100 Must-Know MS Word Shortcuts for Professionals

Introduction: 100 Essential MS Word Shortcuts Every Professional Must Know

Microsoft Word is a staple in the professional world, utilized by millions daily for creating documents, reports, presentations, and more. To maximize your efficiency and workflow, mastering MS Word keyboard shortcuts is key. In this article, we will share 100 professional MS Word shortcuts that can save time and enhance productivity. Whether you’re drafting emails, writing reports, or formatting documents, these shortcuts are designed to make your tasks quicker and easier.

The Power of MS Word Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts in MS Word are a game-changer, especially for professionals who work with documents regularly. These shortcuts can streamline common tasks, allowing users to accomplish more in less time. By incorporating them into your routine, you’ll not only work faster but also reduce strain from repetitive mouse movements.

Here’s a breakdown of the most useful MS Word keyboard shortcuts:

Top 20 Basic MS Word Shortcuts

1. Ctrl + N: Create a new document
2. Ctrl + O: Open an existing document
3. Ctrl + S: Save the current document
4. Ctrl + P: Print the document
5. Ctrl + C: Copy selected text or object
6. Ctrl + X: Cut selected text or object
7. Ctrl + V: Paste copied or cut text
8. Ctrl + Z: Undo last action
9. Ctrl + Y: Redo the last undone action
10. Ctrl + F: Find text
11. Ctrl + H: Replace text
12. Ctrl + A: Select all text
13. Ctrl + B: Bold selected text
14. Ctrl + I: Italicize selected text
15. Ctrl + U: Underline selected text
16. Ctrl + E: Center-align text
17. Ctrl + L: Left-align text
18. Ctrl + R: Right-align text
19. Ctrl + J: Justify text
20. Ctrl + T: Create a hanging indent

These basic MS Word shortcuts are essential for any professional, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned user. They help manage your document structure, formatting, and editing seamlessly.

Advanced MS Word Shortcuts for Professionals

Once you’ve mastered the basics, dive into these more advanced shortcuts to truly harness the power of MS Word:

21. Ctrl + Shift + N: Apply the Normal style
22. Ctrl + Shift + L: Create a bullet point list
23. Ctrl + Alt + 1: Apply Heading 1 style
24. Ctrl + Alt + 2: Apply Heading 2 style
25. Ctrl + K: Insert a hyperlink
26. Ctrl + Shift + K: Format text as a hyperlink
27. Ctrl + M: Increase indent
28. Ctrl + Shift + M: Decrease indent
29. Ctrl + Q: Remove paragraph formatting
30. Ctrl + Shift + >: Increase font size
31. Ctrl + Shift + <: Decrease font size
32. Ctrl + Shift + F: Open the font dialog box
33. Ctrl + Shift + P: Open the paragraph dialog box
34. Ctrl + Shift + S: Open the Styles menu
35. Alt + Ctrl + I: Print preview
36. Ctrl + Alt + V: Paste special
37. Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy formatting
38. Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste formatting
39. Ctrl + W: Close the document
40. Ctrl + Q: Reset paragraph formatting

These advanced MS Word keyboard shortcuts give professionals greater control over document styling, formatting, and more precise edits.

Navigation Shortcuts in MS Word

Efficient navigation is crucial for working on large documents. These shortcuts will help you move quickly:

41. Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow: Move the cursor one word left or right
42. Ctrl + Up/Down Arrow: Move the cursor one paragraph up or down
43. Home: Go to the beginning of the current line
44. End: Go to the end of the current line
45. Ctrl + Home: Go to the beginning of the document
46. Ctrl + End: Go to the end of the document
47. Page Up: Move one page up
48. Page Down: Move one page down
49. Ctrl + G: Open the “Go To” dialog box
50. Ctrl + F1: Open the ribbon menu

Mastering these MS Word navigation shortcuts will allow professionals to navigate long documents swiftly without having to scroll endlessly.

