Common tasks in Microsoft Word
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Create a nonbreaking space. |
CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR |
| Create a nonbreaking hyphen. |
CTRL+SHIFT+HYPHEN |
| Make letters bold. |
CTRL+B |
| Make letters italic. |
CTRL+I |
| Make letters underline. |
CTRL+U |
| Decrease font size one value. |
CTRL+SHIFT+< |
| Increase font size one value. |
CTRL+SHIFT+> |
| Decrease font size 1 point. |
CTRL+[ |
| Increase font size 1 point. |
CTRL+] |
| Remove paragraph or character formatting. |
CTRL+SPACEBAR |
| Copy the selected text or object. |
CTRL+C |
| Cut the selected text or object. |
CTRL+X |
| Paste text or an object. |
CTRL+V |
| Paste special |
CTRL+ALT+V |
| Paste formatting only |
CTRL+SHIFT+V |
| Undo the last action. |
CTRL+Z |
| Redo the last action. |
CTRL+Y |
| Open the Word Count dialog box. |
CTRL+SHIFT+G |
Working with documents and Web pages
Create, view, and save documents
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Create a new document. |
CTRL+N |
| Open a document. |
CTRL+O |
| Close a document. |
CTRL+W |
| Split the document window. |
ALT+CTRL+S |
| Remove the document window split. |
ALT+SHIFT+C or ALT+CTRL+S |
| Save a document. |
CTRL+S |
Find, replace, and browse through text
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Open the Navigation task pane (to search document). |
CTRL+F |
| Repeat find (after closing Find and Replace window). |
ALT+CTRL+Y |
| Replace text, specific formatting, and special items. |
CTRL+H |
| Go to a page, bookmark, footnote, table, comment, graphic, or other location. |
CTRL+G |
| Switch between the last four places that you have edited. |
ALT+CTRL+Z |
| Open a list of browse options. Press the arrow keys to select an option, and then press ENTER to browse through a document by using the selected option. |
ALT+CTRL+HOME |
| Move to the previous browse object (set in browse options). |
CTRL+PAGE UP |
| Move to the next browse object (set in browse options). |
CTRL+PAGE DOWN |
Switch to another view
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Switch to Print Layout view. |
ALT+CTRL+P |
| Switch to Web Layout view. |
|
| Switch to Outline view. |
ALT+CTRL+O |
| Switch to Draft view. |
ALT+CTRL+N |
Outline view
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Promote a paragraph. |
ALT+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
| Demote a paragraph. |
ALT+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
| Demote to body text. |
CTRL+SHIFT+N |
| Move selected paragraphs up. |
ALT+SHIFT+UP ARROW |
| Move selected paragraphs down. |
ALT+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW |
| Expand text under a heading. |
ALT+SHIFT+PLUS SIGN |
| Collapse text under a heading. |
ALT+SHIFT+MINUS SIGN |
| Expand or collapse all text or headings. |
ALT+SHIFT+A |
| Hide or display character formatting. |
The slash (/) key on the numeric keypad |
| Show the first line of body text or all body text. |
ALT+SHIFT+L |
| Show all headings with the Heading 1 style. |
ALT+SHIFT+1 |
| Show all headings up to Heading n. |
ALT+SHIFT+n |
| Insert a tab character. |
CTRL+TAB |
Print and preview documents
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Print a document. |
CTRL+P |
| Switch to print preview. |
ALT+CTRL+I |
| Move around the preview page when zoomed in. |
Arrow keys |
| Move by one preview page when zoomed out. |
PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN |
| Move to the first preview page when zoomed out. |
CTRL+HOME |
| Move to the last preview page when zoomed out. |
CTRL+END |
Review documents
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Insert a comment. |
ALT+CTRL+M |
| Turn change tracking on or off. |
CTRL+SHIFT+E |
| Close the Reviewing Pane if it is open. |
ALT+SHIFT+C |
Read Mode
NOTE Some screen readers may not be compatible Read mode.
