By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Name the main areas and special keys on a keyboard.
- Use Shift, Ctrl, Alt and the Super or Windows key in combinations.
- Copy, cut, paste, undo, redo, select all, save and find using shortcuts.
- Say where Ubuntu and Windows shortcuts are the same and where they differ.
- Check and change the keyboard layout when characters come out wrong.
The keyboard is where most of your work with a computer happens. A few keys do special jobs, and a handful of shortcuts will save you hundreds of mouse movements each week. Learning them early is one of the cheapest ways to feel confident and fast, and nearly all of them work the same way in almost every program you will use.
The areas of a keyboard
Think of a keyboard as four neighbourhoods. The letter and number keys in the middle are for writing. The modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt, and the Super or Windows key) change what other keys do. The function keys (F1 to F12) in the top row do special jobs that depend on the program. The arrow keys move the text cursor. Most keyboards also have a number pad on the right.
Read this figure as text
A keyboard drawing with numbered markers on Esc, Tab, Caps Lock, Shift, Ctrl, Super, Alt, Space, Enter, Backspace and the arrow keys.
A standard keyboard with numbered markers on the Esc key (top left), function keys, Tab, Caps Lock, Shift, Ctrl, the Super or Windows key, Alt, the Space bar, Enter, Backspace and the arrow keys. Esc cancels. Tab moves to the next field. Caps Lock keeps letters in capitals. Shift gives capitals and upper symbols. Ctrl, Alt and Super are held down with other keys to make shortcuts. Space types a space. Enter confirms. Backspace deletes to the left. The arrows move the cursor.
How a shortcut works
A keyboard shortcut is a combination of keys pressed together to do something quickly. It is written with plus signs, such as Ctrl+C. The key before the plus is a modifier key: you hold it down, then tap the last key once, then let go of both. You do not hold the letter, and you do not press the plus sign itself.
CtrlModifier keyHold down first+Plus signMeans 'at the same time'; do not press itCAction keyTap once, then let go of bothRead this figure as text
The text Ctrl plus C split into the modifier key, the plus sign and the letter key with labels.
The shortcut is written Ctrl+C. Ctrl is the modifier key: hold it down first. The plus sign means at the same time and is not a key you press. C is the action key: tap it once while Ctrl is still held. Then let go of both. The result of Ctrl+C is that whatever is selected is copied.
The essential shortcuts
These shortcuts work in nearly every program on both Ubuntu and Windows, including word processors, browsers, the file manager and email. Learn them in this order. Each one is easy to remember because it is a letter from the action, or sits next to its partner on the left side of the keyboard.
| Shortcut | What it does | How to remember it |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+C | Copy the selected item | C for copy |
| Ctrl+X | Cut: remove the selected item and keep it ready to paste | X looks like scissors |
| Ctrl+V | Paste the copied or cut item here | V sits beside C and X |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo the last action | Z is the last letter, so it reverses |
| Ctrl+A | Select all in this window or document | A for all |
| Ctrl+S | Save the document | S for save |
| Ctrl+F | Find a word in this page or document | F for find |
| Alt+Tab | Switch to the next open window | Tab hops between windows |
| Alt+F4 | Close the current window | F4 is the close key |
| Esc | Cancel or close a menu or dialog | Escape |
Copy, cut and paste use a hidden holding place called the clipboard. Copy puts a duplicate there and leaves the original in place. Cut puts the original there and removes it from its old position. Paste puts whatever is on the clipboard at the cursor. The clipboard holds one thing at a time, so copying something new replaces the old one.
- Step 1: SelectHighlight what you want
- Step 2: Copy or cutCtrl+C or Ctrl+X
- Step 3: Click the destinationAnother line, file or program
- Step 4: PasteCtrl+V
Read this figure as text
A flow with four steps: select, copy to the clipboard, move to a new place, paste.
Step 1: select the text or item you want, for example by dragging over it or pressing Ctrl+A. Step 2: press Ctrl+C to copy it into the clipboard (or Ctrl+X to cut). Step 3: click where you want it, which can be another document or program. Step 4: press Ctrl+V to paste the clipboard content there. The clipboard still holds the item, so you can paste it again until you copy something else.
Ubuntu and Windows: what is the same and what differs
The editing shortcuts above are the same on both systems. The differences are mainly in system shortcuts, the ones that control windows and the desktop. The key at the bottom left with a flag (Windows) or a logo (Ubuntu) is called Super on Ubuntu and the Windows key on Windows, but it is the same physical key.
| Job | Ubuntu | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Open the main launcher | Super (opens Activities) | Windows key (opens Start) |
| Lock the screen | Super+L | Windows key+L |
| Redo | Ctrl+Shift+Z in most programs | Ctrl+Y (Ctrl+Shift+Z in some programs) |
| Take a screenshot | Print Screen key | Windows key+Shift+S |
| Open a terminal | Ctrl+Alt+T | Not standard; search Terminal in Start |
| Show the file manager | Super, then type Files | Windows key+E |
The trainer asks you to press a shortcut on your real keyboard and tells you if you were right. It is only a practice game and does not change anything on your computer.
