Windows is designed to work with or without a mouse or other pointing device. Because Windows provides a standard keyboard interface, the user can use the keyboard to select menu items. This keyboard interface does not need special code. An application receives a command message whether the user selects a menu item through the keyboard or by using a mouse. The standard keyboard interface processes the following keystrokes.
| Keystroke | Action |
| Alphabetic character | Selects the first menu item with the specified character as its access key. If the selected item invokes a menu, the menu is displayed and the first item is highlighted. Otherwise, the menu item is chosen. |
| ALT | Toggles in and out of menu bar mode. |
| ALT+SPACEBAR | Displays the window menu. |
| ENTER | Activates a menu and selects the first menu item if an item has a menu associated with it. Otherwise, this keystroke chooses the item as if the user released the mouse button while the item was selected. |
| ESC | Exits menu mode. |
| LEFT ARROW | Cycles to the previous top-level menu item. Top-level menu items include menu names and the window menu. If the selected item is in a menu, the previous column in the menu is selected or the previous top-level menu item is selected. |
| RIGHT ARROW | Works like the LEFT ARROW key, except in the opposite direction. In menus, this keystroke moves forward one column; when the currently selected item is in the far-right column, the next menu is selected. |
| UP or DOWN ARROWS | Activates a menu when pressed in a menu name. When pressed in a menu, the UP ARROW keystroke selects the previous item; the DOWN ARROW keystroke selects the next item. |