Which action is performed by the Windows key + M keyboard shortcut in Microsoft Windows?

The Windows key + M keyboard shortcut is used to minimize all open application windows and display the desktop. It provides a quick way to clear the screen without minimizing each window individually.

This shortcut is useful when you need quick access to desktop icons, files, folders, or shortcuts while several applications are open. Instead of clicking the minimize button on every window, pressing Windows key + M minimizes them together.

It is important to distinguish this shortcut from Windows key + D, which toggles between showing the desktop and restoring the previous window arrangement. By comparison, Windows key + M minimizes open windows but does not itself toggle them back to their previous state. You can restore minimized windows manually or use the appropriate window-management commands.

The other options refer to different functions. Show System Properties displays information about the computer and operating system, Help opens help resources in supported contexts, and Find Computers relates to searching for computers on a network in certain Windows environments. None of these is the primary function of Windows key + M.