Tips and Tricks

Enhance Your Productivity with MS Office Keyboard Shortcuts

MS Office is an essential application for computer users irrespective of what you are, a student or a working professional all use it. Creating word documents, spreadsheets and presentations is everyday task for computer users. Hence, we all look for ways to enhance productivity. This can be achieved by using keyboard shortcuts. In this article, we are going to discuss useful keyboard shortcuts for MS Office, Outlook and other applications that will make you use these applications like a Pro. This will not only save your time, efforts but will help you to work as an expert.

MS Office Keyboard Shortcuts:

Word / Excel / PowerPoint / Outlook

Ease of Access Shortcuts

Remote Desktop Connection Shortcuts

How to Create Your Own Keyboard Shortcuts

MS Word Keyboard 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 + N Open new/blank document
CTRL + O Open options
CTRL + P Open the print window
CTRL + F Open find box
CTRL + I Italicize 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 + G Find and replace options
CTRL + H Find and replace options
CTRL + J Justify paragraph alignment
CTRL + L Align selected text or line to the left
CTRL + Q Align selected paragraph to the left
CTRL + E Align selected text or line to the center
CTRL + R Align selected text or line to the right
CTRL + M Indent the paragraph
CTRL + T Hanging indent
CTRL + D Font options
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 + LEFT ARROW Move one word to the left
CTRL + RIGHT ARROW Move one word to the right
CTRL + UP ARROW Move to beginning of the line or paragraph
CTRL + DOWN ARROW Move to the end of the paragraph
CTRL + DELETE Delete word to right of cursor
CTRL + BACKSPACE Delete word to left of cursor
CTRL + END Move cursor to end of document
CTRL + HOME Move cursor to beginning of document
CTRL + SPACE Reset highlighted text to default font
CTRL + 1 Single-space lines
CTRL + 2 Double-space lines
CTRL + 5 1.5-line spacing
CTRL + ALT + 1 Change text to heading 1
CTRL + ALT + 2 Change text to heading 2
CTRL + ALT + 3 Change text to heading 3
F1 Open help
SHIFT + F3 Change case of selected text
SHIFT + INSERT Paste
F4 Repeat last action performed (Word 2000+)
F7 Spell check selected text and/or document
SHIFT + F7 Activate the thesaurus
F12 Save as
CTRL + S Save
SHIFT + F12 Save
ALT + SHIFT + D Insert the current date
ALT + SHIFT + T Insert the current time
CTRL + W Close document

 

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MS Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

F2 Edit the selected cell
F5 Go to a specific cell
F7 Spell check selected text and/or document
F11 Create chart
CTRL + SHIFT + ; Enter the current time
CTRL + ; Enter the current date
ALT + SHIFT + F1 Insert new worksheet
SHIFT + F3 Open the Excel formula window
SHIFT + F5 Bring up search box
CTRL + A Select all contents of worksheet
CTRL + B Bold highlighted selection
CTRL + I Italicize highlighted selection
CTRL + C Copy selected text
CTRL + V Paste
CTRL + D Fill
CTRL + K Insert link
CTRL + F Open find and replace options
CTRL + G Open go-to options
CTRL + H Open find and replace options
CTRL + U Underline highlighted selection
CTRL + Y Underline selected text
CTRL + 5 Strikethrough highlighted selection
CTRL + O Open options
CTRL + N Open new document
CTRL + P Open print dialog box
CTRL + S Save
CTRL + Z Undo last action
CTRL + F Minimize current window
CTRL + F Maximize currently selected window
CTRL + F Switch between open workbooks/windows
CTRL + PAGE UP / DOWN Move between Excel worksheets in the same document
CTRL + TAB Move between two or more open Excel® files
Alt + = Create formula to sum all of above cells
CTRL + ‘ Insert value of above cell into current cell
CTRL + SHIFT + ! Format number in comma format
CTRL + SHIFT + $ Format number in currency format
CTRL + SHIFT + # Format number in date format
CTRL + SHIFT + % Format number in percentage format
CTRL + SHIFT + ^ Format number in scientific format
CTRL + SHIFT + @ Format number in time format
CTRL + RIGHT ARROW Move to next section of text
CTRL + SPACE Select entire column
SHIFT + SPACE Select entire row
CTRL + W Close document

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PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

General PowerPoint Shortcuts

Here are some general keyboard shortcuts for opening, closing, and switching between presentations.