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Go to beginning of document. |
HOME |
| Go to end of document. |
END |
| Go to page n. |
n, ENTER |
| Exit Read mode. |
ESC |
References, footnotes, and endnotes
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Mark a table of contents entry. |
ALT+SHIFT+O |
| Mark a table of authorities entry (citation). |
ALT+SHIFT+I |
| Mark an index entry. |
ALT+SHIFT+X |
| Insert a footnote. |
ALT+CTRL+F |
| Insert an endnote. |
ALT+CTRL+D |
Work with Web pages
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Insert a hyperlink. |
CTRL+K |
| Go back one page. |
ALT+LEFT ARROW |
| Go forward one page. |
ALT+RIGHT ARROW |
| Refresh. |
F9 |
Edit and move text and graphics
Delete text and graphics
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Delete one character to the left. |
BACKSPACE |
| Delete one word to the left. |
CTRL+BACKSPACE |
| Delete one character to the right. |
DELETE |
| Delete one word to the right. |
CTRL+DELETE |
| Cut selected text to the Office Clipboard. |
CTRL+X |
| Undo the last action. |
CTRL+Z |
| Cut to the Spike. |
CTRL+F3 |
Copy and move text and graphics
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Open the Office Clipboard |
Press ALT+H to move to theHome tab, and then press F,O. |
| Copy selected text or graphics to the Office Clipboard. |
CTRL+C |
| Cut selected text or graphics to the Office Clipboard. |
CTRL+X |
| Paste the most recent addition or pasted item from the Office Clipboard. |
CTRL+V |
| Move text or graphics once. |
F2 (then move the cursor and press ENTER) |
| Copy text or graphics once. |
SHIFT+F2 (then move the cursor and press ENTER) |
| When text or an object is selected, open the Create New Building Block dialog box. |
ALT+F3 |
| When the building block — for example, a SmartArt graphic — is selected, display the shortcut menu that is associated with it. |
SHIFT+F10 |
| Cut to the Spike. |
CTRL+F3 |
| Paste the Spike contents. |
CTRL+SHIFT+F3 |
| Copy the header or footer used in the previous section of the document. |
ALT+SHIFT+R |
Insert special characters
| TO INSERT THIS |
PRESS |
| A field |
CTRL+F9 |
| A line break |
SHIFT+ENTER |
| A page break |
CTRL+ENTER |
| A column break |
CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER |
| An em dash |
ALT+CTRL+MINUS SIGN |
| An en dash |
CTRL+MINUS SIGN |
| An optional hyphen |
CTRL+HYPHEN |
| A nonbreaking hyphen |
CTRL+SHIFT+HYPHEN |
| A nonbreaking space |
CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR |
| The copyright symbol |
ALT+CTRL+C |
| The registered trademark symbol |
ALT+CTRL+R |
| The trademark symbol |
ALT+CTRL+T |
| An ellipsis |
ALT+CTRL+PERIOD |
| A single opening quotation mark |
CTRL+`(single quotation mark), `(single quotation mark) |
| A single closing quotation mark |
CTRL+’ (single quotation mark), ‘ (single quotation mark) |
| Double opening quotation marks |
CTRL+` (single quotation mark), SHIFT+’ (single quotation mark) |
| Double closing quotation marks |
CTRL+’ (single quotation mark), SHIFT+’ (single quotation mark) |
| An AutoText entry |
ENTER (after you type the first few characters of the AutoText entry name and when the ScreenTip appears) |
Insert characters by using character codes
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
Insert the Unicode character for the specified Unicode (hexadecimal) character code. For example, to insert the euro currency symbol ( ), type 20AC, and then hold down ALT and press X. |
The character code, ALT+X |
| Find out the Unicode character code for the selected character |
ALT+X |
| Insert the ANSI character for the specified ANSI (decimal) character code. For example, to insert the euro currency symbol, hold down ALT and press 0128 on the numeric keypad. |
ALT+the character code (on the numeric keypad) |
Select text and graphics
Select text by holding down SHIFT and using the arrow keys to move the cursor.
