Keyboard Shortcut Keys in MS Office Speed Up Your Work

Published: 13 Mar 2025

Using keyboard shortcut keys in MS Office is like knowing secret pathways in a big city. Imagine walking through crowded streets versus taking hidden shortcuts that get you to your destination faster. Just like navigating apps with a mouse can be slow, using Shortcut Keys helps you work quicker and more efficiently. Unlike general computer shortcuts, MS Office shortcuts are designed specifically for tasks like editing documents, managing spreadsheets, and creating presentations. Whether you’re drafting reports in Word, crunching numbers in Excel, or designing slides in PowerPoint, these shortcuts save time and effort, making work feel smoother and more productive. Let’s explore the shortcut keys for MS Office:

Shortcuts keys for MS Word

1. Ctrl + N: New document

2. Ctrl + O: Open document

3. Ctrl + S: Save document

4. Ctrl + P: Print document

5. Ctrl + C: Copy text

6. Ctrl + X: Cut text

7. Ctrl + V: Paste text

8. Ctrl + Z: Undo action

9. Ctrl + Y: Redo action

10. Ctrl + A:  Select all text

11. Ctrl + F: Find text

12. Ctrl + H: Replace text

13. Ctrl + B: Bold text

14. Ctrl + I: Italicize text

15. Ctrl + U: Underline text

16. Ctrl + L: Align text to the left

17. Ctrl + R: Align text to the right

18. Ctrl + E: Center-align text

19. Ctrl + J: Justify text

20. Ctrl + K: Insert hyperlink

21. Ctrl + Shift + N: Apply normal style

22. Ctrl + Shift + L: Apply bullet list

23. Ctrl + T: Create hanging indent

24. Ctrl + 1: Single line spacing

25. Ctrl + 2: Double line spacing

26. Ctrl + 5: 1.5 line spacing

27. Ctrl + Shift + >: Increase font size

28. Ctrl + Shift + <: Decrease font size

29. Ctrl + Enter: Insert page break

30. Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy formatting

Shortcuts for MS Excel

1. Ctrl + N: New workbook

2. Ctrl + O: Open workbook

3. Ctrl + S: Save workbook

4. Ctrl + P: Print workbook

5. Ctrl + C: Copy selected cells

6. Ctrl + X: Cut selected cells

7. Ctrl + V: Paste copied/cut cells

 8. Ctrl + Z: Undo action

9. Ctrl + Y: Redo action

10. Ctrl + A: Select all cells

11. Ctrl + f: Find data

12. Ctrl + H: Find and replace

13. Ctrl + T: Create a table

14. Ctrl + Shift + L: Add or remove filters

15. Ctrl + Shift + “+”: Insert a new row or column

16. Ctrl + “-“ : Delete selected row or column

17. Ctrl + Shift + K: Insert new worksheet

18. Ctrl + Arrow keys: Move to the edge of data

19. Alt + E, S, V: Paste special

20. F2: Edit selected cell

21. F4: Repeat last action

22. Ctrl + Shift + $: Apply currency format

23. Ctrl + Shift + %: Apply percentage format

24. Ctrl + Shift + ^: Apply scientific format

25. Ctrl + Shift + &: Apply border to selection

26. Ctrl + ” (quote): Copy value from the cell above

27. Ctrl + Shift + “(double quote): Copy value from the cell below

28. Ctrl + 1: Open Format Cells dialog

29. Ctrl + Shift + U: Expand formula bar

30. Alt + F1: Create a chart of selected data

Shortcuts for MS PowerPoint

1. Ctrl + N: New presentation

2. Ctrl + O: Open presentation

3. Ctrl + S: Save presentation

4. Ctrl + P: Print presentation

5. Ctrl + C: Copy selected object or text

6. Ctrl + X: Cut selected object or text

7. Ctrl + V: Paste copied/cut object or text

8. Ctrl + Z: Undo action

9. Ctrl + Y: Redo action

10. Ctrl + A: Select all objects or text

11. Ctrl + F: Find text in presentation

12. Ctrl + H: Replace text

3. Ctrl + B: Bold selected text

14. Ctrl + I: Italicize selected text

15. Ctrl + U: Underline selected text

16. Ctrl + M: Insert new slide

17. Ctrl + D: Duplicate slide

18. Ctrl + Shift + D: Duplicate selected object

19. Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy formatting

20. Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste formatting

21. Ctrl + K: Insert hyperlink

22. Ctrl + E: Center align text

23. Ctrl + L: Left align text

24. Ctrl + R: Right align text

25. Ctrl + G: Group objects

26. Ctrl + Shift + G: Ungroup objects

27. F5: Start slideshow

28. Shift + F5: Start slideshow from current slide

29. Esc: Exit slideshow

30. Alt + N, P: Insert picture from file

Shortcuts for Microsoft OneDrive

1. Ctrl + N: Open new OneDrive window

2. Ctrl + O: Open a file in OneDrive

3. Ctrl + S: Save file to OneDrive

4. Ctrl + P: Print file from OneDrive

5. Ctrl + C: Copy selected file or folder

6. Ctrl + X: Cut selected file or folder

7. Ctrl + V: Paste copied/cut file or folder

8. Ctrl + Z: Undo last action

9. Ctrl + Y: Redo last action

10. Ctrl + A: Select all files/folders

11. Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder

12. Delete: Delete selected file or folder

13. Ctrl + F: Search for a file or folder

14. Ctrl + E: Open file properties

15. Ctrl + Shift + E: Show details pane

16. Alt + F4: Close current OneDrive window

17. Ctrl + R: Refresh OneDrive window

