A while back, I wrote an article on left-hand keyboard shortcuts for Windows. I like to use them, so I don't have to take my right hand off the mouse. With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft added in more shortcuts, primarily for the Start screen. So here is a list of Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts for just your left hand.

The desktop and laptop versions of the Windows 8 Power User command menu

Left-hand keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8

Press	To
Windows shortcuts
	Show the Start screen. If you have the Desktop running, you can also use this key to toggle back and forth between the Start screen and the Desktop.
+ D	Show just the Desktop (all running applications will be minimized). You can also use this combo to start the Desktop.
+ E	Start a new instance of Windows Explorer / File Explorer.
+ C	Open the Charms bar. When you open the Charms bar inside of a Windows RT app and select Settings, it displays the options for that app.
+ F	Open Files in the Search charm.
+ Q	Open Apps in the Search charm.
+ W	Open Settings in the Search charm.
+ X	Open the Power User command menu. There are over a dozen different apps you can run from this menu.
ALT + TAB	Switch between open apps using Task Switcher.
Application shortcuts
CTRL + A	Select all
CTRL + C	Copy
CTRL + S	Save
CTRL + V	Paste
CTRL + X	Cut
CTRL + Y	Redo
CTRL + Z	Undo

Check out these related articles:

A complete list of Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts

General Windows keyboard shortcuts

In 1995, Microsoft introduced Windows 95 with a new feature called the Start menu. To make it easy to use, they added a key to the standard keyboard and called it the Windows logo key. Microsoft even added a hand full of keyboard shortcuts to go along with it. The Windows logo key is now standard on Windows based computers, and Windows 8 takes full advantage of it.

The Windows logo key from a Microsoft keyboard

There are now over forty different Windows logo key shortcuts inside of Windows 8 (all of them are listed below). For more keyboard shortcuts for Windows, see the links at the bottom of this article.

Windows logo key shortcuts for Windows 8

Press	To
	Start screen
+ C	Open charms
+ D	Show desktop
+ E	Open Windows Explorer
+ F	Go to Files in Search charm (+Ctrl to find computers on a network)
+ G	Cycle through desktop gadgets
+ H	Share charm
+ I	Settings charm
+ J	Switch focus between snapped and larger
+ K	Devices charm
+ L	Switch users (Lock computer if on a domain)
+ M	Minimize all windows (desktop)
+ O	Lock screen orientation
+ P	Projection options
+ Q	Search charm
+ R	Run...
+ T	Set focus on taskbar and cycle through running desktop apps
+ U	Ease of Access Center
+ V	Cycle through notifications (+Shift to go backward)
+ W	Go to Settings in Search charm
+ X	Quick link power user commands (Opens Windows Mobility Center if present)
+ Z	Open app bar
+ 1-9	Go to the app at the given position on the taskbar
+ + (plus)	Zoom in (Magnifier)
+ - (minus)	Zoom out (Magnifier)
+ , (comma)	Peek at the desktop
+ . (period)	Snap a metro app to the right (+Shift to snap to the left)
+ Enter	Narrator (+Alt to open Windows Media Center if installed)
+ Spacebar	Switch input language and keyboard layout
+ Tab	Cycle through metro app history (use Ctrl to use arrow keys)
+ Esc	Exit Magnifier
+ Home	Minimize non-active desktop windows
+ Page Up	Move Start screen to left monitor
+ Page Down	Move Start screen to right monitor
+ Break	System Properties
+ Left Arrow	Snap desktop window to the left (+Shift to move window to left monitor)
+ Right Arrow	Snap desktop window to the right (+Shift to move window to right monitor)
+ Up Arrow	Maximize desktop window (+Shift to keep width)
+ Down Arrow	Restore/minimize desktop window (+Shift to keep width)
+ F1	Windows Help and Support

For more keyboard shortcuts for Windows, see the links below:

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

General keyboard shortcuts

Natural keyboard shortcuts

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

Accessibility keyboard shortcuts

Windows explorer keyboard shortcuts

One of the most useful items I use daily is keyboard shortcuts. Especially shortcuts that I can perform with just my left hand, allowing me to keep my right hand on the mouse. You can use keyboard shortcuts to open frequently used files, folders, and programs like File Explorer. Windows has a ton of built-in keyboard shortcuts (see links at the bottom of this article), plus you can create your own custom keyboard shortcuts. Here are my favorite left-hand keyboard shortcuts.

Press	To
+ E	Open File Explorer
+ R	Open the Run dialog box
+ D	Display the Desktop
+ F	Search for a file or folder (Windows 7 / 8.1)
+ S	Search for a file or folder (Windows 10 / Windows 11)
CTRL + A	Select all
CTRL + X	Cut
CTRL + C	Copy
CTRL+ V	Paste
CTRL + ALT + (KEY)	Custom keyboard shortcut (see below)

Create your own Windows keyboard shortcuts

You can create keyboard shortcuts that use CTRL + ALT + (your choice of a key) for frequently used files, folders, and programs. You will need to have a shortcut to the file, folder, or program you want to open first. You can use an existing shortcut (on your desktop or the Start menu) or create a new one.

How to create a shortcut in Windows

Once you have a shortcut:

1. Right-click on the shortcut
2. From the context menu, click Properties
3. On the Properties box, select the Shortcut tab
   
4. Click inside the Shortcut key box and press the key which you want to combine with CTRL + ALT

Note:
You can not use the following keys for keyboard shortcuts: ESC, ENTER, TAB, SPACEBAR, PRINT SCREEN, SHIFT, or BACKSPACE.

For more information on Windows keyboard shortcuts, follow the links below:

Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts

Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

General keyboard shortcuts

Natural keyboard shortcuts

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

Accessibility keyboard shortcuts

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts (based on Windows 7)

Press	To
	Open or close the Start menu
+ Pause	Display the System Properties dialog box
+ D	Display the desktop
+ M	Minimize all windows
+ Shift + M	Restore minimized windows to the desktop
+ E	Open Computer
+ F	Search for a file or folder
Ctrl + + F	Search for computers (if you're on a network)
+ L	Lock your computer or switch users
+ R	Open the Run dialog box
+ T	Cycle through programs on the taskbar
+ number	Start the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the program is already running, switch to that program
Shift + + number	Start a new instance of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Ctrl + + number	Switch to the last active window of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Alt + + number	Open the Jump List for the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
+ Tab	Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Ctrl + + Tab	Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Ctrl + + B	Switch to the program that displayed a message in the notification area
+ Spacebar	Preview the desktop
+ Up Arrow	Maximize the window
+ Left Arrow	Maximize the window to the left side of the screen
+ Right Arrow	Maximize the window to the right side of the screen
+ Down Arrow	Minimize the window
+ Home	Minimize all but the active window
+ Shift + Up Arrow	Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen
+ Shift + Left Arrow or Right Arrow	Move a window from one monitor to another
+ P	Choose a presentation display mode
+ G	Cycle through gadgets
+ U	Open Ease of Access Center
+ X	Open Windows Mobility Center

Windows File Explorer keyboard shortcuts