# Is there a keyboard way to make windows Maximize, Minimize, or Restore?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 14, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924 "2000-10-14T21:29:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ShakeNBake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShakeNBake)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/1 "2000-10-14T21:29:09Z")
I thought there were shortcut keys for everything, especially for Accessiblity reasons, but I’ve never found one for these functions, which I use constantly.
Is there a way to assign a key to them? I’m willing to patch my Registry if that’s what it takes.
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2000, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/2 "2000-10-14T21:33:58Z")
Here’s a couple from the Windows 98 help file using the Windows key, although they’re not very specific…
**WINDOWS+D** - Minimize or restore all windows
**SHIFT+WINDOWS+M** - Undo minimize all windows
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### Author:  [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2000, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/3 "2000-10-14T21:34:07Z")
the combo of alt and space brings up the menu that contains the minimize and maximize commands, then the n key for minimize, x for maximize, and r for restore
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### Author:  [@hardcore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardcore)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/4 "2000-10-14T21:40:07Z")
Another useful combo for Win98/NT is **Windows+M** , which minimizes all open windows at once.
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### Author:  [@AHadley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHadley)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2000, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/5 "2000-10-14T22:21:38Z")
Possible bug: If IE is “full screened” (F11), the Windows-M trick will not work! Urg.
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### Author:  [@ShakeNBake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShakeNBake)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2000, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/6 "2000-10-14T23:58:33Z")
Wow, thanks. These are all great!
I have the screen set to max pixels, and the borders to skinniest, to increase the real work area, but it made mouse moves slow going.
Windows-M works for me the same as Windows-D.
(Why couldn’t they just have put these on the pull-down menus, where so many other keys are listed? 😕 )
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### Author:  [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2000, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/7 "2000-10-15T00:01:31Z")
they are on the pull down menu – its the small little icon listed above the file option
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### Author:  [@ShakeNBake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShakeNBake)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2000, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/8 "2000-10-15T01:14:26Z")
What I meant was, why couldn’t the shortcut keys be listed. On mine, it shows one (Close…Alt-F4) but not the others.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2000, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/9 "2000-10-15T01:55:29Z")
I have posted the list of keystrokes [**here**](http://www.geocities.com/alfgon.geo/w95c.htm) because I am not sure how the mods feel about huge posts. OTOH is is useful info for everybody so feel free to copy it and post it if you like
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2000, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/10 "2000-10-15T15:00:06Z")
Lots of people are going to say that their keyboard doesn’t have a ‘windows’ key for a windows-d
alt-spacebar is useful if a window is too far off screen because then you can use the arrow keys to drag it back.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2000, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/11 "2000-10-15T18:51:26Z")
The shortcut keys are listed: they’re the ones with the underscore. You have to be on that menu to use them, though.
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### Author:  [@Bilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bilder)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/12 "2000-10-16T04:04:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sailor \*
> \*\*I have posted the list of keystrokes [**here**](http://www.geocities.com/alfgon.geo/w95c.htm) because I am not sure how the mods feel about huge posts. OTOH is is useful info for everybody so feel free to copy it and post it if you like \*\*
This is one hell of a list. I never knew half of these were there.
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### Author:  [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/13 "2000-10-16T05:06:33Z")
I usuallu use alt-tab to change between programs, I’m not sure if that’s what you meant… But I find it’s the only way to do it when it’s a full-screen thing like Diablo.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/14 "2000-10-16T05:10:39Z")
Bilder, I’m glad someone noticed. It took me a while to put it together and it seemed to go unnoticed.
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### Author:  [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/15 "2000-10-16T07:59:57Z")
**Moderator if a dupe please remove I had an error on posting. if Not a dupe please remove this message**
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Bilder \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by sailor \*
> > \*\*I have posted the list of keystrokes [**here**](http://www.geocities.com/alfgon.geo/w95c.htm) because I am not sure how the mods feel about huge posts. OTOH is is useful info for everybody so feel free to copy it and post it if you like \*\*
>
> This is one hell of a list. I never knew half of these were there. \*\*
I didn’t see this one listed
CLOSING INDIVIDUAL WINDOWS FROM THE KEYBOARD
If you want to close specific windows without shutting down entire
applications, there’s a keyboard shortcut for you: Just press Ctrl-W.
This shortcut allows you to close any open folder windows in Windows
98. Certain applications (like Word 2000) let you use this shortcut to
close open windows without closing the applications themselves.
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### Author:  [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/16 "2000-10-16T12:36:04Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by handy \*
> \*\*
> Lots of people are going to say that their keyboard doesn’t have a ‘windows’ key for a windows-d
>
> alt-spacebar is useful if a window is too far off screen because then you can use the arrow keys to drag it back. \*\*
ctrl-Esc duplicates the ‘windows’ key.
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### Author:  [@Meephead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meephead)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/17 "2000-10-16T16:24:14Z")
> [@](#):
>
> ctrl-Esc duplicates the ‘windows’ key. \*\*
Ctrl-Esc only works to activate the start menu. Using the Winows key by itself does that, but using it in combination with other keys does MUCH more.
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### Author:  [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/18 "2000-10-16T17:29:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sailor \*
> \*\*Bilder, I’m glad someone noticed. It took me a while to put it together and it seemed to go unnoticed. \*\*
Not only did I notice, I printed the sucker out. I love keyboard shortcuts! Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2000, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/19 "2000-10-16T17:51:44Z")
Sailor - I’d like to say thanks as well!
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2000, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-keyboard-way-to-make-windows-maximize-minimize-or-restore/36924/20 "2000-10-17T03:30:56Z")
If you’re watching a Quicktime movie and hit “Ctrl - left arrow” the movie plays at normal speed in reverse! How odd.
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