18. Ctrl + Shift + T: Reopen a closed tab

19. Ctrl + L:  Open OneDrive settings

20. Ctrl + D: Bookmark current OneDrive location

21. Shift + F10: Open context menu (right-click)

22. Ctrl + Shift + S: Sync files manually

23. Ctrl + J: View downloads in browser

24. Ctrl + H: Show history of recent activities

25. Ctrl + Q: View synced folders

26. Ctrl + W: Close OneDrive window or tab

27. Ctrl + K: Add new shortcut to OneDrive

28. Ctrl + Shift + M: Show notification panel

29. Ctrl + T: Open new tab for OneDrive website

30. Ctrl + Shift + F: Switch between file view and list view

Shortcuts for Microsoft Access

1. Ctrl + N: New database

2. Ctrl + O: Open database

3. Ctrl + S: Save database

4. Ctrl + P: Print database

5. Ctrl + C: Copy selected data

6. Ctrl + X: Cut selected data

7. Ctrl + V: Paste copied/cut data

8. Ctrl + Z: Undo last action

9. Ctrl + Y: Redo last action

10. Ctrl + A: Select all data

11. Ctrl + F: Find data

12. Ctrl + H: Replace data

13. Ctrl + G: Go to specific record

14. Ctrl + Shift + F: Open filter options

15. Ctrl + Shift + L: Toggle AutoFilter

16. Ctrl + W: Close window

17. Ctrl + F4: Close current object

18. Ctrl + Shift + N: Create a new query

19. Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy formatting

20. Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste formatting

21. F11: Open Database Window

22. Ctrl + R: Refresh data

23. Ctrl + P: Print query or report

24. Ctrl + Shift + Q: Create a new query in Design View

25. Ctrl + J: Insert a new record

26. Ctrl + K: Insert hyperlink

27. Ctrl + F2: Print preview

28. Ctrl + E: Open query wizard

29. Ctrl + L: Toggle Navigation Pane

30. Ctrl + M: Open Design View for query

What are keyboard shortcut keys?

Keyboard shortcut keys are combinations of keys on your keyboard that perform specific tasks quickly. Instead of clicking through menus, you press a few keys to complete an action. They save you time and make tasks faster.

Are these shortcuts the same for all versions of MS Office?

Most shortcuts are the same across different versions of MS Office, but some newer features may have additional shortcuts. If you’re using an older version, you might need to check specific guides for that version. You can find shortcuts in the help section of each app.

Can I customize keyboard shortcuts in MS Office?

Yes, you can customize shortcuts in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint by going into the settings or options menu. This way, you can set up shortcuts that work best for you. Just be sure not to override important default shortcuts!

How can I remember all these shortcuts?

Start by learning a few shortcuts at a time, like copy, paste, and undo. Practice them every day, and soon they’ll become second nature. You can also keep a list of shortcuts handy until you’re comfortable with them.

Do these shortcuts work on Mac computers?

On a Mac, most shortcuts are the same but use the Command key instead of Ctrl. For example, instead of Ctrl + C (copy), it’s Cmd + C. Check for any specific Mac differences in MS Office’s help section.

Can I use shortcuts in all MS Office apps?

Yes! You can use shortcuts in all MS Office apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Each app has its own set of useful shortcuts for editing, formatting, and navigation.

What if I forget a shortcut while working?

Don’t worry! You can always go back to the app’s menu, where most actions are listed along with their shortcuts. Most apps also have a “Help” option where you can search for shortcuts.

Can I use shortcuts with a laptop instead of a desktop?

Yes, shortcuts work on both laptops and desktops. The keys are the same, whether you’re using a full-sized keyboard or a laptop’s smaller one. Just make sure your laptop’s keyboard has all the necessary keys.

Are there any universal shortcuts across all MS Office apps?

Yes! Common shortcuts like Ctrl + C (copy), Ctrl + V (paste), and Ctrl + S (save) work across all MS Office apps. These basic shortcuts are part of what makes MS Office easy to use.

How can I practice using shortcuts without slowing down my work?

Try to use a few shortcuts in small tasks at first, like formatting a document or entering data in Excel. As you get comfortable, increase the number of shortcuts you use. Over time, you’ll notice that using shortcuts feels natural and speeds up your workflow.

Conclusion:

Mastering keyboard shortcut keys for MS Office is a game-changer for boosting your productivity. The more you practice, the faster and more efficient you’ll become. So, don’t stop here, dive deeper into these shortcuts and unlock your full potential. Start small, keep experimenting, and soon, you’ll be navigating MS Office like a pro! Keep pushing forward and enjoy the power of efficiency at your fingertips!

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