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Best Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word

Updated: Nov 27, 2022


Mastering keyboard shortcuts is a giant step towards productivity. This post is here to let you learn all the best keyboard shortcuts that are listed below. If you make this effort to learn them, you will see a huge difference in the speed at which you can work.


Keyboard shortcuts Microsoft Word

Rule to read shortcuts:

  • Keys are separated by a "+" sign if they need to be pressed simultaneously

  • Keys are separated by a "-" sign if they need to be press successively


File management


  • CTRL+N : Create new document

  • CTRL+O : Open new document

  • CTRL+S : Save

  • F12 : Save as

  • CTRL+W : Close document

  • ALT+F4 : Close application

  • CTRL+NextPage / PreviousPage : Move to the next / previous page


Copy and paste


  • CTRL+C : Copy

  • CTRL+V : Paste

  • CTRL+X : Cut


Cancel and repeat


  • CTRL+Z : Cancel

  • CTRL+Y : Cancel cancellation

  • F4 : Repeat last action


Formatting shortcuts


  • CTRL+B : Bold

  • CTRL+U : Underline

  • CTRL+I : Italic

  • CTRL+SHIFT+" + " : Superscript

  • CTRL+SHIFT+C : Copy selection format

  • CTRL+SHIFT+V : Paste copied format

  • SHIFT+F3 : Change letter case

  • CTRL+] : Increase font size

  • CTRL+SHIFT+> : Decrease font size


Selection


  • CTRL+A : Select all

  • CTRL+Left/Right Arrows : Move one word to the left/right

  • CTRL+Up/Down Arrows : Move one paragraph up or down

  • SHIFT+Left/Right Arrows : Extend selection by one character to the left/right

  • SHIFT+Up/Down Arrows : Extend selection by one line up/down

  • CTRL+SHIFT+Left/Right Arrows : Extend selection by one word to the left/right

  • CTRL+SHIFT+Up/Down Arrows : Extend selection by one paragraph up/down

  • ALT+SHIFT+Up/Down Arrows : Move items up or down in a bulleted or numbered list

  • F8 : Activate Selection Mode


Text


  • CTRL+F : Find

  • CTRL+H : Replace

  • Backspace : Delete one character to the left

  • CTRL+Backspace : Delete one word to the left

  • SHIFT+F10 : Contextual menu (=right click)

  • F7 : Run a Spelling and Grammar Check


Paragraph formatting


  • CTRL+E : Center paragraph

  • CTRL+L : Left-align paragraph

  • CTRL+R : Right-align paragraph

  • CTRL+J : Justify paragraph

  • TAB : Increase Indent

  • SHIFT+TAB : Reduce Indent


Insertion


  • SHIFT+Enter : Insert line break

  • CTRL+Enter : Insert page break


Navigate in Windows


  • Windows+D : Go to desktop

  • Windows+E : Open Computer

  • Windows+V : Open Clipboard history

  • Windows+L : Lock computer

  • Windows+H : Launch speech-to-text

  • Windows+SHIFT+S : Launch screen snipping tool

  • Windows+V : Open clipboard

  • Windows+Arrow : Move a window to corresponding corner of the screen

  • Windows+. : Insert emoji and animated Gifs

  • Alt+Left Arrow : Move to previous folder

  • Alt+Up Arrow : Move to parent folder

  • CTRL+T : Open new tab

  • CTRL+W : Close current tab

  • CLTR+SHIFT+T : Re-open the last closed tab

  • Alt+F4 : Close current program

  • CTRL+P : Print

Final tip#1: check also our list of the best keyboard shortcuts for Excel and for PowerPoint.

Final tip#2: remember these shortcuts with the Power-user add-in for PowerPoint, Excel and Word. Among other features, it adds a list of keyboard shortcuts directly into Word but also tons of templates, icons, maps, diagrams and more!




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