Loading lab…
Keyboard layouts and wrong characters
A keyboard layout is the map that tells the computer which character each key produces. The most common layout for English is called QWERTY, named after the first six letters on the top row. UK and US QWERTY keyboards differ in a few symbols, for example where the @ and " signs are. Other languages use different layouts.
If you press one key and a different character appears, the layout chosen in software probably does not match the physical keyboard. The computer is not broken: it is interpreting your key presses with the wrong map.
Check or change the layout
Be careful to choose the layout that matches the printed keys on your keyboard. Changing it is safe and you can change it back.
Ubuntu
Step 1: Open Keyboard settings
Open Activities, type
Settings, press Enter and choose Keyboard.You should see: A page with an Input Sources section appears.
Step 2: Look at Input Sources
The list shows the active layouts, such as English (UK). Use the + button to add one and remove extras you do not use.
You should see: Your layout is listed first.
Step 3: Test in a safe place
Open a text editor and type a few symbols such as @ and #.
You should see: The characters match the keys you pressed.
Windows 11
Step 1: Open language settings
Open Settings, choose Time & language, then Language & region.
You should see: Your installed languages are listed.
Step 2: Open keyboard options
Next to your language choose the three dots, then Language options, and look at Keyboards.
You should see: The installed keyboard layouts are listed, for example English (United Kingdom).
Step 3: Switch quickly
If more than one is installed, a language code such as ENG appears at the right of the taskbar and you can press Windows key+Space to cycle between layouts.
You should see: The code on the taskbar changes.
Common mistakes
✖ Instead of: Pressing Ctrl, then C, then Ctrl again instead of holding Ctrl while tapping C.
✔ Do this: Hold the modifier key down the whole time and tap the other key once.
✖ Instead of: Using Ctrl+X when you only wanted to copy, then wondering where the text went.
✔ Do this: Ctrl+X removes the original. Use Ctrl+C to copy and leave the original in place. If you cut by mistake, press Ctrl+Z.
✖ Instead of: Leaving Caps Lock on and typing in capitals without noticing.
✔ Do this: Look for the Caps Lock light or indicator, and press Caps Lock once to switch it off. This is also a common reason why a password is rejected.
If something goes wrong
- A shortcut does nothing.
- Click inside the document or window first so that it has the focus. Check that you are holding the correct modifier, and remember that a few programs, including terminals, use different shortcuts.
- The function keys control volume or brightness instead of acting as F1 to F12.
- On many laptops you hold the Fn key to switch between the two behaviours. Some laptops also have a setting for this in the firmware settings or a manufacturer utility.
- A key types the wrong character.
- Check the keyboard layout setting as shown above. If only one physical key misbehaves, crumbs may be stuck under it, so power off and tilt the keyboard gently; do not pour liquid or spray cleaners onto it.
Key terms
- Keyboard shortcut
- A combination of keys, pressed together, that does a job faster than using the mouse and menus.
- Modifier key
- A key such as Ctrl, Shift or Alt that changes what another key does when you hold it down at the same time.
- Clipboard
- A hidden holding place where the computer keeps whatever you last copied or cut, until you paste it.
- Keyboard layout
- The setting that decides which character each key produces, such as QWERTY for English.
- Input device
- A device you use to give information to a computer.
Practise it for real
Reading is not the same as being able to do it. Complete these on your own computer, then tick only what you have actually done. These ticks are your own honest record: nothing checks them for you.
Copy, paste and undo in a text editor
Open a text editor (Text Editor on Ubuntu, Notepad on Windows). Type the line Amina buys three oranges. Select the whole line with Ctrl+A, copy it with Ctrl+C, press the right arrow to move to the end, press Enter and paste with Ctrl+V twice. Undo one paste with Ctrl+Z. Then use Alt+Tab to switch to another open window and back. Do not save the file unless you wish.
Challenge: do your usual tasks with no mouse
For ten minutes try to avoid the mouse. Use the Super or Windows key to open a program, Alt+Tab to move between programs, Ctrl+F to find a word on a web page, and Ctrl+S to save a short note. Write down the three shortcuts you found most useful and one you still forget.
Knowledge check
6 questions. You need 80% to pass. Mistakes here are part of learning, and you can retry as often as you like.
Summary
- Modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt, Super or Windows key) change what the next key does.
- A shortcut means hold the modifier, tap the other key once, then release.
- Ctrl+C, X, V, Z, A, S and F cover most daily editing needs on both systems.
- Redo, screenshots and window shortcuts are where Ubuntu and Windows differ.
- Wrong characters usually mean the keyboard layout setting is wrong.
Checklist: can you do these?
Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).
Related lessons
References and further reading
Official sources for details that can change between versions.
- Keyboard shortcuts (Ubuntu Desktop Guide) (Ubuntu documentation)
- Keyboard shortcuts in Windows (Microsoft Support)