Keyboard shortcuts

What are keyboard shortcuts? 

Keyboard shortcuts are keys or key combinations you press on your computer's keyboard to perform a variety of tasks. Using a shortcut to perform a task is often faster than using a mouse. Keyboard shortcuts are also universal, meaning once you learn them you can often use the same shortcuts in a variety of applications. For example, you can copy and paste text using the shortcuts in a word processor application as well as in email and Facebook. 

Many keyboard shortcuts require pressing two or more keys in a specific order. For example, to perform the shortcut that cuts text, Ctrl + X, simply press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the X key and release. 

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Common Keyboard Shortcuts 

Common keyboard shortcuts for Windows users     

 

How to Find Keyboard Shortcuts 

In many applications, you'll find keyboard shortcut guides next to menu items. Occasionally, in some applications like Microsoft Word you may need to hover over a button to display its keyboard shortcut. 

 Image of Microsoft Word Ribbon with the cursor hovering over the Paste button to display its keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + V to Paste  

Keyboard shortcuts are different for Windows and macOS computers. In this article, we'll share some of the most common shortcuts for both versions. 

 

Windows Shortcuts 

Keyboard shortcuts can help you when working with text, files, applications, and the Internet. In Windows, you'll use the Ctrl (Control) or Alt key to perform most keyboard shortcuts. 

Image of a keyboard highlighting where the Ctrl and Alt keys are located   

 

Working with Text 

These keyboard shortcuts are useful when working with text in word processor, email, and social media applications. They can help you perform commonly repeated tasks like copying and pasting or bolding text. 

  • Ctrl + X: Cut the selected text. 
  • Ctrl + C: Copy the selected text. 
  • Ctrl + V: Paste the copied or cut text. 
  • Ctrl + A: Select all text on the page or in the active window. 

 Image of text highlighted showing commonly repeated tasks such as: Ctrl + X: Cut the selected text. Ctrl + C: Copy the selected text. Ctrl + V: Paste the copied or cut text. Ctrl + A: Select all text on the page or in the active window.  

  • Ctrl + B: Bold the selected text. 
  • Ctrl + I: Italicize the selected text. 
  • Ctrl + U: Underline the selected text. 
  • Home: Skip to the beginning of the current line. 
  • End: Skip to the end of the current line. 

 Image of a keyboard highlighting where the Home and End keys are located  

  • Ctrl + right arrow: Skip to the beginning of the next word. You can press the right arrow multiple times to skip several words. 
  • Ctrl + left arrow: Skip to the beginning of the previous word. You can press the left arrow multiple times to skip several words. 
  • Ctrl + Shift + right arrow: Select the next word. 
  • Ctrl + Shift + left arrow: Select the previous word. 

 

Working with Files and Applications 

You can use keyboard shortcuts to open, close, and switch applications. When working with a file (like a Microsoft Word document), shortcuts can be used to create new files, find words, and print. 

  • Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Quit a frozen application. This keyboard shortcut allows you to navigate to the Task Manager. You can then select the unresponsive application and end it. 

 Image of the Task Manager dialog box which can be accessed with the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Delete  

  • Delete: Send a selected file to the Recycle Bin. 
  • Enter: Open a selected application or file. 
  • Ctrl + N: Create a new file. 
  • Ctrl + O: Open an existing file. 
  • Ctrl + P: Print an open file. 
  • Ctrl + S: Save the current file. 
  • Ctrl + Z: Undo the previous action. If you'd like to redo the action, press Ctrl + Y. 
  • Ctrl + F: Find a word or phrase in the current file. This shortcut will make a search box appear. You can then type the text you wish to find. If the word or phrase appears more than once, press Enter to move to the next instance. This picture is from Word. 

 Image of results from using the Find button on the Microsoft Word Ribbon, or using the shortcut Ctrl + F  

  • Ctrl + - (Ctrl + dash key): Zoom out. When viewing a photo in an application like Windows Photo Viewer, this shortcut will make the image appear smaller. 
  • Ctrl + = (Ctrl + equal key): Zoom in. When viewing a photo in an application like Windows Photo Viewer, this shortcut will make the image appear larger. 

 Image of a keyboard highlighting where the Dash key and Equal key are located  

  • Alt + F4: Quit the current application. 
  • Windows key: Open the Start menu. 

 Image of what the Windows key looks like  

  • Alt + Tab: Switch between open windows. This shortcut opens the Task Switcher. While continuing to hold the Alt key, you can then use the left and right arrows (or press Tab) to move between open windows. 

 Image displaying how the Alt + Tab shortcut allows you to switch between open windows  

 

Internet Shortcuts 

Keyboard shortcuts can also be used to navigate your web browser. Many of the Working with Text shortcuts are useful online, like the shortcuts for selecting, copying, and pasting text into your web browser's address bar. Because each browser is different, some of these shortcuts may have varying results. 

