Alt+Esc

Updated: 12/31/2020 by Computer Hope
Alt+Esc keyboard shortcut

Alt+Esc is a keyboard shortcut most commonly used to switch between windows in the order that they were first opened in Microsoft Windows. Below are other programs that use this keyboard shortcut and related information.

How to use the Alt+Esc keyboard shortcut

To use this keyboard shortcut, press and hold either Alt key, and while continuing to hold, press the Esc key.

Alt+Esc in Microsoft Windows

In Microsoft Word, pressing Alt+Esc switches between open windows in the order that they were first opened.

Tip

The Alt+Esc works best when you only have two or three windows open. If you have more than three windows open, we suggest using Alt+Tab or Windows key+Tab to switch between open windows.

Below are links to related keyboard shortcuts and individual key pages.

Alt, Esc key, Keyboard shortcut, Keyboard terms