Text Editing and Formatting Shortcuts

Proper formatting is essential for any professional document. These shortcuts help you format text quickly:

51. Ctrl + Shift + N: Apply normal style
52. Ctrl + Shift + P: Change the font
53. Ctrl + Spacebar: Remove character formatting
54. Ctrl + Shift + F: Open font settings
55. Alt + Ctrl + T: Insert trademark symbol
56. Alt + Ctrl + C: Insert copyright symbol
57. Ctrl + Shift + L: Apply bullet points
58. Ctrl + K: Insert hyperlink
59. Ctrl + Shift + A: Change text to uppercase
60. Ctrl + Shift + K: Change text to lowercase

With these shortcuts, you can easily manipulate text to suit your document’s needs, improving readability and visual appeal.

Inserting Elements with MS Word Shortcuts

If you often insert tables, images, or shapes in your documents, these shortcuts are crucial:

61. Ctrl + Alt + T: Insert a table
62. Ctrl + Shift + I: Insert an image
63. Ctrl + Shift + D: Insert a date
64. Ctrl + Alt + C: Insert a comment
65. Alt + N + T: Insert a table with quick access
66. Alt + N + P: Insert a picture
67. Alt + N + S: Insert a shape

Inserting elements without using the mouse is incredibly time-saving, especially when working on projects with lots of graphics or data.

Time-Saving MS Word Shortcuts for Professionals

Here are some shortcuts that can save you even more time in your day-to-day work:

68. Ctrl + Shift + F3: Copy text and format it to clipboard
69. Alt + E + S: Paste special options
70. Ctrl + Alt + I: Activate or deactivate track changes
71. Ctrl + 1: Single-space lines
72. Ctrl + 2: Double-space lines
73. Ctrl + 5: 1.5-line spacing
74. Ctrl + Shift + T: Remove hanging indent
75. Alt + Q: Access the “Tell Me” feature
76. Ctrl + Shift + R: Remove all formatting from selected text
77. Ctrl + Shift + E: Track changes
78. Ctrl + Shift + F12: Open Print dialog box
79. Ctrl + Alt + S: Split the window for easier viewing
80. Ctrl + F12: Open the Open dialog box

Additional MS Word Shortcuts for Professionals

81. Ctrl + D: Open the font dialog box
82. Ctrl + F3: Create a custom shortcut
83. Alt + E + F: Open the Find and Replace dialog
84. Ctrl + Alt + F: Insert footnote
85. Ctrl + Alt + D: Insert endnote
86. Alt + Shift + D: Insert the current date
87. Alt + Shift + T: Insert the current time
88. Ctrl + Shift + M: Remove paragraph indentation
89. Ctrl + Alt + M: Insert a comment
90. Ctrl + Shift + F12: Open the Print menu
91. Ctrl + Shift + K: Change text to lowercase
92. Ctrl + Shift + U: Change text to uppercase
93. Ctrl + F12: Open the Open dialog box
94. Ctrl + Shift + R: Remove all formatting
95. Ctrl + T: Create a hanging indent
96. Ctrl + L: Align text left
97. Ctrl + R: Align text right
98. Ctrl + J: Justify text
99. Ctrl + Shift + J: Justify text (including hyphenation)
100. Alt + N + F: Insert a chart

Conclusion: Mastering MS Word Shortcuts

These 100 MS Word keyboard shortcuts can dramatically boost your productivity, help you work faster, and ensure you are making the most of the powerful tools Microsoft Word offers. Whether you’re drafting emails, preparing reports, or editing long documents, mastering these shortcuts is a game-changer for professionals seeking efficiency and precision in their work. Start practicing today and enjoy seamless document management in MS Word!

These 100 MS Word shortcuts are not just for speed; they enhance the quality and ease of your document creation process. With time, these shortcuts will become second nature, making you a true MS Word pro.

Saraswati Chandra Project Manager

See Full Bio