Windows has a wide array of handy keyboard shortcuts, but did you know that some of these shortcuts are up to 5 key modifiers long, and perform some very specific actions?

Here are some bizarrely specific shortcuts available in Windows.

Windows Shortcuts That Open Websites

First, let's look at an odd series of shortcuts that open different websites. That's right, Windows has inbuilt keyboard shortcuts that take you to different websites.

All of these shortcuts share the same modifier: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Win. Holding these keys along with the following inputs will take you to different websites:

  • L: Opens the LinkedIn homepage.
  • N: Opens the web version of OneNote (If OneNote is installed, this opens the program!)
  • Y: Opens Yammer's homepage.
  • Any Numpad Key: Opens Office.com.

For example, Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Win + L will open LinkedIn's website.

screenshot-of-linkedin-yammer-open-on-windows-desktop

While these are quite a peculiar series of shortcuts, they are integrated with your settings in mind. That is to say, all of these websites will open in your default browser of choice!

Windows Shortcuts That Open Programs

Next are the overly-long keyboard shortcuts that open different programs on your computer. All of these programs belong to the Microsoft Office suite, so if you don't have them installed, you'll instead be redirected to the website homepage of Office.

All of these shortcuts use the same modifier as before: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Win.

Holding these keys with the following inputs will open the following programs:

  • D: Opens a new File Explorer window with OneDrive selected.
  • O: Opens the OutLook inbox.
  • P: Opens a new slide on PowerPoint.
  • T: Opens Microsoft Teams.
  • W: Opens a blank Word document.
  • X: Opens a blank Excel spreadsheet

As an example, Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Win + W opens a blank Word document.

screenshot of word and onenote open on windows desktop

Again, these shortcuts are integrated quite well with your individual settings. The OneDrive shortcut, for example, functions differently depending on if you're currently in a File Explorer window or not.

Why All These Weird Shortcuts?

If you're at all curious, all of these shortcuts are programmed into Windows to account for a specific set of branded Microsoft Office keyboards. Certain keyboards have what's known as the Office Key, an additional modifier that can be used to quickly open Office programs.

The modifier exists in all recent versions of Windows 10 and 11. The combination of inputs mentioned above is simply a secondary way to activate the Office Key.

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

So those are some very lengthy and specific keyboard shortcuts for Windows. Some may find them surprisingly useful, others might see it as a fun bit of trivia. Regardless, there's lots your keyboard can do that may surprise you.