Word keyboard shortcuts

About keyboard shortcuts

You can quickly perform tasks by using keyboard shortcuts — one or more keys that you press on the keyboard to complete a task. For example, when you press COMMAND + P the Print dialog box opens.

 Notes 

  • Keyboard shortcut descriptions refer to the U.S. keyboard layout. Keys on other keyboard layouts might not correspond to the keys on a U.S. keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts for laptop computers might also differ.
  • The settings in some versions of the Macintosh operating system and some utility applications might conflict with keyboard shortcuts and function key operations in Office. For information about changing the key assignment of a keyboard shortcut, see Mac Help for your version of the Macintosh operating system or see your utility application.
  • The following list includes keyboard shortcuts for only the most common tasks. To list all Word commands and keyboard shortcuts, on the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros. On the Macros in pop-up menu, click Word commands, and then in the Macro name box, type ListCommands, click Run, and then select the options that you want.

ShowFunction keys

 Note   If you are using a MacBook, to use a function key, you must press the fn key (the lower left key on the keyboard) at the same time.

To Press
Undo the last action F1
Cut text or graphics F2
Copy text or graphics F3
Paste the Clipboard contents F4
Choose the Go To command (Edit menu) F5
Go to the next pane or frame F6
Choose the Spelling and Grammar command (Tools menu) F7

Extend a selection

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Mac OS X key assignment. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Mac OS X keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Hardware, click Keyboard. Click the Keyboard Shortcuts tab, and then clear the On check box for the key assignment that you want to turn off.

 F8

Update selected fields.

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Exposé key assignment in Mac OS X version 10.3 or later. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Exposé keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Personal, click Exposé & Spaces.  Under Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts, on the pop-up menu for the shortcut that you want to turn off, click –.

 F9

Go to the next field.

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Exposé key assignment in Mac OS X version 10.3 or later. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Exposé keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Personal, click Exposé & Spaces. Under Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts, on the pop-up menu for the shortcut that you want to turn off, click –.

 F11
Choose the Save As command (File menu). COMMAND + SHIFT + S
Copy text SHIFT + F2
Change letters to upper, lower, or mixed case SHIFT + F3
Repeat a Find or Go To action SHIFT + F4
Move to the previous insertion point SHIFT + F5
Go to the previous pane or frame SHIFT + F6
Choose the Thesaurus command (Tools menu) SHIFT + F7

Shrink a selection

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Exposé key assignment in Mac OS X version 10.3 or later. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Exposé keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Personal, click Exposé & Spaces. Under Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts, on the pop-up menu for the shortcut that you want to turn off, click –.

 SHIFT + F8

Switch between a field code and its result.

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Exposé key assignment in Mac OS X version 10.3 or later. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Exposé keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Personal, click Exposé & Spaces.  Under Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts, on the pop-up menu for the shortcut that you want to turn off, click –.

 SHIFT + F9

Display a shortcut menu (shortcut menu: A menu that shows a list of commands relevant to a particular item. Among items for which you can display a shortcut menu are text, tables, words flagged by the spelling checker, and graphics.).

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Exposé key assignment in Mac OS X version 10.3 or later. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Exposé keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Personal, click Exposé & Spaces. Under Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts, on the pop-up menu for the shortcut that you want to turn off, click –.

 SHIFT + F10

Go to the previous field.

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Exposé key assignment in Mac OS X version 10.3 or later. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Exposé keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Personal, click Exposé & Spaces.  Under Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts, on the pop-up menu for the shortcut that you want to turn off, click –.

