Using Keyboard Shortcuts in MS Word

You can avoid reaching for the mouse if you are familiar with keyboard shortcuts.

If you forget one of these, use the mouse and go to the menu bar.

In each pull down menu you will see keyboard commands given in the right side of the window.

Commonly used keyboard combinations

To use one of these combinations Hold the Ctrl or Alt key down and strike the letter key

Ctrl+N	Open a new word document quickly.	Ctrl+X	Cut- Removes the selection from the active document and places it on the clipboard.
Ctrl+O	Opens a previously saved document.	Ctrl+C	Copies the selection to the clipboard
Ctrl+W	Closes the active window, but does not Exit Word.	Ctrl+V	Paste - Inserts the contents of the clipboard at the insertion point (cursor) or whatever is selected.
Ctrl+S	Saves the active document with its current file name, location and format.	Ctrl+A	Selects all text and graphics in the active window.
Ctrl+P	Prints the active file, also gives the opportunity to change print options	Ctrl+F	Find - Searches for specified text in the active document
Alt+F4	Exit - Closes Microsoft Word.	Ctrl+B	Bold - Formats selected text; make text bold, or remove bold formatting
Ctrl+Z	Undo the last action. This selection can be repeated several times.	Ctrl+I	Italic - Formats selected text; make text italic or remove italic
Ctrl+Y	Redo - After an action has been undone, it can be reinstated in the document.	Ctrl+U	Underline - Formats selected text; make text underlined or remove underline

Less commonly used keyboard combinations

	Increase selected text in increments like the drop down font menu (Thanks Daniel)		Apply superscript formatting
	Decrease selected text in increments like the drop down font menu		Apply subscript formatting
	Increase selected text one point		Copy formats
	Decrease selected text one point		Paste formats
	Change case of the letters		Single space lines
	Underline words but not spaces		Set 1.5 line spacing
	Double underline text		Double space lines
	Center a paragraph		Delete one word to the left
	Justify a paragraph		Delete one word to the right
	Left align a paragraph		Right align a paragraph
	Indent a paragraph from the left		Insert a line break
	Create a hanging indent		Reduce a hanging indent
If text is already selected and you want to extend the selection area
	Extend selection one character to the left		Extend selection one character to the right
	Extend selection to the end of a word		Extend selection to the beginning of a word
If you want to move the cursor
	One character to the right		One character to the left
	One word to the right		One word to the left
	To the end of a document		To the beginning of a document
This list is by no means complete. To find other keyboard combinations check the Word help index.

Assignment

Leave your browser window open. Open Microsoft Word, if it is not already open.

1. Open a new Word document and type a line of text. If you wish to do so you could copy this line and paste it into the document.
2. Do not reach for your mouse
3. Move your cursor back into the middle of the line you just typed
4. Highlight more than one word (Hint: Extend to left or right to highlight more than the cursor width.)
5. Cut the highlighted text from the document
6. Open a new Word document
7. Paste the text you cut from the first document into the new document
8. Save the document

Each of the steps in the list above should have been accomplished without the use of your mouse. If you reached for the rodent, review the two tables above, go back to step 1 and try again. Good luck.

Exhaustive list of shortcuts in the form of a word document.
Exhaustive list of shortcuts in the form of an excel document.
A Windows Keyboard is available showing general PC/Windows keyboard shortcuts

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