Windows 8 Shortcut keys

Moving between Metro and Desktop

• <Windows>
  Brings up the Metro start screen. You can start typing to search for an app, just like the Win7 start menu.
• <Windows> + <B>
  Go to the Desktop from the Metro Start Screen
• <Windows> + <D>
  Brings you to Windows desktop from the Metro Screen

Snapping

• <Windows> + < . >
  snap right
• <Windows> + <Shift> + < . >
  snap left

Switching between applications

• <Windows> + <Tab>
  Opens the Metro application switcher menu, switches between applications.
• <Windows> + <J>
  Switches focus between snapped Metro applications.
• <ALT> + <F4>
  Close an application
• <Windows> + <R>
  To bring up the run window from the desktop, so you can type in an application name to run

Semantic Zoom

• <CTRL> + <+>
  Zoom in
• <CTRL> + <->
  Zoom out
• or hold down <CTRL> and use Mouse Wheel to zoom in and out

Displaying App & Charms Bar

• <Windows> + <C>
  Brings up the Charms menu, where you can search, share, and change settings.
• <Windows> + <Z>
  Opens the App Bar for the current Metro application.

All the other shortcuts I could find!

• <Windows> + E – Launch Windows Explorer with Computer view displayed.
• <Windows> + F – Brings up the Metro File search screen.
• <Windows> + H – Opens the Metro Share panel.
• <Windows> + I – Opens the Settings panel, where you can change settings for the current app, change volume, wireless networks, shut down, or adjust the brightness.
• <Windows> + K – Opens the Devices panel (for connecting to a projector or some other device)
• <Windows> + L – Lock PC and return to Lock screen.
• <Windows> + M – Minimize all Windows on the desktop
• <Windows> + O – Locks device orientation.
• <Windows> + P – Choose between available displays.
• <Windows> + Q – Brings up the Metro App Search screen.
• <Windows> + R – Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and display the Run box.
• <Windows> + U – Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and launch the Ease of Access Center.
• <Windows> + V – Cycles through toasts.
• <Windows> + W – Brings up the Metro Settings search screen.
• <Windows> + X – Launch Start Menu.
• <Windows> + Y – Temporarily peek at the desktop.
• <Windows> + Page Up / Down – Moves tiles to the left / right.
• <Windows> + , (comma) – Aero Peek at the deskto

Windows 8 Shorcut keys

Windows 8 has Arrived and it will change how you use your computer.

 Keyboard shortcuts

First and foremost, if you haven’t historically been a fan of keyboard shortcuts, you must use them in Windows 8. By making the interface more touch-friendly, some features — like the power button — are now much harder to get to with the mouse. Fortunately, Microsoft has added a few keyboard shortcuts that mostly ameliorate the pain.

• Alt-F4 — In one of the best changes since Developer Preview, you can now close Metro apps using Alt-F4!
• Windows Key-I — This pops up the new system tray, which slides in from the right. If you hit Space or Enter, the Metro control panel opens. If you hit Up then Enter, you can shut down the computer. (This is the fastest way to shut down or restart!)
• Windows Key — If you have a multi-monitor setup, popping up the Start Screen with the Windows Key is actually rather painless, and an excellent way to check on your mail, instant messages, and so on. Tapping Windows Key again hides the Start Screen and returns you to the previous app (could be the Desktop, or another Metro app). If you start typing the name of an app from the Start Screen, Windows will automatically start looking for it (just like Windows 7)
• Windows Key-F — If specifically want to search through files, rather than apps, use Windows-Key-F. Windows Key-W searches settings.
• Windows Key-C — One of the most annoying menus to get to in Windows 8, with a keyboard and mouse anyway, is the Charms menu. Fortunately, you can also use Windows Key-C, and then the arrow keys.
• Alt-Tab — Alt-Tab, believe it or not, app switches through Desktop and Metro apps. This can take a bit of getting used to.
• Windows-Tab — This cycles through your Metro apps. I know, you’re probably devastated: The 3D “Aero Flip” from Windows Vista and 7 is no more!
• Windows Key-Z — In a Metro app, this opens the App Bar (i.e. the app’s menu). Unfortunately there aren’t any keyboard shortcuts for selecting items from the App Bar, but hopefully they’ll be added before retail release.
• Windows-Page Up — This switches which screen the Metro interface (i.e. the Start Screen and any Metro apps) appears on. The switch is very rapid (it’s kind of fun to just hit Windows-Page Up over and over…) Obviously, this is only useful if you have a multi-monitor setup.

These are a few that will make your life easier that is for sure.
The Metro Interface is scary at first for the computer savvy but it grows on you.