 SHIFT + F11
Cut to the Spike (Spike: An AutoText entry that stores multiple items that you've deleted. Word continues to store items until you insert the entry as a group in a new location in your document.) COMMAND + F3
Close the window COMMAND + F4
Go to the next window COMMAND + F6
Expand or minimize the ribbon OPTION + COMMAND + R
Insert an empty field COMMAND + F9
Lock a field COMMAND + F11
Insert the contents of the Spike (Spike: An AutoText entry that stores multiple items that you've deleted. Word continues to store items until you insert the entry as a group in a new location in your document.) COMMAND + SHIFT + F3
Repeat a Find or Go To action COMMAND + SHIFT + F4
Edit a bookmark COMMAND + SHIFT + F5
Go to the previous window COMMAND + SHIFT + F6
Update linked information in a Word source document COMMAND + SHIFT + F7
Extend a selection or block (then press an arrow key) COMMAND + SHIFT + F8
Unlink a field COMMAND + SHIFT + F9
Unlock a field COMMAND + SHIFT + F11
Create an AutoText AutoText: A location where you can store reusable text or graphics that you want to insert quickly by typing only a few characters. For example, you might store a standard contract clause or a long distribution list for memos. Word comes with some standard entries, such as "Dear Sir or Madam" and "Respectfully yours.")  entry OPTION + F3
Go to the next window OPTION + F6
Find the next misspelling or grammatical error. The Check spelling as you type check box must be selected (Word menu, Preferences command, Spelling and Grammar). OPTION + F7
Run a macro OPTION + F8
Switch between all field codes and their results OPTION + F9
Go to the previous window OPTION + SHIFT + F6
Open the Dictionary OPTION + SHIFT + F7
Run GOTOBUTTON or MACROBUTTON from the field that displays the field results OPTION + SHIFT + F9

ShowMoving the cursor

To move Press
One character to the left LEFT ARROW
One character to the right RIGHT ARROW
One word to the left OPTION + LEFT ARROW
One word to the right OPTION + RIGHT ARROW
One paragraph up COMMAND + UP ARROW
One paragraph down COMMAND + 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 COMMAND + RIGHT ARROW or END
To the beginning of a line COMMAND + LEFT ARROW or HOME
Up one screen (scrolling) PAGE UP
Down one screen (scrolling) PAGE DOWN
To the top of the next page

COMMAND + PAGE DOWN

COMMAND + FN + DOWN ARROW (on a MacBook keyboard)
To the top of the previous page

COMMAND + PAGE UP

COMMAND + FN + UP ARROW (on a MacBook keyboard)
To the end of a document

COMMAND + END

COMMAND + FN + RIGHT ARROW (on a MacBook keyboard)
To the beginning of a document

COMMAND + HOME

COMMAND + FN + LEFT ARROW (on a MacBook keyboard)
To the previous insertion point SHIFT + F5

ShowSelecting text and graphics

 Tip   If you know the key combination to move the cursor, you can generally select the text by using the same key combination while holding down SHIFT . For example, COMMAND + RIGHT ARROW moves the cursor to the next word, and COMMAND + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW selects the text from the cursor to the beginning of the next word.

To extend a selection Press
By selecting multiple items that are not next to each other Select the first item that you want, hold down COMMAND, and then select any additional items
One character to the right SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW
One character to the left SHIFT + LEFT ARROW
One word to the right SHIFT + OPTION + RIGHT ARROW
One word to the left SHIFT + OPTION + LEFT ARROW
To the end of a line COMMAND + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW or SHIFT + END
To the beginning of a line COMMAND + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW or SHIFT + HOME
One line down SHIFT + DOWN ARROW
One line up SHIFT + UP ARROW
To the end of a paragraph COMMAND + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW
To the beginning of a paragraph COMMAND + SHIFT + UP ARROW
One screen down SHIFT + PAGE DOWN
One screen up SHIFT + PAGE UP
To the beginning of a document COMMAND + SHIFT + HOME
To the end of a document COMMAND + SHIFT + END
To the end of a window OPTION + COMMAND + SHIFT + PAGE DOWN
To select the entire document COMMAND + A
To a vertical block of text COMMAND + SHIFT + F8 , and then use the arrow keys; press COMMAND + PERIOD to cancel selection mode
To a specific location in a document F8 , and then use the arrow keys; press COMMAND + PERIOD to cancel selection mode

ShowSelecting text and graphics in a table

To 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 Click in the column's top or bottom cell. Hold down SHIFT and press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key repeatedly
Extend a selection (or block) COMMAND + SHIFT + F8 , and then use the arrow keys; press COMMAND + PERIOD to cancel selection mode
Reduce the selection size SHIFT + F8
Select multiple cells, columns, or rows that are not next to each other Select the first item that you want, hold down COMMAND, and then select any additional items

ShowExtending a selection

To Press
Turn extend mode on

F8

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Mac OS X key assignment. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Mac OS X keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Hardware, click Keyboard. Click the Keyboard Shortcuts tab, and then clear the On check box for the key assignment that you want to turn off.
Select the nearest character to the left F8 , and then press LEFT ARROW
Select the nearest character to the right F8 , and then press RIGHT ARROW
Expand a selection Continue to press F8 to expand the selection to the entire word, sentence, paragraph, section, and so on.
Reduce the size of a selection SHIFT + F8
Turn extend mode off COMMAND + PERIOD

