Automation and Productivity Tips

keyboard shortcuts 

Use function key shortcuts

F1           

  •  F1 alone: displays the Word help task pane.
  •  Shift+F1: displays or hides context-sensitive help or the Reveal Formatting task pane.
  • Ctrl+F1: displays or hides the ribbon.
  •  Alt+F1: moves to the next field.
  •  Alt+Shift+F1: moves to the previous field.
  • F2
  •  F2 alone: moves the selected text or graphic. Use the arrow keys to place the cursor where you want to move the text or graphic, and then press Enter to move, or press Esc to cancel.
  • Shift+F2: copies the selected text or graphic. Use the arrow keys to place the cursor where you want to copy the text or graphic, and then press Enter to copy, or press Esc to cancel.
  • Ctrl+F2: displays the print preview area on the Print tab in the Backstage view.
  • Alt+Shift+F2: saves the document.
  • Ctrl+Alt+F2: displays the Open dialog box.

F3

  • Shift+F3: switches the selected text between upper case, lower case, and title case.
  • Ctrl+F3: cuts the selected content to the Spike. You can cut multiple texts and graphics to the Spike, and paste them as a group to another location.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F3: pastes the contents of the Spike.
  • Alt+F3: creates a new Building Block.

F4 

  • F4 alone: repeats the last command or action, if possible.
  • Shift+F4: repeats the last Find or Go To action.
  • Ctrl+F4: closes the current document.
  • Alt+F4: closes Word.

F5

  • F5 alone: displays the Go To dialog box.
  • Shift+F5: moves the cursor to the last change.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F5: displays the Bookmark dialog box.
  • Alt+F5: restores the document window size.

F6   

  • F6 alone: switch between the document, task pane, status bar, and ribbon. In a document that has been split, F6 includes the split panes when switching between panes and the task pane.
  • Shift+F6: switches between the document, ribbon, status bar, and task pane.
  • Ctrl+F6: switches to the next document window when more than one document is open.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F6: switches to the previous document window when more than one document is open.
  • Alt+F6: moves from an open dialog box back to the document, for dialog boxes that support this behavior.

F7

  • F7 alone: displays the Editor task pane to check spelling and grammar in the document or the selected text.
  • Shift+F7: displays the Thesaurus task pane.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F7: updates the linked information in a Word source document.
  • Alt+F7: finds the next spelling or grammatical erro
  • Alt+Shift+F7: displays the Translator task pane.

F8

  • F8 alone: extends the selection. For example, if a word is selected, the selection size is extended to one sentence.
  • Shift+F8: reduces the selection. For example, if a paragraph is selected, the selection size is reduced to one sentence.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F8: turns extend selection mode on and off. In the extend selection mode, the arrow keys extend the selection.
  • Alt+F8: displays the Macro dialog box to create, run, edit, or delete a macro.

F9 

  • F9 alone: updates the selected fields.
  • Shift+F9: switches between a field code and its result.
  • Ctrl+F9: inserts an empty field.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F9: unlinks the current field.
  • Alt+F9: switches between all field codes and their results.
  • Alt+Shift+F9: runs GOTOBUTTON or MACROBUTTON from a field displaying field results.

F10 

  • F10 alone: turns KeyTips on or off.
  • Shift+F10: displays the shortcut menu for the selected item.
  • Ctrl+F10: maximizes or restores the document window size.
  • Alt+F10: displays the Selection task pane.
  • Alt+Shift+F10: displays the menu or message for available actions, for example, for pasted text or an AutoCorrect change.

F11

  • F11 alone: moves to the next field.
  • Shift+F11: moves to the previous field.
  • Ctrl+F11: locks the current field.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F11: unlocks the current field.
  • Alt+F11: opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications editor, in which you can create a macro using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

F12

  • F12 alone: displays the Save As dialog box.
  • Shift+F12: saves the document.
  • Ctrl+F12: displays the Open dialog box.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F12: displays the Print tab in the Backstage view.
  • Alt+Shift+F12: selects the Table of Contents button in the Table of Contents container when the container is active.
  •  

General

  • Ctrl + N = Create a new document
  • Ctrl + O = Open a document
  • Ctrl + S = Save the document
  • Ctrl + P = Print the document
  • Ctrl + W = Close the document
  • Ctrl + Z = Undo
  • Ctrl + Y = Redo
  • Esc = Cancel

