SAVE TIME TODAY – KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS FOR WORD

Have trouble navigating a Word document? Wish you knew the shortcuts to complete your tasks faster? Gone are the days of forgotten commands and countless searches! This easy guide to keyboard shortcuts for Word will save you time and pain!

Benefits to Using Keyboard Shortcuts

There are many advantages to using this method:

• Less risk of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) than using a mouse
• Become more efficient
• Maintain a professional image
• Build confidence in your computer abilities
• Highlight your range of skills to potential employers

Commonly Used Keyboard Shortcuts

There’s a wide range of shortcuts to use. You can learn the basics or master the entire keyboard. Download a quick cheat sheet to keep by your desk, or a bigger list to file in your folder.

>> Download 1-page cheat sheet of common shortcuts <<

>> Download 2-page comprehensive list of shortcuts <<

Main Keys

For most keyboard shortcuts, you use a combination of Control (ctrl), Alt or Shift keys. These can be found on both sides of the keyboard:Or you may use certain function keys:

Check out this video or view a detailed list below:

(Video breakdown: Navigating 0.50, Selecting 1.25, Editing 1.50, Formatting 2.50, Inserting 3.45)

Keyboard Shortcuts

TROUBLESHOOTING

Ctrl+Z	Undo an action
Ctrl+Y	Redo an action
Insert	If your cursor goes into “overtype” mode press the insert key
F1	Open Help
Ctrl+Alt+Delete (for Windows)	If a program stops responding this can terminate a task, close the program or computer

NAVIGATING

Ctrl+N	Create a new document
Ctrl+O OR Ctrl F12	Open an existing document
Ctrl+Alt+O	Outline view
Crtl+Alt+N	Draft view
Crtl+Alt+P	Print layout view
Ctrl+S OR Shift+F12	Save a document
F12	Save as
Ctrl+W	Close a document
Ctrl+F2	Print preview
Ctrl+P	Print document
Ctrl+F	Search a document
Ctrl+H	Replace text
Left/Right Arrow	Move cursor by one character
Crtl+Left/Right Arrow	Move cursor by one word
Up/Down Arrow	Move cursor by one line
Crtl+Up/Down Arrow	Move cursor by one paragraph
Home	Move to the beginning of the line
End	Move to the end of the line
Crtl+Home/End	Move to beginning or end of the document
Page Up/Page Down	Move up or down one screen
Crtl+Page Up/Down	Move up or down one page
Alt+Q	“Tell me what to do” search box
Alt+V then Z	Open zoom box

SELECTING

Shift+Arrows	Extend your selection by one character to the left/right
Shift+Arrows	Extend your selection by one character to the left/right
Crtl+Shift+Left/Right Arrow	Extend selection by one word
Crtl+Shift+Up/Down Arrow	Extend selection to beginning/end of a paragraph
Shift+Page Up/Page Down	Extend selection up or down one screen
Shift+Home/End	Extends selection from the cursor to start or end of line
Crtl+Shift+Home/End	Extend selection to beginning or end of the document
Ctrl+A	Select entire document

EDITING

Ctrl+Z	Undo an action
Ctrl+Y	Redo an action
Delete	Deletes one character to the right
Ctrl+Delete	Deletes one word to the right
Backspace	Deletes one character to the left
Ctrl+Backspace	Deletes one word to the left
Ctrl+C	Copy text
Ctrl+X	Cut text
Ctrl+V	Paste text
Ctrl+G OR F5	Displays “Go To” box
F7	Check spelling and grammar
Shift+F7	Open thesaurus
Ctrl+Alt+M	Add a comment
prt sc OR Win+prt sc	Takes a screenshot

FORMATTING 

Ctrl+D	Change font
Ctrl+Shift+ OR Ctrl+[or]	Increase or decrease font size
Ctrl+B	Apply bold text
Ctrl+I	Apply italics text
Ctrl+U	Apply underlined text
Ctrl+Shift+W	Underlines a group of selected text but not the spaces
Ctrl+Shift+D	Apply double underline to text
Ctrl+Shift+A	Change letters to capitals (or back to lower case)
Ctrl+Shift+K	Change letters to small caps (or back to lower case)
Shift+F3	Switch from lower case, capital letter, or full capitals
Ctrl+Alt+1 or 2 or 3	Apply Heading Style 1 or 2 or 3
Ctrl+Shift+S	Apply styles window
Ctrl+Shift+N	Apply normal paragraph style
Ctrl+E	Center a paragraph
Ctrl+L	Align paragraph left
Ctrl+R	Align paragraph right
Ctrl+J	Justify paragraph
Ctrl+M OR Ctrl+Shift+M	Increase or decrease paragraph indent
Ctrl+T OR Ctrl+Shift+T	Increase or decrease hanging indent
Ctrl+Q	Removes all paragraph formatting
Ctrl =	Apply subscript
Ctrl+Shift+Plus	Apply superscript
Ctrl+1	Set single spacing
Ctrl+2	Set double spacing
Ctrl+5	Set 1.5 spacing
Ctrl+Spacebar	Removes formatting from selected text

INSERTING

Shift+Enter	Insert a line break
Ctrl+Enter	Insert a page break
Ctrl+Shift+Enter	Insert a column break
Ctrl+Alt+Hyphen (–)	Insert an em-dash
Ctrl+Shift+L	Insert a bullet point
Ctrl+Alt+S	Insert or remove split window
Shift+Alt+D	Insert date
Shift+Alt+T	Insert time
Ctrl+Alt+C	Insert copyright symbol ©
Ctrl+Alt+R	Insert a registered trademark symbol ®
Ctrl+Alt+T	Insert trademark symbol ™
Ctrl+K	Insert hyperlink

Implement these tricks and you’ll be more efficient than ever before.

Discover more handy shortcuts:

How to Use Proofing Tools More Effectively

8 Brilliant Tricks Using the Find & Replace Tool

How to Modify Styles to Suit You
12 Cool MS Word Tricks You Need to Know