ShowEditing text and graphics

To Press
Copy text or graphics COMMAND + C or F3
Copy a style COMMAND + SHIFT + C
Paste a style COMMAND + SHIFT + V
Copy text or graphics to the Scrapbook CONTROL + OPTION + C
Move text or graphics COMMAND + X or F2 (then move the cursor and press COMMAND + V or F4 )
Insert graphics using the Media Browser COMMAND + CONTROL + M
Create AutoText AutoText: A location where you can store reusable text or graphics that you want to insert quickly by typing only a few characters. For example, you might store a standard contract clause or a long distribution list for memos. Word comes with some standard entries, such as "Dear Sir or Madam" and "Respectfully yours.") OPTION + F3
Insert AutoText COMMAND + OPTION + SHIFT + V
Paste the Clipboard contents COMMAND + V or F4
Paste the selected clipping from the Scrapbook CONTROL + OPTION + V
Paste special COMMAND + CONTROL + C
Paste and match the formatting of the surrounding text COMMAND + OPTION + SHIFT + V
Paste to the Scrapbook CONTROL + OPTION + V
Paste the Spike (Spike: An AutoText entry that stores multiple items that you've deleted. Word continues to store items until you insert the entry as a group in a new location in your document.)  contents COMMAND + SHIFT + F3
Delete one character to the left DELETE
Delete one word to the left COMMAND + DELETE
Delete one character to the right Delete or CLEAR
Delete one word to the right COMMAND + Delete
Cut selected text to the Clipboard COMMAND + X or F2
Undo the last action COMMAND + Z
Cut to the Spike (Spike: An AutoText entry that stores multiple items that you've deleted. Word continues to store items until you insert the entry as a group in a new location in your document.) COMMAND + F3

ShowAligning and formatting paragraphs

To Press
Center a paragraph COMMAND + E
Justify a paragraph COMMAND + J
Left align a paragraph COMMAND + L
Right align a paragraph COMMAND + R
Indent a paragraph from the left CONTROL + SHIFT + M
Remove a paragraph indent from the left COMMAND + SHIFT + M
Create a hanging indent COMMAND + T
Remove a hanging indent COMMAND + SHIFT + T
Start AutoFormat COMMAND + OPTION + K
Apply the Normal style COMMAND + SHIFT + N
Apply the Heading 1 style COMMAND + OPTION + 1
Apply the Heading 2 style COMMAND + OPTION + 2
Apply the Heading 3 style COMMAND + OPTION + 3
Apply the List style COMMAND + SHIFT + L
Insert a nonbreaking space OPTION + SPACEBAR

ShowSetting line spacing

To set line spacing to Press
Single-spaced lines COMMAND + 1
Double-spaced lines COMMAND + 2
1.5-line spacing COMMAND + 5
Add or remove one line of space directly preceding a paragraph COMMAND + 0 (zero)

ShowFormatting characters

To Press
Change the font COMMAND + SHIFT + F
Increase the font size COMMAND + SHIFT + >
Decrease the font size COMMAND + SHIFT + <
Increase the font size by 1 point COMMAND + ]
Decrease the font size by 1 point COMMAND + [
Change the formatting of characters (Font command, Format menu) COMMAND + D
Change the case of letters SHIFT + F3
Format in all capital letters COMMAND + SHIFT + A
Apply bold formatting COMMAND + B
Apply an underline COMMAND + U
Underline words but not spaces COMMAND + SHIFT + W
Double-underline text COMMAND + SHIFT + D
Apply italic formatting COMMAND + I
Format in all small capital letters COMMAND + SHIFT + K
Apply subscript formatting (automatic spacing) COMMAND + EQUAL SIGN
Apply superscript formatting (automatic spacing) COMMAND + SHIFT + PLUS SIGN
Remove manual character formatting COMMAND + SHIFT + Z
Apply strike-through formatting COMMAND + SHIFT + X

ShowInserting special characters

To insert Press
A field COMMAND + F9
A line break SHIFT + RETURN
A page break SHIFT + ENTER
A column break COMMAND + SHIFT + RETURN
A nonbreaking hyphen COMMAND + SHIFT + HYPHEN
The copyright symbol OPTION + G
The registered trademark symbol OPTION + R
The trademark symbol OPTION + 2
An ellipsis OPTION + SEMICOLON

