I can select and unselect one file by using the shortcut keys Ctrl Space.

To select all files, press Ctrl A.

What are the shortcut keys for unselecting all files?

1 Answer

Keyboard only

1. Pressing Alt HSN one after the other seems to be the actual File Explorer unselect option emulating the press of Home and then Select none.

2. Pressing F5 appears to undo any Ctrl+A operation in File Explorer and the Desktop, but it also refreshes the view when pressed but this seems to be the simplest way to undo a Ctrl+A.

Other built-in Windows 10 "select all undo" workarounds using shortcut keys only:

• If you Ctrl+A everything in a folder via File Explorer, Tab and then Space seems to unselect all files or folders but also changes the sort order.
• If you Ctrl+A everything on the desktop, then Ctrl+Shift+Space appears to undo that selection but only worked on the Windows Desktop.
• If you Ctrl+A everything in a folder via File Explorer, Shift+Space seems to pick the previously selected file before pressing Ctrl+A or the top most file (or folder) in the view.
• If you Ctrl+A everything in a folder via File Explorer, Page Up or Page Down will select the bottom most or top most file or folder in the view.
• If you Ctrl+A files only in a File Explorer view, pressing the key for the first character of any file name in that view will select only that file.

Related Resources

Keyboard shortcuts in Windows