Feb

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

By Janet

Typically, keyboard shortcuts are an alternative for making commands that would only be accessible through the menu or mouse. Keyboard shortcuts give the same result with less effort and mouse usage.

Windows and Word are both created by Microsoft and are extremely popular with both small and large businesses alike. When it comes to utilizing both the operating system and the program, many times you wonder “is there an easier way?” In many cases there are. I have included a few of the most popular Windows and Microsoft Word shortcuts.

Basic Windows Shortcuts

Alt + F File menu options in current program
Alt + E Edit options in current program F1 Universal Help in almost all Windows programs
Ctrl + A Select all text
Ctrl + X Cut selected item
Shift + Del Cut selected item
Ctrl + C Copy selected item
Ctrl + Ins Copy selected item
Ctrl + V Paste
Shift + Ins Paste
Home Goes to beginning of current line
Ctrl + Home Goes to beginning of document
End Goes to end of current line
Ctrl + End Goes to end of document
Shift + Home Highlights from current position to beginning of line
Shift + End Highlights from current position to end of line
Ctrl + Left arrow Moves one word to the left at a time
Ctrl + Right arrow Moves one word to the right at a time

Microsoft Word Shortcuts

Ctrl + A Select all contents of the page.
Ctrl + B Bold highlighted selection.
Ctrl + C Copy selected text.
Ctrl + X Cut selected text.
Ctrl + P Open the print window.
Ctrl + F Open find box.
Ctrl + I Italic highlighted selection.
Ctrl + K Insert link.
Ctrl + U Underline highlighted selection.
Ctrl + V Paste.
Ctrl + Y Redo the last action performed.
Ctrl + Z Undo last action.
Ctrl + L Aligns the line or selected text to the left of the screen.
Ctrl + E Aligns the line or selected text to the center of the screen.
Ctrl + R Aligns the line or selected text to the right of the screen.
Ctrl + M Indent the paragraph.
Ctrl + Shift + F Change the font.
Ctrl + Shift + > Increase selected font +1.
Ctrl + ] Increase selected font +1.
Ctrl + Shift + < Decrease selected font -1.
Ctrl + [ Decrease selected font -1.
Ctrl + Shift + * View or hide non printing characters.
Ctrl + Del Deletes word to right of cursor.
Ctrl + Backspace Deletes word to left of cursor.
Ctrl + End Moves the cursor to the end of the document.
Ctrl + Home Moves the cursor to the beginning of the document.
Ctrl + Spacebar Reset highlighted text to the default font.
Ctrl + 1 Single-space lines.
Ctrl + 2 Double-space lines.
Ctrl + 5 1.5-line spacing.
Ctrl + Alt + 1 Changes text to heading 1.
Ctrl + Alt + 2 Changes text to heading 2.
Ctrl + Alt + 3 Changes text to heading 3.
Shift + F3 Change the case of the selected text.
Shift + Insert Paste.
F7 Spell check selected text and/or document.
Shift + F7 Activate the thesaurus.
Alt + Shift + D Insert the current date.
Alt + Shift + T Insert the current time.