CTRL + N Create a new presentation
CTRL + O Open an existing presentation
CTRL + S Save a presentation
F12 / ALT + F2 Open the Save As dialog box
CTRL + W / Ctrl+F4 Close a presentation
CTRL + Q Save and close a presentation
CTRL + Z Undo an action
CTRL + Y Redo an action
CTRL + F2 Print Preview View
F1 Open the Help pane
ALT + Q Go to the “Tell me what you want to do” box
F7 Check spelling
ALT / F10 Turn key tips on or off
CTRL + F1 Show or hide the ribbon
CTRL + F Search in a presentation or use Find and Replace
ALT + F Open the File tab menu
ALT + H Go to the Home tab
ALT + N Open the Insert tab
ALT + G Open the Design tab
ALT + K Go to the Transitions tab
ALT + A Go to the Animations tab
ALT + S Go to the Slide Show tab
ALT + R Go to the Review tab
ALT + W Go to View tab
ALT + X Go to the Add-ins tab
ALT + Y Go to the Help tab
CTRL + Tab Switch between open presentations

Slideshow Keyboard hacks

F5 Start the presentation from the beginning
SHIFT + F5 Start the presentation from the current slide
CTRL + P Annotate with the Pen tool during a slideshow
N or PAGE DOWN Advance to the next slide during a slideshow
P or PAGE UP Return to the previous slide during a slide show
B Change the screen to black during a slideshow. Press B again to return to the slideshow
ESCAPE End the slideshow

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Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts

ALT + S Send the email
CTRL + C Copy selected text
CTRL + X Cut selected text
CTRL + P Open print dialog box
CTRL + K Complete name/email typed in address bar
CTRL + B Bold highlighted selection
CTRL + I Italicize highlighted selection
CTRL + U Underline highlighted selection
CTRL + R Reply to an email
CTRL + F Forward an email
CTRL + N Create a new email
CTRL + SHIFT + A Create a new appointment to your calendar
CTRL + SHIFT + O Open the outbox
CTRL + SHIFT + I Open the inbox
CTRL + SHIFT + K Add a new task
CTRL + SHIFT + C Create a new contact
CTRL + SHIFT + J Create a new journal entry

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Ease of Access Shortcuts

Magnifier keyboard shortcuts

Windows key + + Turn Magnifier on
Windows key + Esc Turn Magnifier off
Windows key + + / – When Magnifier is on, zoom in or out
CTRL + ALT + Mouse scroll Zoom in and out using the mouse scroll wheel
Windows key + CTRL + M Open Magnifier settings
CTRL + ALT + Arrow keys Pan in the direction of the arrow keys
CTRL + ALT + I Invert colors
CTRL + ALT + F Switch to full screen view
CTRL + ALT + L Switch to lens view
CTRL + ALT + D Switch to docked view
CTRL + ALT + M Cycle through views
CTRL + ALT + R Resize the lens with the mouse
Shift + ALT + Arrow keys Resize the lens with the keyboard
CTRL + ALT + Spacebar Quickly see the entire desktop when using full screen view

Additional Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts

Right Shift key for 8 Sec Turn Filter Keys on and off
Left Alt + left Shift + Print screen Turn High Contrast on or off
Left Alt + left Shift + Num lock Turn Mouse Keys on or off
Shift key 5 Times Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Num lock for 5 Sec Turn Toggle Keys on or off
Windows key + U Open the Ease of Access Center
Windows key + CTRL + C Turn color filters on or off
Windows key + CTRL + N Open Narrator settings
Windows key + CTRL + S Turn on Windows Speech Recognition
Windows key + CTRL + O Turn on the On-Screen Keyboard

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Remote Desktop Connection Shortcuts

To enter Remote Desktop connection, we need to press Win + R -> type ‘MSTSC’ and press Enter.

To list all parameters of Remote Desktop Connection, press Win + R -> type ‘MSTSC /?’ and press Enter.

Using Shortcuts keys During Remote Desktop Connection

ALT + Page Up Switches between programs from left to right (equals standard desktop Alt + Tab)
ALT + Page Down Switches between programs for right to left (equals standard desktop Alt + Shift + Tab)
ALT + Insert Cycles through the programs in the order they were started (equals standard desktop Alt + Insert)
ALT + Home Displays the Start menu (equals standard desktop Ctrl + Escape)
CTRL + ALT + Pause Switches the client between full-screen mode and window mode
CTRL + ALT + Home Show (or focus) on Connection Bar (when in full-screen mode)
CTRL + ALT + End Brings up the Windows Security dialog box.
ALT + Delete Displays the Windows menu.
CTRL + ALT + – Screenshot of active Window into Clipboard (equals standard desktop PrintScreen)
CTRL + ALT + + Screenshot of Entire Remote Desktop into Clipboard (equals standard desktop Alt + PrintScreen)

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How to Create Your Own Keyboard Shortcuts

Everyone wants to be productive and save even a single second. Rolling over mouse to open programs and closing them also eats up time. So why not work smartly with these keyboard shortcut hacks. The fastest and easiest way to launch any program is using a keyboard shortcut. You need not to remember them as Windows 10 allows you to create custom shortcuts for any program as per your convenience.

To create a shortcut key combination of any executable program, first you need to create a desktop shortcut of the program. You can do that by right-clicking on the executable icon and select ‘Create Shortcut’.

When the shortcut is created, ‘Right Click’ on the icon and choose ‘Properties’. Click in the ‘Shortcut Key’ box and press your desired keystroke combination. Click ‘OK’ to confirm. Your custom combination must start with Ctrl + Alt along with a letter, number, or function key.

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