Keyboard Shortcuts in Word
Keyboard Shortcuts in Word
Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for Word helps them work more
efficiently. For users with mobility or vision disabilities, keyboard shortcuts can be easier than using the
touchscreen, and are an essential alternative to using a mouse.
Notes:
The shortcuts in this topic refer to the US keyboard layout. Keys for other layouts might
not correspond exactly to the keys on a US keyboard.
A plus sign (+) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys at the same time.
A comma sign (,) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys in order.
This article describes the keyboard shortcuts and function keys in Word for Windows.
Notes:
To quickly find a shortcut in this article, you can use Search. Press Ctrl+F, and then type
your search words.
If an action that you use often does not have a shortcut key, you can record a macro to
create one. For instructions, go to Create or run a macro or Use a screen reader to create
a macro in Word.
If you are using Microsoft Word Starter, be aware that not all the features listed for Word
are supported in Word Starter. For more information about the features available in
Word Starter, go to Word features that are not fully supported in Word Starter.
Get these keyboard shortcuts in a Word document at this link: Word 2016 for Windows keyboard
shortcuts.
Frequently used shortcuts
This table shows the most frequently used shortcuts in Microsoft Word.
To do this Press
Adjust the zoom magnification. Alt+W, Q, then use the Tab key in the Zoom dialog box to go to the
value you want.
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Note: Add-ins and other programs can add new tabs to the ribbon and might provide access keys for
those tabs.
You can combine the Key Tips letters with the Alt key to make shortcuts called Access Keys for the ribbon
options. For example, press Alt+H to open the Home tab, and Alt+Q to move to the Tell Me or Search
field. Press Alt again to see Key Tips for the options for the selected tab.
Depending on the version of Microsoft 365 you are using, the Search text field at the top of the app
window might be called Tell Me instead. Both offer a largely similar experience, but some options and
search results can vary.
In Office 2013 and Office 2010, most of the old Alt key menu shortcuts still work, too. However, you need
to know the full shortcut. For example, press Alt, and then press one of the old menu keys E (Edit), V
(View), I (Insert), and so on. A notification pops up saying you're using an access key from an earlier
version of Microsoft 365. If you know the entire key sequence, go ahead and use it. If you don't know the
sequence, press Esc and use Key Tips instead.
To go directly to a tab on the ribbon, press one of the following access keys. Additional tabs might appear
depending on your selection in the document.
To do this Press
Move to the Tell Me or Search field on the Ribbon to search for assistance or Help Alt+Q, then enter
content. the search term.
Open the Home tab to use common formatting commands, paragraph styles, and the Find Alt+H
tool.
To do this Press
Open the Insert tab to insert tables, pictures and shapes, headers, or text boxes. Alt+N
Open the Design tab to use themes, colors, and effects, such as page borders. Alt+G
Open the Layout tab to work with page margins, page orientation, indentation, and Alt+P
spacing.
Open the References tab to add a table of contents, footnotes, or a table of citations. Alt+S
Open the Mailings tab to manage Mail Merge tasks and to work with envelopes and Alt+M
labels.
Open the Review tab to use Spell Check, set proofing languages, and to track and review Alt+R
changes to your document.
Open the View tab to choose a document view or mode, such as Read Mode or Outline Alt+W
view. You can also set the zoom magnification and manage multiple document windows.
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To do this Press
Select the active tab on the ribbon and Alt or F10. To move to a different tab, use access keys or the
activate the access keys. arrow keys.
Open the list for the selected command. Down arrow key
Open the menu for the selected button. Alt+Down arrow key
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To do this Press
Move the cursor one word to the left. Ctrl+Left arrow key
To do this Press
Move the cursor one word to the right. Ctrl+Right arrow key
Move the cursor by scrolling the document view up by one screen. Page up
Move the cursor by scrolling the document view down by one screen. Page down
Move the cursor to the top of the next page. Ctrl+Page down
Move the cursor to the location of the last revision made before the Shift+F5, immediately after
document was last closed. opening the document.
Cycle through floating shapes, such as text boxes or images. Ctrl+Alt+5, and then the Tab key
repeatedly
Exit the floating shape navigation and return to the normal navigation. Esc
Display the Navigation task pane, to search within the document content. Ctrl+F
Cycle through the locations of the four previous changes made to the Ctrl+Alt+Z
document.
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Navigate the document using the browse options in Word 2007 and 2010
In Word 2007 and 2010, you can browse the document by various types of objects, such as fields,
footnotes, headings, and graphics.
To do this Press
Open the list of browse options to define the type of object to browse by. Ctrl+Alt+Home
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Preview and print documents
To do this Press
Move around the preview page when zoomed in. Arrow keys
Move by one preview page when zoomed out. Page up or Page down
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To do this Press
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current line. Shift+Home
Select from the current position to the end of the current line. Shift+End
To do this Press
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current paragraph. Ctrl+Shift+Up arrow key
Select from the current position to the end of the current paragraph. Ctrl+Shift+Down arrow key
Select from the current position to the top of the screen. Shift+Page up
Select from the current position to the bottom of the screen. Shift+Page down
Select from the current position to the beginning of the document. Ctrl+Shift+Home
Select from the current position to the end of the document. Ctrl+Shift+End
Select from the current position to the bottom of the window. Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Page down
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Extend a selection
To do this Press
Expand the selection. F8 repeatedly to expand the selection to the entire word, sentence,
paragraph, section, and document.
Select a vertical block of text. Ctrl+Shift+F8, then press the arrow keys
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To do this Press
Open the Clipboard task pane and enable the Office Alt+H, F, O
Clipboard, which allows you to copy and paste content
between Microsoft 365 apps.
Move the selected content to a specific location. F2, move the cursor to the destination, and then
press Enter.
