Productivity Reference

Keyboard Shortcuts

A keyboard shortcut is a combination of keys that performs a specific action. The shortcuts typically involve one or more modifier keys such as Ctrl, Alt, or Command combined with another key usually a letter, number, or punctuation symbol. By using keyboard shortcuts, you can bypass navigating through menus and dialog boxes in software applications. Tasks that would normally require multiple clicks with a mouse can be accomplished swiftly using shortcuts, and you will be less relying on mouse movements. Professionals who use keyboard shortcuts efficiently perform repetitive actions more quickly. Most software allows customization of keyboard shortcuts. Users can assign their preferred shortcuts for specific functions. Additionally, each application often has its own unique set of shortcuts. We have crafted shortcuts for most commonly used applications across multiple platforms.

Practical Notes

Shortcut Learning Strategy

Keyboard shortcuts are easiest to adopt when you focus on repeated actions instead of trying to memorize an entire application at once.

Start with frequent tasks

Learn the commands you use every hour: search, save, switch tabs, copy, paste, undo, and open command menus.

Mind the platform

The same action may use Ctrl on Windows or Linux and Command on macOS.

Practice in context

Shortcuts stick faster when you use them during real work instead of reading a list once.

Shortcut	Application	Action
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`N`	MS Word	Demote the paragraph to body text.
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`do not use the numeric keypad`	MS Word	Display all nonprinting characters.
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`S`	MS Word	Display the Apply Styles task pane.
`Ctrl`+`D`or`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F`	MS Word	Display the Font dialog box.
`Ctrl`+`G`	MS Word	Display the Go To dialog box, to navigate to a specific page, bookmark, footnote, table, comment, graphic, or other location.
`Alt`+`R`then`U`then`L`	MS Word	Display the Language dialog box to set the proofing language.
`Ctrl`+`F`	MS Word	Display the Navigation task pane, to search within the document content.
`Alt`+`N`then`J`then`J`	MS Word	Display the Object dialog box, to insert a file object into the document.
`Ctrl`+`H`	MS Word	Display the Replace dialog box, to find and replace text, specific formatting, or special items.
`Shift`+`F1`	MS Word	Display the Reveal Formatting task pane.
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Shift`+`S`	MS Word	Display the Styles task pane.
`Ctrl`+`'`then`d`or`D`	MS Word	ð, Ð
`Alt`+`Shift`+`E`	MS Word	Edit a mail-merge data document.
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`K`	MS Word	Enable AutoFormat.
`Esc`	MS Word	Exit Read Mode.
`Esc`	MS Word	Exit the floating shape navigation and return to normal navigation.
`Alt`+`Shift`+`A`	MS Word	Expand or collapse all text or headings.
`Ctrl`+`F1`	MS Word	Expand or collapse the ribbon.
`F8`thenrepeatedly to expand the selection to the entire wordthen`sentence`then`paragraph`then`section`thenand document.	MS Word	Expand the selection.
F8 repeatedly to expand the selection to the entire wordthen`sentence`then`paragraph`then`section`thenand document.	MS Word	Expand the selection.
`Alt`+`Shift`+`+`	MS Word	Expand the text under a heading.
`Alt`+`←`	MS Word	Go back one page.
`Alt`+`→`	MS Word	Go forward one page.
Type the page numberthenthen press Enter	MS Word	Go to a specific page.
`F11`	MS Word	Go to the next field.
`Alt`+`Shift`+`>`	MS Word	Go to the next footnote.
`Shift`+`F11`	MS Word	Go to the previous field.
`Alt`+`Shift+`	MS Word	Go to the previous footnote.
`on the numeric keypad`	MS Word	Hide or display the character formatting.
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`H`	MS Word	Hide the selected text.
`Ctrl`+`]`	MS Word	Increase the font size by 1 point.
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`>`	MS Word	Increase the font size.
`Ctrl`+`M`	MS Word	Indent the paragraph.
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Enter`	MS Word	Insert a column break.
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`M`	MS Word	Insert a comment.
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`C`	MS Word	Insert a copyright symbol (©).
`Alt`+`Shift`+`D`	MS Word	Insert a DATE field.
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`F`	MS Word	Insert a footnote.
`Ctrl`+`K`	MS Word	Insert a hyperlink.
`Shift`+`Enter`	MS Word	Insert a line break.
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`L`	MS Word	Insert a LISTNUM field.
`Alt`+`Shift`+`F`	MS Word	Insert a merge field.
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`-`	MS Word	Insert a nonbreaking hyphen.
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Space`	MS Word	Insert a nonbreaking space.
`Ctrl`+`Enter`	MS Word	Insert a page break.
`Alt`+`Shift`+`P`	MS Word	Insert a PAGE field.
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`R`	MS Word	Insert a registered trademark symbol (®).
`Alt`+`N`then`M`	MS Word	Insert a SmartArt graphic.
`Ctrl`+`Tab`	MS Word	Insert a tab character.
`Alt`+`Shift`+`T`	MS Word	Insert a TIME field.

Shortcut Learning Strategy

Start with frequent tasks

Mind the platform

Practice in context

Related References