Extend a selection
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Turn extend mode on. |
F8 |
| Select the nearest character. |
F8, and then press LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW |
| Increase the size of a selection. |
F8 (press once to select a word, twice to select a sentence, and so on) |
| Reduce the size of a selection. |
SHIFT+F8 |
| Turn extend mode off. |
ESC |
| Extend a selection one character to the right. |
SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
| Extend a selection one character to the left. |
SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
| Extend a selection to the end of a word. |
CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
| Extend a selection to the beginning of a word. |
CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
| Extend a selection to the end of a line. |
SHIFT+END |
| Extend a selection to the beginning of a line. |
SHIFT+HOME |
| Extend a selection one line down. |
SHIFT+DOWN ARROW |
| Extend a selection one line up. |
SHIFT+UP ARROW |
| Extend a selection to the end of a paragraph. |
CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW |
| Extend a selection to the beginning of a paragraph. |
CTRL+SHIFT+UP ARROW |
| Extend a selection one screen down. |
SHIFT+PAGE DOWN |
| Extend a selection one screen up. |
SHIFT+PAGE UP |
| Extend a selection to the beginning of a document. |
CTRL+SHIFT+HOME |
| Extend a selection to the end of a document. |
CTRL+SHIFT+END |
| Extend a selection to the end of a window. |
ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN |
| Extend a selection to include the entire document. |
CTRL+A |
| Select a vertical block of text. |
CTRL+SHIFT+F8, and then use the arrow keys; press ESC to cancel selection mode |
| Extend a selection to a specific location in a document. |
F8+arrow keys; press ESC to cancel selection mode |
Select text and graphics in a table
| TO DO THIS |
PRESS |
| Select the next cell’s contents. |
TAB |
| Select the preceding cell’s contents. |
SHIFT+TAB |
| Extend a selection to adjacent cells. |
Hold down SHIFT and press an arrow key repeatedly |
| Select a column. |
Use the arrow keys to move to the column’s top or bottom cell, and then do one of the following:
- Press SHIFT+ALT+PAGE DOWN to select the column from top to bottom.
- Press SHIFT+ALT+PAGE UP to select the column from bottom to top.
|
| Extend a selection (or block). |
CTRL+SHIFT+F8, and then use the arrow keys; press ESC to cancel selection mode |
|
|
| Select an entire table. |
ALT+5 on the numeric keypad (with NUM LOCK off) |
Move through your document
| TO MOVE |
PRESS |
| One character to the left |
LEFT ARROW |
| One character to the right |
RIGHT ARROW |
| One word to the left |
CTRL+LEFT ARROW |
| One word to the right |
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW |
| One paragraph up |
CTRL+UP ARROW |
| One paragraph down |
CTRL+DOWN ARROW |
| One cell to the left (in a table) |
SHIFT+TAB |
| One cell to the right (in a table) |
TAB |
| Up one line |
UP ARROW |
| Down one line |
DOWN ARROW |
| To the end of a line |
END |
| To the beginning of a line |
HOME |
| To the top of the window |
ALT+CTRL+PAGE UP |
| To the end of the window |
ALT+CTRL+PAGE DOWN |
| Up one screen (scrolling) |
PAGE UP |
| Down one screen (scrolling) |
PAGE DOWN |
| To the top of the next page |
CTRL+PAGE DOWN |
| To the top of the previous page |
CTRL+PAGE UP |
| To the end of a document |
CTRL+END |
| To the beginning of a document |
CTRL+HOME |
| To a previous revision |
SHIFT+F5 |
| After opening a document, to the location you were working in when the document was last closed |
SHIFT+F5 |
Move around in a table
| TO MOVE |
PRESS |
| To the next cell in a row |
TAB |
| To the previous cell in a row |
SHIFT+TAB |
| To the first cell in a row |
ALT+HOME |
| To the last cell in a row |
ALT+END |
| To the first cell in a column |
ALT+PAGE UP |
| To the last cell in a column |
ALT+PAGE DOWN |
| To the previous row |
UP ARROW |
| To the next row |
DOWN ARROW |
| Row up |
ALT+SHIFT+UP ARROW |
| Row down |
ALT+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW |
Insert paragraphs and tab characters in a table
| TO INSERT |
PRESS |
| New paragraphs in a cell |
ENTER |
| Tab characters in a cell |
CTRL+TAB |
Use overtype mode
To change the overtype settings so that you can access overtype mode by pressing INSERT, do the following:
- Press ALT+F, T to open Word Options.
- Press A to select ADVANCED, and then press TAB.
- Press ALT+O to move to the Use the Insert key to control overtype mode check box.
- Press SPACEBAR to select the check box, and then press ENTER.
To turn Overtype mode on or off, press INSERT.
