Microsoft Word Shortcut Keys (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 11 Apr, 2026
Using keyboard shortcuts in MS Word helps you work faster and more efficiently. Shortcuts allow you to perform tasks like writing, formatting, or managing tables quickly without using the mouse, saving time and improving productivity.
Top Key Shortcuts in MS Word
Below is the list of complete MS Word hotkeys and Microsoft Word keyboard commands for all types of users and all types of needs in Microsoft Word:
Basic Microsoft Word Shortcut Commands
Here are the shortcut keys in MS Word, which are used as basic undo, copy, and paste shortcut keys:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Z | Undo the last action |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo the last action |
| Ctrl + X | Cut |
| Ctrl + C | Copy |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | Copy text format |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Shift + V | Ctrl + Shift + V |
These basic Microsoft Word shortcuts help you perform everyday tasks much faster, making them essential for any Word user.
Select Text, Move, and Delete Text Shortcut Keys in MS Word
Here are more advanced MS Word hotkeys for selecting, moving, and deleting text:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Shift + Arrow Right / Arrow Left | Extend selection one character to the right / to the left |
| Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Right / Arrow Left | Extend selection one word to the right / to the left |
| Shift + End / Home | Extend selection to the end / to beginning of a line |
| Shift + Arrow Down / Arrow Up | Extend selection one line down / one line up |
| Shift + Page Down / Page Up | Extend selection one screen down / one screen up |
| Ctrl + Shift + End / Home | Extend selection to end / to beginning of document |
| Alt + Ctrl + Shift + Page Down / Page Up | Extend selection to end / to beginning of visible window |
| Ctrl + A | Select all - Extend selection to entire document |
Frequently Used Shortcuts in MS Word
Here are some of the frequently used Microsoft Word shortcuts:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + N | Create new document |
| Ctrl + O | Open document |
| Ctrl + W | Close document |
| Ctrl + S | Save document |
| F12 | Save document as |
| Ctrl + P | Print document/ print preview |
| Ctrl + F6 | Switch between multiple Word documents |
| Alt + F, R | Open Recent (file, recent) |
| Alt + Ctrl + P | Switch to Print Layout view |
| Alt + Ctrl + O | Switch to Outline view |
| Alt + Ctrl + N | Switch to Draft view (used to be normal view) |
| Ctrl + scroll mouse | Zoom in and zoom out |
| Alt + W, Q | Open Zoom Menu (no native shortcut exists for zoom in/ zoom out) |
| Alt + Ctrl + S | Split the document window |
Formatting Shortcut Keys in Microsoft Word
To speed up formatting in MS Word, use these MS Word shortcut commands:
| **Shortcut | **Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + B | Apply/remove bold |
| Ctrl + I | Apply/remove italic |
| Ctrl + U | Apply/remove underline |
| Ctrl + D | Open the Font dialog box |
| Ctrl + Shift + D | Apply/remove double-underline |
| Ctrl + Shift + <, > | Decrease/increase font size by one value |
| Ctrl + = | Apply/remove subscript |
| Ctrl + Shift + = | Apply/remove superscript |
| Ctrl + R | Right-align paragraph |
| Ctrl + L | Left-align paragraph |
| Ctrl + E | Center-align paragraph |
| Ctrl + J | Justify-align paragraph |
| Ctrl + T | Increase hanging indent |
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Decrease hanging indent |
| Ctrl + Alt + H | Apply/remove Highlight Text Feature |
| Ctrl + Shift + W | Apply/remove words underline (only words, no spaces) |
| Ctrl + Shift + H | Apply/remove hidden formatting |
| Ctrl + Shift + A | Apply/remove all caps |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | Apply/remove small capitals |
| Shift + F3 | Change between all upper-, first letter upper-, and all lower-case |
| Alt + H, 4 | Apply strike-through formatting (font dialog) |
| Ctrl + Shift + Q | Change the selection to the Symbol font |
| Shift + F1 | Reveal Formatting (show all formats of selection) |
| Ctrl + M / Ctrl + Shift + M | Indent paragraph from the left and increase/decrease indent |
| Ctrl + 0 | Add or remove one line space preceding a paragraph |
| Ctrl + 1 | Set line-spacing to single-space |
| Ctrl + 2 | Set line-spacing to double-space |
| Ctrl + 5 | Set line-spacing to 1.5 |
| Alt + Ctrl + Shift + S | Open or close Styles task pane |
| Alt + Ctrl + 1 | Apply Heading 1 style |
| Alt + Ctrl + 2 | Apply Heading 2 style |
| Alt + Ctrl + 3 | Apply Heading 3 style |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Apply Normal style |
| Alt + Shift + Arrow Right / Arrow Left | Promote/demote headings |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Open Apply Styles task pane |
Search and Replace Shortcut Keys in MS Word
Shortcut keys helps in search and replace are as follows:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + H | Open Find and Replace window |
| Ctrl + H, then Alt + D | Open Find window |
| Shift + F4 | Repeat last find after closing Find window |
| Ctrl + Tab | Jump between Find menu and document |
| Esc | Close traditional Search window if active |
| Ctrl + F | Open (new) Search menu in Navigation task pane |
| Alt + W, K | Open and close Navigation pane (View, Navigation) |
MS Word Ribbon Keyboard Shortcut Commands
MS Word shortcuts keys performed at the ribbon.