  • Ctrl + F: Find a word or phrase in the current webpage. This shortcut opens the Find toolbar. You can then type the text you wish to find. If the word or phrase appears more than once, press Enter to move to the next instance. 

Image of using the Ctrl + F shortcut on a webpage to open the Find toolbar  

  • Ctrl + T: Open a new browser tab. 

 Image of how the Ctrl + T shortcut opens a new Tab in a browser  

  • Ctrl + N: Open a new browser window. 
  • Ctrl + R: Reload the current browser page. 
  • Tab: Skip to the next field in a web form. For example, when filling in your address on a web form, pressing tab will move the cursor to the next field.  

 Image displaying how the Tab key can be used to navigate to different fields on a web form  

  • Ctrl + D: Bookmark the current page. 
  • Ctrl + B: View bookmarks. 
  • Ctrl + H: View browsing history. 
  • Ctrl + J: View downloads. 

Image of the Downloads dialog box, the shortcut is Ctrl + J   

  • Home: Scroll to the top of the webpage. 
  • End: Scroll to the bottom of the webpage. 

 

Using the Alt Key to Navigate Menus 

When you press the Alt key, you will have access to all menus in the current application. This means you can perform almost any task with just your keyboard. For example, you can type Alt + F + X to quit an application. When performing these shortcuts, you will not need to hold down the Alt key. 

Image displaying access to all menus in the current application by pressing the Alt key    

 

Mac Shortcuts 

Many of the keyboard shortcuts for macOS are similar to Windows shortcuts. However, instead of the Ctrl and Alt keys, Mac keyboards have Control, Option, and Command keys. 

 Image of a Mac keyboard highlighting the Control, Option, and Command Keys  

If you are not using a Mac keyboard, you may not have the Command or Option keys. You will need to experiment with key combinations to perform some keyboard shortcuts. 

 

Working with Text 

These keyboard shortcuts are useful when working with text in word processor, email, and social media applications. They can help you perform commonly repeated tasks like copying and pasting or bolding text. 

  • Command + X: Cut the selected text. 
  • Command + C: Copy the selected text. 
  • Command + V: Paste the copied or cut text. 
  • Command + A: Select all text on the page or in the active window. 

Image of the Command + A shortcut, which is used to highlight all text on the page or in the active window while using a Mac keyboard   

  • Command + B: Bold the selected text. 
  • Command + I: Italicize the selected text. 
  • Command + U: Underline the selected text. 
  • Command + left arrow: Skip to the beginning of the current line. 
  • Command + right arrow: Skip to the end of the current line. 
  • Option + right arrow: Skip to the beginning of the next word. You can press the right arrow multiple times to skip several words. 
  • Option + left arrow: Skip to the beginning of the previous word. You can press the left arrow multiple times to skip several words. 
  • Shift + Option + right arrow: Select the next word. 
  • Shift + Option + left arrow: Select the previous word. 

 

Working with Files and Applications 

You can use keyboard shortcuts to open, close, and switch applications in Finder and from your desktop. When working with a file (from Microsoft Word document or TextEdit), shortcuts can be used to create new files, find words, and print. If you are unable to add formatting in TextEdit, then go to the Format menu and select Make Rich Text. 

  • Option + Command + Esc: Quit a frozen application. This shortcut opens the Force Quit dialog box. You can then select an application and quit it. 

 Image of the Force Quit Applications dialog box, its shortcut is Option + Command + Esc  

  • Command + Delete: Send a selected file to the Trash. 
  • Command + Down Arrow (or Command + O): Open a selected application or file. 
  • Command + N: Create a new file. 
  • Command + O: Open an existing file. 
  • Command + P: Print an open file. 
  • Command + S: Save the current file. 
  • Command + Z: (or Shift + Command + Z): Undo the previous action. If you'd like to redo the action, press Command + Y. 
  • Command + F: Find a word or phrase in the current page. This shortcut will make a search box appear. You can then type the text you wish to find. If the word or phrase appears more than once, press Enter to move to the next instance. 

 Image of a file with the "search box" being accessed by using the shortcut Command + F  

  • Command+ - (Command + dash key): Zoom out. When viewing a photo in an application like iPhoto, this shortcut will make the image appear smaller. 
  • Command + = (Command + equal key): Zoom in. When viewing a photo in an application like iPhoto, this shortcut will make the image appear larger. 

 Image highlighting where the Dash key and the Equal key are located on a Mac keyboard  

  • Command + Q: Quit the current application. 
  • Command + W: Close the current file or window. 
  • Command + Tab: Switch between open applications. This shortcut opens the Application Switcher. While continuing to press the Command key, you can then press Tab again to move between open applications. 

 Image showing how the shortcut Command + Tab is used to switch between open applications  

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