft has provided a huge number of keyboard shortcuts to make interaction with the product easier for those who enjoy the productivity that almost 100 percent keyboard use can supply. The problem is, nobody knows what they are! 

 Below is a list of Vista keyboard shortcuts that are available when you're on the Vista desktop, in Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer), in the Vista Sidebar, in dialog boxes, and in Vista Help.  Memorizing just a few of these you use commonly will definitely help increase your productivity, and. More importantly make you look smarter than your co-worker!

Vista Desktop

Windows key  Opens or closes the Start menu

Windows + D  Displays your desktop

Windows + E  Opens the Computer window

Windows + F  Opens the Search window

Ctrl + Windows + F  Searches for computers (if you're on a network)

Windows + L  Locks your computer or switches users

Windows + M  Minimizes all windows

Shift + Windows + M  Restores minimized windows

Windows + R  Opens the Run dialog box

Windows + T  Cycles through programs on the Taskbar

Windows + U  Opens the Ease of Access Center

Ctrl + A  Selects everything in a window

Ctrl + C  Copies selected items

Ctrl + X  Cuts selected items

Ctrl + V  Pastes cut or copied items

Ctrl + Y  Redoes an action

Ctrl + Z  Undoes an action

F1  Displays Help

F2  Highlights the label of a selected item for editing

F3  Opens the Search window

Ctrl + F4  Closes the current document

Alt + F4  Closes the current item or program

F5  Refreshes a window

F6  Cycles through elements in a window or on the desktop

F10  Activates a program's menu bar

Shift + Windows + F10  Displays the shortcut menu for a selected item

Delete  Deletes selected items to the Recycle Bin

Shift + Delete  Deletes selected items permanently

Alt + Enter  Displays the properties of a selected item

Ctrl + Esc  Opens the Start menu

Alt + Esc  Cycles through items in the order you opened them

Ctrl + Shift + Esc  Opens the Windows Task Manager

Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock  Turns the Mouse Keys feature on or off

Hold for five seconds + Num Lock  Turns the Toggle Keys feature on or off

Windows + Pause  Displays the System Properties dialog box

Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen  Turns the High Contrast feature on or off

Right Shift for 8 seconds  Turns the Filter Keys feature on and off

Press Shift five times  Turns the Sticky Keys feature on or off

Alt + Spacebar  Opens the shortcut menu for the current window

Alt + Tab  Switches between open items

Windows + Tab  Cycles through open items with Flip 3-D

Ctrl + Alt + Tab  Displays open items (use the arrow keys to switch between them)

Ctrl + Windows + Tab  Displays open items with Flip 3-D (use the arrow keys to cycle

through them)

In Windows Explorer

Alt + D  Moves to the Address bar

F4  Displays the Address bar drop-down list

Ctrl + N  Opens a new window

F11  Maximizes/minimizes the current window

Left arrow  Collapses a selection or selects its parent folder

Alt + Left arrow  Shows the previous folder

Right arrow  Displays the current selection or selects its first subfolder

Alt + Right arrow  Shows the next folder

Asterisk (keypad)  Displays subfolders within a selected folder

End  Displays the bottom of the current window

Home  Displays the top of the current window

Minus Sign (keypad)  Collapses the selected folder

Plus Sign (keypad)  Displays the contents of the selected folder

In the Vista Sidebar

Windows + G  Cycles through gadgets

Windows + Spacebar  Brings all gadgets to the front; selects Sidebar

Tab  Cycles through Sidebar controls

In a dialog box

F1  Displays Help

F4  Displays items in a drop-down list

Backspace  In Save As or Open dialog, opens a folder one level up from a

selected folder

Enter  Works like a mouse click for some selected options

Spacebar  Selects or deselects an active check box

Tab  Moves forward through dialog box options

Ctrl + Tab  Hops from tab to tab

Shift + Tab  Moves backward through dialog box options

Ctrl + Shift + Tab  Hops backward from tab to tab

In Vista Help

Alt + A  Displays the customer support page

Alt + C  Displays the Help And Support Contents

Ctrl + F  Opens Find dialog box for the current topic

Alt + N  Displays the connection settings menu

Ctrl + P  Prints a help topic

F3  Moves to the Search box

F10  Displays Options menu

Alt + Home  Displays the Help And Support home page