Copy the selected content to a specific location. Shift+F2, move the cursor to the destination,
and then press Enter.
Insert an AutoText block. The first few characters of the AutoText block,
and then press Enter when the ScreenTip
appears.
Copy the header or footer used in the previous section of the Alt+Shift+R
document.
Display the Replace dialog box, to find and replace text, Ctrl+H
specific formatting, or special items.
Display the Object dialog box, to insert a file object into the Alt+N, J, J
document.
To do this Press
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To do this Press
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Format characters
To do this Press
Switch the text between upper case, lower case, and title case. Shift+F3
Apply underline formatting to the words, but not the spaces. Ctrl+Shift+W
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To do this Press
Display all nonprinting characters. Ctrl+Shift+8 (do not use the numeric keypad)
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To do this Press
Insert the Unicode character for the specified Unicode (hexadecimal) The character code, then press
Alt+X
character code. For example, to insert the euro currency symbol ( ),
type 20AC, and then hold down Alt and press X.
Tip: To find out the Unicode character code for a selected character, press
Alt+X.
To do this Press
Insert the ANSI character for the specified ANSI (decimal) character code. Alt+the character code (on the
For example, to insert the euro currency symbol, hold down Alt and press numeric keypad)
0128 on the numeric keypad.
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To do this Press
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To do this Press
Move to the next cell in the row and select its content. Tab key
Move to the previous cell in the row and select its content. Shift+Tab
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To do this Press
Select a column. Select the top or bottom cell of the column, and then press Shift+Up or
Down arrow key
Select a row. Select the first or last cell in the row, and then press Shift+Alt+End or
Home.
Select the whole table. Alt+5 on the numeric keypad, with Num Lock switched off
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To do this Press
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Review a document
To do this Press
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Work with references, citations, and indexing
Use the following shortcuts to add references to your document, such as a table of contents, footnotes,
and citations.
To do this Press
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To do this Press
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Every document has a default language, typically the same default language as your computer's operating
system. If your document also contains words or phrases in a different language, it's a good idea to set
the proofing language for those words. This not only makes it possible to check spelling and grammar for
those phrases, but it also enables assistive technologies like screen readers to handle them appropriately.
To do this Press
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To type a lowercase character by using a key combination that includes the Shift key, hold down the
Ctrl+Shift+symbol keys simultaneously, and then release them before you type the letter.
Note: If you type extensively in another language, you might prefer to switch to a different keyboard
instead.
æ, Æ Ctrl+Shift+Ampersand (&), a or A
œ, Œ Ctrl+Shift+Ampersand (&), o or O
ç, Ç Ctrl+Comma (,), c or C
ß Ctrl+Shift+Ampersand (&), s
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To do this Press
Switch to the Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) for a 101-key keyboard, if Alt+Tilde (~)
available.
Switch to the Korean Input Method Editor (IME) for a 101-key keyboard, if available. Right Alt
Switch to the Chinese Input Method Editor (IME) for a 101-key keyboard, if available. Ctrl+Spacebar
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Work with document views
Word offers several different views of a document. Each view makes it easier to do certain tasks. For
example, Read Mode enables you view the document as a horizontal sequence of pages, which you can
quickly browse using the Left and Right arrow keys.
To do this Press
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Outline a document
These shortcuts only apply when the document is in the Outline view.
To do this Press
Hide or display the character formatting. Forward slash (/) (on the numeric
keypad)
Switch between showing the first line of body text and showing all Alt+Shift+L
body text.
Show all headings with the specified heading level. Alt+Shift+Heading level number
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To do this Press
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Key Description
F2 alone: moves the selected text or graphic. Use the arrow keys to place the cursor where you
F2 want to move the text or graphic, and then press Enter to move, or press Esc to cancel.
Shift+F2: copies the selected text or graphic. Use the arrow keys to place the cursor where you
want to copy the text or graphic, and then press Enter to copy, or press Esc to cancel.
Ctrl+F2: displays the print preview area on the Print tab in the Backstage view.
Alt+Shift+F2: saves the document.
Ctrl+Alt+F2: displays the Open dialog box.
Shift+F3: switches the selected text between upper case, lower case, and title case.
F3 Ctrl+F3: cuts the selected content to the Spike. You can cut multiple texts and graphics to the
Spike, and paste them as a group to another location.
Ctrl+Shift+F3: pastes the contents of the Spike.
Alt+F3: creates a new Building Block.
F6 alone: switch between the document, task pane, status bar, and ribbon. In a document that
F6 has been split, F6 includes the split panes when switching between panes and the task pane.
Shift+F6: switches between the document, ribbon, status bar, and task pane.
Ctrl+F6: switches to the next document window when more than one document is open.
Ctrl+Shift+F6: switches to the previous document window when more than one document is
open.
Alt+F6: moves from an open dialog box back to the document, for dialog boxes that support
this behavior.
F7 alone: displays the Editor task pane to check spelling and grammar in the document or the
F7 selected text.
Shift+F7: displays the Thesaurus task pane.
Ctrl+Shift+F7: updates the linked information in a Word source document.
Alt+F7: finds the next spelling or grammatical error.
Alt+Shift+F7: in Word 2013 and newer, displays the Translator task pane. In Word 2007 and
2010, displays the Research task pane.
F8 alone: extends the selection. For example, if a word is selected, the selection size is extended
F8 to one sentence.
Shift+F8: reduces the selection. For example, if a paragraph is selected, the selection size is
reduced to one sentence.
Ctrl+Shift+F8: turns extend selection mode on and off. In the extend selection mode, the arrow
keys extend the selection.
Alt+F8: displays the Macro dialog box to create, run, edit, or delete a macro.
Alt+Shift+F12: selects the Table of Contents button in the Table of Contents container when
the container is active.
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See also
Word help center
If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer
Desk.