Why does Windows 11 have a keyboard shortcut just for LinkedIn? | usagoldmines.com

Windows 11 has tons of useful keyboard shortcuts worth using every day, whether for boosting productivity, doing repetitive tasks faster, accessing hidden panels, or keeping your laptop secure. But did you know there are still secret shortcuts that hardly anyone knows about?

Windows Latest recently uncovered one of them—and it’s truly absurd. Instead of a useful function that’d improve daily workflows, this keyboard shortcut takes you straight to LinkedIn. You know, the professional networking platform that’s now owned by Microsoft.

Here, try it out for yourself: simply press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Windows key + L on your keyboard. A new tab will open in your default web browser and immediately load LinkedIn. (There will also be a parameter appended to the URL, which tells LinkedIn you arrived via this shortcut.)

Why does this LinkedIn shortcut exist?

It’s unusual but not surprising that Microsoft has built this keyboard shortcut directly into Windows. According to Windows Latest, it’s not just integrated into Windows 11 Home but also into Windows 11 Pro and Windows Server. So, it seems to be very important to Microsoft.

The LinkedIn shortcut may be a relic from the past, back when Microsoft had still planned to integrate LinkedIn more closely with Windows. This is pure speculation, but it’s conceivable given how Microsoft is currently handling Copilot (i.e., shoving it into every corner of Windows).

Previously, this shortcut was actually linked to the Office key, which no longer exists. The relevant support page indicates that this not only allowed you to access the LinkedIn keyboard shortcut, but also a few other really useful shortcuts:

• Office key + W → Word
• Office key + P → PowerPoint
• Office key + X → Excel
• Office key + O → Outlook
• Office key + T → Teams
• Office key + D → OneDrive
• Office key + N → OneNote

To use these shortcuts now, you simply need to replace the Office key with Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Windows key—which, admittedly, is a bit tricky in how you have to contort your fingers. But it works!