ShowInserting fields

To insert Press
A DATE field CONTROL + SHIFT + D
A LISTNUM field COMMAND + OPTION + SHIFT + L
A PAGE field CONTROL + SHIFT + P
A TIME field CONTROL + SHIFT + T
An empty field COMMAND + F9

ShowWorking with fields

To Press
Update selected fields F9
Unlink a field COMMAND + SHIFT + F9
Switch between a field code and its result SHIFT + F9
Switch between all field codes and their results OPTION + F9
Run GOTOBUTTON or MACROBUTTON from the field that displays the field results OPTION + SHIFT + F9
Go to the next field F11
Go to the previous field SHIFT + F11
Lock a field COMMAND + F11
Unlock a field COMMAND + SHIFT + F11

ShowDocument outline

To Press
Promote a paragraph CONTROL + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW
Demote a paragraph CONTROL + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW
Demote to body text COMMAND + SHIFT + N
Move selected paragraphs up CONTROL + SHIFT + UP ARROW
Move selected paragraphs down CONTROL + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW
Expand text under a heading CONTROL + SHIFT + PLUS SIGN

Collapse text under a heading

This keyboard shortcut conflicts with a default Mac OS X key assignment. To use this Office keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off the Mac OS X keyboard shortcut for this key. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Under Hardware, click Keyboard. Click the Keyboard Shortcuts tab, and then clear the On check box for the key assignment that you want to turn off.

 CONTROL + SHIFT + MINUS SIGN
Expand all body text and headings or collapse all body text CONTROL + SHIFT + A
Show the first line of body text or all body text CONTROL + SHIFT + L
Show all headings with the specified heading level CONTROL + SHIFT +<HEADING LEVEL>

ShowReviewing documents

To Press
Insert a comment COMMAND + OPTION + A
Turn track changes on or off COMMAND + SHIFT + E
Go to the beginning of a comment HOME
Go to the end of a comment END  (The END key is not available on all keyboards)
Go to the beginning of the list of comments when in the Reviewing Pane COMMAND + HOME
Go to the end of the list of comments when in the Reviewing Pane COMMAND + END

ShowPrinting documents

To Press
Print a document COMMAND + P

ShowMoving around in a table

To Press
Move to the next cell TAB (If the cursor is in the last cell of a table, pressing TAB adds a new row)
Move to the preceding cell SHIFT + TAB
Move to the preceding or next row UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW
Move to the first cell in the row CONTROL + HOME
Move to the last cell in the row CONTROL + END
Move to the first cell in the column CONTROL + PAGE UP
Move to the last cell in the column CONTROL + PAGE DOWN
Start a new paragraph RETURN
Add a new row at the bottom of the table TAB at the end of the last row
Add text before a table at the beginning of a document RETURN at the beginning of the first cell
Insert a row COMMAND + CONTROL + I

ShowResizing table columns by using the ruler

To Press the shortcut keys, and then drag a marker on the ruler

Retain column sizes to the right

Change table width

No key

Move a single column line

Retain table width

SHIFT

Equally resize all columns to the right

Retain table width

COMMAND + SHIFT

Proportionally resize all columns to the right

Retain table width

COMMAND

ShowResizing table columns directly in a table

 Tip   

  • To display a column's measurements in the ruler when you resize the column, press OPTION with these shortcut keys.
  • To finely adjust a column width, turn off snap-to functionality by pressing OPTION with the shortcut keys.

To Press the shortcut keys, and then drag a column boundary

Move a single column line

Retain table width

 No key

Retain column sizes to the right

Change table width

SHIFT

Equally resize all columns to the right

Retain table width

COMMAND + SHIFT

Proportionally resize all columns to the right

Retain table width

 COMMAND

ShowInserting paragraphs and tab characters in a table

To insert Press
New paragraphs in a cell RETURN
Tab characters in a cell OPTION + TAB

ShowData merge

To use the following keyboard shortcuts, you must first set up a data merge.

To Press
Merge a document CONTROL + SHIFT + N
Edit a data-merge data document CONTROL + SHIFT + E
Check for errors CONTROL + SHIFT + K
Insert a merge field CONTROL + SHIFT + F

ShowFootnotes and endnotes

To insert Press
A footnote COMMAND + OPTION + F
An endnote COMMAND + OPTION + E

See also

Common Office keyboard shortcuts

 
 
Applies to:
Word for Mac 2011