• Remember that Windows 7 is underneath Windows 8. Almost everything you could do in Windows 7, you can do in Windows 8. The Superbar (taskbar) is your friend! Pin everything to it! Jump lists still exist. Superbar thumbnails are still there. The System Tray is still there. The original Control Panel is still there. The significant difference is that you must go into the Metro interface to search for apps (which is a bit odd, in my opinion, but maybe Microsoft will provide another option before retail release).
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• Don’t be afraid of the Metro Start Screen. Embrace it! Remember that you can pin anything to the Start Screen (see right). Move your Start Screen tiles around. Name your tile groups. Remember, as soon as you log in, you can start typing the name of the app you want to open. You’re going to be seeing the Metro screen at least a few times per day, so try to love it.
• If you really don’t like the Start Screen, however… There is one thing you can do: You can make the Desktop automatically appear after you log in, instead of the Start Screen. There is unfortunately no known way to disable the Start Screen in Windows 8 Consumer Preview, however; you’re always going to see it when searching for apps.
• Press any key on the lock screen. Windows 8 features a new (very touch-oriented) lock screen. You can drag it upwards with your mouse (painful) or press any key on your keyboard (much easier).
• Run as administrator. Start Screen tiles still have right-click context menus, including “Run as administrator.” You can use the arrow keys to navigate the context menu. From this same menu you can pin apps to the taskbar/Superbar, too (but not Metro apps, sadly; hopefully this will be added!)
• You can navigate the Start Screen with the arrow keys. You can also use Page Up/Down to move quickly between the groups. This is much faster than panning with the mouse.

Useful WIndows Shrotcut Keys

Key combinations have been a useful part of Windows since the early days and most people don't even know they exist here is a list that will work with every version of Windows that is in use today

Windows system key combinations

• F1: Help
• CTRL+ESC: Open Start menu
• Windows Logo Opens Start menu 
• ALT+TAB: Switch between open programs
• ALT+F4: Quit program
• SHIFT+DELETE: Delete item permanently
• Windows Logo+L: Lock the computer (without using CTRL+ALT+DELETE)
• Windows Logo + P brings up monitor options for multiple monitors 

Windows program key combinations

• CTRL+C: Copy
• CTRL+X: Cut
• CTRL+V: Paste
• CTRL+Z: Undo
• CTRL+B: Bold
• CTRL+U: Underline
• CTRL+I: Italic

Mouse click/keyboard modifier combinations for shell objects

• SHIFT+right click: Displays a shortcut menu containing alternative commands
• SHIFT+double click: Runs the alternate default command (the second item on the menu)
• ALT+double click: Displays properties
• SHIFT+DELETE: Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the Recycle Bin

General keyboard-only commands

• F1: Starts Windows Help
• F10: Activates menu bar options
• SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object
• CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)
• CTRL+ESC or ESC: Selects the Start button (press TAB to select the taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu)
• CTRL+SHIFT+ESC: Opens Windows Task Manager
• ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box
• ALT+TAB: Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window)
• SHIFT: Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the automatic-run feature
• ALT+SPACE: Displays the main window's System menu (from the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)
• ALT+- (ALT+hyphen): Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)
• CTRL+TAB: Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) program
• ALT+underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu
• ALT+F4: Closes the current window
• CTRL+F4: Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window
• ALT+F6: Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)

Shell objects and general folder/Windows Explorer shortcuts

For a selected object:

• F2: Rename object
• F3: Find all files
• CTRL+X: Cut
• CTRL+C: Copy
• CTRL+V: Paste
• SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin
• ALT+ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object

To copy a file

Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.

To create a shortcut

Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder.

General folder/shortcut control

• F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
• F5: Refreshes the current window.
• F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
• CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only)
• CTRL+Z: Undo the last command
• CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window
• BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder
• SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders

Windows Explorer tree control

• Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection
• Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection
• Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.
• RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child
• LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent

Properties control

• CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Move through the property tabs

Accessibility shortcuts

• Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off
• Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles FilterKeys on and off
• Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles ToggleKeys on and off
• Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on and off
• Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off

Microsoft Natural Keyboard keys

• Windows Logo: Start menu
• Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box
• Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
• SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
• Windows Logo+F1: Help
• Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
• Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders
• Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
• CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer
• CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
• Windows Logo+TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
• Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box
• Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item

Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType software installed

• Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows
• Windows Logo+P: Starts Print Manager
• Windows Logo+C: Opens Control Panel
• Windows Logo+V: Starts Clipboard
• Windows Logo+K: Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box
• Windows Logo+I: Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
• Windows Logo+A: Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)
• Windows Logo+SPACEBAR: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType shortcut keys
• Windows Logo+S: Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off

Dialog box keyboard commands

• TAB: Move to the next control in the dialog box
• SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous control in the dialog box
• SPACEBAR: If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.
• ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline)
• ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
• ALT+underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the corresponding item

Windows 8 Start Menu

Yes the start menu has disappeared in Windows 8/  to make way for the METRO interface.
The metro interface is hard to get used to for those of us that have been used to the start menu since windows 95.  It is a step towards simplifying and unifying.

What do  I mean by this it will  be a cross platform OS the first if it kind it will work on Cell phones, Tablets and PC's simplifying the user experience

The START MENU is not lost thanks to Star Dock here is the link to get the program refered to as Start 8
http://www.stardock.com/products/start

Features

• - Adds a “Start” menu to the Windows 8 taskbar
• - Enables quick access and searching of your installed applications
• - Adds Run... option via right-click menu
• - Adds Shutdown... option via right-click menu
• - Choose a custom Start button image