Ribbon

  • Alt + F = Open the File page
  • Alt + H = Switch to the Home tab
  • Alt + N = Switch to the Insert tab
  • Alt + G = Switch to the Design tab
  • Alt + P = Switch to the Layout tab
  • Alt + S = Switch to the References tab
  • Alt + M = Switch to the Mailings tab
  • Alt + R = Switch to the Review tab
  • Alt + W = Switch to the View tab
  • Alt + Q = Search the Ribbon

Navigation

  • Ctrl + F = Open the Navigation pane to search
  • Ctrl + G = Open the Go To window to navigate to an element
  • Home = Move the cursor to the start of the line
  • End = Move the cursor to the end of the line
  • Ctrl + Left arrow = Move the cursor left by one word
  • Ctrl + Right arrow = Move the cursor right by one word
  • Ctrl + Up arrow = Move the cursor up by one paragraph
  • Ctrl + Down arrow = Move the cursor down by one paragraph
  • Ctrl + Alt + Page up = Move the cursor to the top of the screen
  • Ctrl + Alt + Page down = Move the cursor to the bottom of the screen
  • Page up = Scroll up a page
  • Page down = Scroll down a page
  • Ctrl + Home = Move the cursor to the start of the document
  • Ctrl + End = Move the cursor to the end of the document
  • Shift + F5 = Move the cursor to the last change
  • Ctrl + Alt + Z = Cycle through the last four changes

Select Text

  • Ctrl + A = Select all
  • Shift + Arrow keys = Select text in the specified direction
  • Ctrl + Shift + Left arrow = Select the left word
  • Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow = Select the right word
  • Shift + Home = Select to the start of the line
  • Shift + End = Select to the end of the line
  • Ctrl + Shift + Up arrow = Select to the start of the paragraph
  • Ctrl + Shift + Down arrow = Select to the end of the paragraph
  • Shift + Page up = Select to the top of the screen
  • Shift + Page down = Select to the bottom of the screen
  • Ctrl + Shift + Home = Select to the start of the document
  • Ctrl + Shift + End = Select to the end of the document

Edit Text

  • Ctrl + H = Open the Replace window to find and replace
  • Ctrl + X = Cut the selected content
  • Ctrl + C = Copy the selected content
  • Ctrl + V = Paste from the clipboard
  • Ctrl + Shift + C = Copy the selected formatting
  • Ctrl + Shift + V = Paste the selected formatting
  • Alt + Shift + R = Copy the header/footer from the previous section
  • Ctrl + Backspace = Delete the word on the left
  • Ctrl + Delete = Delete the word on the right

Format Paragraphs

  • Ctrl + J = Justify paragraph
  • Ctrl + E = Center paragraph
  • Ctrl + L = Align paragraph left
  • Ctrl + R = Align paragraph right
  • Ctrl + M = Indent paragraph
  • Ctrl + Shift + M = Remove paragraph indent
  • Ctrl + 1 = Apply single spacing
  • Ctrl + 2 = Apply double spacing
  • Ctrl + 0 = Add or remove a space before the paragraph
  • Ctrl + Shift + N = Apply the Normal style
  • Ctrl + Alt + 1 / 2 / 3 = Apply the Heading 1 / 2 / 3 style
  • Ctrl + Q = Remove paragraph formatting

Format Text

  • Ctrl + DOpen the Font window
  • Ctrl + B = Apply bold
  • Ctrl + I = Apply italic
  • Ctrl + U = Apply underline
  • Ctrl + Shift + W = Apply underline to words, not spaces
  • Ctrl + Shift + D = Apply double underline
  • Ctrl + Shift + A = Format text upper case
  • Ctrl + Shift + K = Format text small caps
  • Ctrl + Shift + > = Increase font size
  • Ctrl + Shift + < = Decrease font size

Tables

  • Up arrow = Move up a row
  • Down arrow = Move down a row
  • Alt + Home = Move to the row’s first cell
  • Alt + End = Move to the row’s last cell
  • Tab = Move to the row’s next cell
  • Shift + Tab = Move to the row’s previous cell
  • Alt + Page up = Move to the column’s first cell
  • Alt + Page down = Move to the column’s last cell