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + F1 | Show or hide the ribbon |
| Space or Enter | When in ribbon, open or activate the selected item |
| Alt + W, K | Open and close Navigation pane (View, Navigation) |
| F6 / Shift + F6 | With Navigation Pane open: Switch forward/backwards between (1) Navigation Pane, (2) Bottom Taskbar, (3) Ribbon, and (4) Document |
| Tab / Shift + Tab | In Navigation Pane: Move through Navigation Pane options |
Tables Shortcut Keys in MS Word
Shortcut Keys used in MS Word for a table are as follows:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Arrow Down/Arrow Up | Jump one row down/one row up |
| Tab/Shift + Tab | Jump to (and select) next/previous table cell |
| Alt + Home/Alt + End | Jump to first column/jump to last column |
| Alt + Page Up/Alt + Page Down | Jump to first row/jump to last row |
| Ctrl + Arrow Left/Ctrl + Arrow Right | One cell to the left/to the right |
| Shift + End | Select current table cell |
| End, then Shift + Home | Select content of current table cell |
| Press and hold Shift + Arrow keys repeatedly | Extend selection to adjacent cells |
| Ctrl + Shift + F8 | Extend selection or block |
| Alt + S on numeric keypad | Select an entire table |
| Alt + Shift + Arrow Up/Alt + Shift + Arrow Down | Move current row up or down |
| In first column, press Shift + End | Select row |
| In first row, press Alt + Shift + Page Down | Select column |
| Shift + Del | Delete columns with columns selected |
Outline View Shortcut Keys in Microsoft Word
Keys used to perform Outline in MS Word:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Shift + Tab | Promote / Demote a paragraph (or Alt + Shift + Arrow Left / Arrow Right) |
| Ctrl + Shift + O | Switch to Outline View |
| Alt + Shift + Arrow Up / Arrow Down | Move selected paragraphs up / down |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Demote to body text (set style to normal) |
| Alt + Shift + A | Expand or collapse all text or headings |
| Alt + Shift + I | Expand / Collapse text under a heading |
| / key on the numeric keypad | Hide or display character formatting |
| Alt + Shift + L | Show the first line of body text or all body text |
| Alt + Shift + L | Show all headings with the Heading 1 style |
| Alt + Shift + n | Show all headings up to Heading n |
| Ctrl + Tab | Insert a tab character |
Review Documents Shortcut Keys in MS Word
Shortcuts keys for displaying task pane, inserting a command and much more are given below:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Alt + F10 | Display the Selection and Visibility task pane |
| Ctrl + Shift + G | Open the Word Counting dialog box |
| Alt + Ctrl + M | Insert a comment |
| F7 | Choose the Spelling command (Review tab) |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Turn change tracking on or off |
| Alt + Shift + C | Close the Reviewing Pane if it is open |
| Ctrl + Shift + * | Display nonprinting characters |
Enter Special Fields Shortcut Keys in MS Word
Now begin to explore the most special shortcut keys in MS Word.
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + F9 | Insert an empty field |
| Alt+Shift+I | Insert Mark Citation Field |
| Alt + Shift + P | Insert Page Number Field |
| Alt + Shift + D | Insert current Date Field |
| Ctrl + Shift + L | Insert a LISTNUM field |
| Alt + Shift + O | Insert Table of Contents |
| Alt + Shift + T | Insert current Time Field |
| Alt + Shift + X | Insert Mark Index Field |
| Shift + F9 | Show or hide field code/result of selected field |
| Alt + F9 | Show or hide field codes/results of all fields in document |
| F11 / Shift + F11 | Go to the next field / previous field |
| Ctrl + Shift + F7 | Update linked information in a Microsoft Word source document |
| Ctrl + Shift + F9 | Unlink a field |
| Ctrl + F11 / Ctrl + Shift + F11 | Lock a field / Unlock a field |
Shortcut key to check Spelling and Grammar in MS Word
| Task | Shortcut Key |
|---|---|
| Check Spelling and Grammar | F7 |
Print Documents Shortcuts Keys in MS Word
Shortcut keys in MS Word to print or close a document.
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + P | Print a document (print preview) |
| Esc | Close print preview |
| Arrow keys, Page up / Page Down | Move around the preview pages (with focus on preview page) |
| Ctrl + Home / Ctrl + End | Move to first page / last page (with focus on preview page) |