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Shift+F10 or Menu Key: Opens Shortcut Menu (same as right-clicking)
We’ll break up navigation tips with a more general purpose tip: How to use the keyboard to open a shortcut menu (also known as context menu) — the menu you get when you right-click somewhere.
The most general way to do this is press Shift+F10. (Remember, F10 is a function key, probably across the top of your keyboard.) Try it! Point your mouse somewhere and right-click. (You can press the Esc key to close the menu.) Then try pressing Shift+F10. (And again, Esc to close it.)
The other choice is to use a dedicated key. Chances are your keyboard has a “menu key,” which usually looks like this: ![[Image of shortcut menu key, taken from cern.ch]](http://www.zeigen.com/shortcuts/content/shortcut-menu-key.gif){kind=small}
On most keyboards that have this key, it’s down by the Spacebar, to the right (near the Alt and Ctrl keys). On some keyboards, such as Dell laptops, it’s at the top center, near the power key.
If you have that key and it’s in a convenient location, spend today trying to practice using it to open shortcut menus for Windows and most applications you use. If you don’t have that key, practice Shift+F10 instead.
on March 3rd, 2007 at 11:01 am
Great , uber-cool tip !
on March 12th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
[…] This keyboard combo will perform the same task as the context menu key that, if your keyboard has it, is often located on the bottom right side next to your Windows menu key. A lot of times, though, that menu key either isn’t there or isn’t easily accessible, and when that’s the case, Shift-F10 is there for you. This isn’t necessarily a eureka shortcut, but since reading about it, it’s already come in handy for me a couple of times. On another note, if you’re pretty new to Windows keyboard shortcuts, the Windows Keyboard Shortcut of the Day blog looks like a great place to get your feet wet. Shift+F10 or Menu Key: Opens Shortcut Menu (same as right-clicking) - Alex France […]
on March 12th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
[…] Shift+F10 or Menu Key: Opens Shortcut Menu (same as right-clicking) [Windows Keyboard Shortcut of the Day] […]
on March 18th, 2007 at 6:12 am
ohh it does not work for me
on March 24th, 2007 at 10:55 am
this is not my favorite shortcut
.. mouse right click & special keyboard key is the simpliest way to me 
on March 28th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Thanx a ton man!!
I recently bought a dell laptop (XPS m1730) and sadly enough it has no Menu Key and I’ve been looking every where for a way to make a shortcut for it, not knowing it was already there. Actually I love KB short cuts and I hardly ever use the mouse.
Thanx again man!
on September 27th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I was told to use the “menu key” to find my degauss function. It isn’t there (anymore) and I really need to degauss this thing! I used it once but it has since vanished. I don’t know how else to find it so maybe I can make a shortcut for it. Any suggestions?
on September 29th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
divajinx, that’s tricky — what program? Usually degaussing a monitor means pressing a physical button on the monitor itself.
on January 26th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Cool shortcuts, very useful. Thanks a bunch!!! I found a few move shortcuts here: http://www.usingcomputers.co.uk/tutorials/useful-windows-shortcuts.php its worth taking a look at combined with this article. Thanks, keep up the good posts!
Patrick
on July 21st, 2012 at 11:55 pm
don’t shift+f10 while playing games, or the game might dissapear!
on March 6th, 2014 at 11:07 am
My new laptop does not have the menu key. I was so used to using it on my old PC. Shift F10 is not as easy to use.
Can one reassign this key to a more convenient key on the keyboard?
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