Microsoft Office Keyboard Shortcuts

We've put together the most powerful keyboard shortcuts across the entire Microsoft Office including Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote!

For quick reference, here is the list of the shortcuts covered in this video:

  1. Across all platforms
    • 0:40: CTRL + N = New
    • 0:53: CTRL + S = Save
    • 0:59: CTRL + P = Print
    • 1:02: CTRL + F = Find
  2. Common formatting
    • 1:15: CTRL + B = Bold
    • 1:17: CTRL + I = Italics
    • 1:19: CTRL + U = Underline
    • 1:29: CTRL + SHIFT + , OR . = Size
  3. Correcting mistakes
    • 1:42: CTRL + Z = Undo
    • 1:51: CTRL + Y = Redo
  4. The craft supplies
    • 2:00: CTRL + X = Cut
    • 2:06: CTRL + V = Paste
    • 2:09: CTRL + C = Copy
  5. Highlighting
    • 2:20: SHIFT + arrow keys = Sections
    • 2:31: CTRL + A = Select all

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How to use Microsoft Office keyboard shortcuts video transcript:

When writing up a Word document, do you ever wonder how things would be if you used more keyboard shortcuts? What about in Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, and OneNote?

This Quick Tip video has 15 powerful keyboard shortcuts AND they work with all of these programs in Microsoft Office.

It might be a good idea to save this video link for future reference. My favorite ways are by dragging the web page link onto the desktop or bookmarking the page in the internet browser.

I broke it down into five easy to learn levels.

You can start on any level you want but I’m going to start with The Overall Document.

Let’s dive into it.

CTRL + N creates a new document. This goes for all of the applications except in Outlook CTRL + N creates a new email and in OneNote, CTRL+N creates a new page.

CTRL + S saves the document. You’ll probably use this one the most.

CTRL + P brings up the print window.

And CTRL + F is for find. It searches your entire document and finds any word or phrase you type.

Next level - Common formatting

These first three functions are placed right next to each other in the Home tab. CTRL + B bold, CTRL + I italics, CTRL + U underline. Or you can highlight a section, and do the same thing.

This next shortcut can be tricky but amazing CTRL + SHIFT + < (less than) makes fonts smaller while CTRL + SHIFT + > (greater than) makes fonts bigger.

Now for Oops. This section is for mistakes.

CTRL + Z is undo taking back the last action. If you press it again it takes back the action before that, etc. CTRL + Y is redo. It works the opposite way.

Next, we have The Craft Supplies – Cut, Copy, and Paste

Let’s say you want to put this first section below the second section. Highlight it. CTRL + X to cut, and CTRL + V to paste. Or I can just press CTRL + C to copy and paste. I sometimes get these two mixed up but just think of X as scissors cutting.

And finally Highlighting.

Rather than moving to your mouse to highlight, SHIFT + arrow key left or right will also highlight a section. And when you press SHIFT + up or down you highlight all the way to the next line. Last shortcut CTRL + A selects everything. This is perfect when you have a document you want to quickly move to notepad. Select all, copy, paste.

That’s it. You just learned how to use 15 powerful keyboard shortcuts across Microsoft Office.

15 can be overwhelming, so I suggest incorporating one level over the course of a few days while you work, then after it’s mastered, come back to this video and start mastering a new level.

So save the link to this Quick Tip video, and pick your favorite level and start incorporating these powerful time-saving keyboard shortcuts.