Keyboard shortcuts

Some of the content in this topic may not be applicable to some languages.

To print this topic, press TAB to select Show All at the top of the topic, press ENTER, and then press CTRL+P.

Work with the Microsoft Office Assistant, the Help window, and the Ask a Question box

Display and use the Office Assistant

To perform the following actions, the Microsoft Office Assistant must be turned on and visible. To turn on or show the Office Assistant, press ALT+H to open the Help menu, and then press O. With the Assistant visible, press F1 to display the Assistant balloon.

F1

Display the Assistant balloon (if the Assistant is turned off, F1 opens the Help window)

In the Assistant balloon

ALT+number

Select a Help topic from the list the Assistant displays. ALT+1 is the first topic, ALT+2 is the second, and so on.

ALT+DOWN ARROW

Display more Help topics in the Assistant list

ALT+UP ARROW

Display previous Help topics in the Assistant list

ESC

Close an Assistant message or a tip

In some wizards or dialog boxes

TAB

Move to the Help button in the wizard

SPACEBAR, with the Help button selected

Show the Assistant in a wizard or dialog box. To hide the Assistant, press SPACEBAR again. Note that not all wizards or dialog boxes have Help provided by the Assistant.

Note   If you use a screen review utility or other accessibility aid, you'll get the best results with Help if you enter questions in the Answer Wizard tab in the Help window rather than in the Office Assistant balloon or in the Ask a Question box.

Display and use the Help window

To use the Help window, the Microsoft Office Assistant must be turned off. To turn off the Assistant, press F1 to display the Assistant. Press ALT+O to open the Options tab in the Office Assistant dialog box. Press ALT+U to clear the Use the Office Assistant check box, and then press ENTER. Press F1 to display the Help window.

F1

Display the Help window if the Assistant is turned off. (If the Assistant is turned on, F1 displays the Assistant balloon.)

In the Help window

F6

Switch between the Help topic and the Contents, Answer Wizard, Index pane

TAB

Select Show All or Hide All at the top of a topic; the next hidden text or hyperlink; or the Browser View button at the top of a Microsoft Office Web site article.

SHIFT+TAB

Select the previous hidden text, hyperlink, Show All, or Hide All

ENTER

Perform the action for the selected Show All, Hide All, hidden text, or hyperlink

ALT+O

Display the Options menu to access any Help toolbar command

ALT+O, and then press T

Hide or show the pane with the Contents, Answer Wizard, and Index tabs

ALT+O, and then press B

Display the previously viewed topic

ALT+O, and then press F

Display the next topic in a previously displayed sequence of topics

ALT+O, and then press H

Return to the specified home page

ALT+O, and then press S

Stop the Help window from opening a Help topic (useful if you want to stop a Web page from downloading)

ALT+O, and then press I

Open the Internet Options dialog box for Microsoft Internet Explorer, where you can change accessibility settings

ALT+O, and then press R

Refresh the topic (useful if you have linked to a Web page)

ALT+O, and then press P

Print all topics in a book or a selected topic only

ALT+F4

Close the Help window

Note   If you use a screen review utility or other accessibility aid, you'll get the best results with Help if you enter questions in the Answer Wizard tab in the Help window rather than in the Office Assistant balloon or in the Ask a Question box.

Use the Contents, Answer Wizard, and Index panes

Press F6 to switch from the Help topic to the Contents, Answer Wizard, Index pane.

CTRL+TAB

Switch to the next tab

ALT+C

Switch to the Contents tab

ALT+A

Switch to the Answer Wizard tab

ALT+I

Switch to the Index tab

ENTER

Open a selected book or Help topic

DOWN ARROW

Select the next book or Help topic

UP ARROW

Select the previous book or Help topic

SHIFT+F10

Display a shortcut menu

Note   If you use a screen review utility or other accessibility aid, you'll get the best results with Help if you enter questions in the Answer Wizard tab in the Help window rather than in the Microsoft Office Assistant balloon or in the Ask a Question box.

Use the Help topic pane

Press F6 to switch from the Contents, Answer Wizard, Index pane to the open Help topic.

ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Go to the next Help topic

ALT+LEFT ARROW

Go to the previous Help topic

TAB

Select the next hidden text or hyperlink, or Show All or Hide All at the top of a topic

SHIFT+TAB

Select the previous hidden text or hyperlink, or the Browser View button at the top of a Microsoft Office Web site article.

ENTER

Perform the action for the selected Show All, Hide All, hidden text, or hyperlink

UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW

Scroll toward the beginning or end of a Help topic

PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN

Scroll toward the beginning or end of a Help topic in large increments

HOME or END

Go to the beginning or end of a Help topic

CTRL+P

Print the current Help topic

CTRL+A

Select the entire Help topic

CTRL+C

Copy the selected items to the Clipboard

SHIFT+F10

Display a shortcut menu

Use the Ask a Question box

Use the Microsoft Office interface

Use menus and toolbars

F10 or ALT

Select the menu bar, or close an open menu and submenu at the same time

TAB or SHIFT+TAB

When a toolbar is selected, select the next or previous button or menu on the toolbar

CTRL+TAB or CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

When a toolbar is selected, select the next or previous toolbar

ENTER

Open the selected menu, or perform the action for the selected button or command

SHIFT+F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

ALT+SPACEBAR

Display the window shortcut menu (Control menu)

DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW

When a menu or submenu is open, select the next or previous command

LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW

Select the menu to the left or right. When a submenu is open, switch between the main menu and the submenu.

HOME or END

Select the first or last command on the menu or submenu

ESC

Close an open menu. When a submenu is open, close only the submenu.

SHIFT+DOWN ARROW

When a menu is selected, display the list of commands

CTRL+DOWN ARROW

When a personalized menu is open, display the full set of commands

CTRL+ESC

Display the Start menu

F11

Enter a name in the Find a Contact box

Note   You can use the keyboard to select any menu command on the menu bar. Press ALT to select the menu bar. Press the letter that is underlined in the menu name that contains the command you want. In the menu that appears, press the letter underlined in the command name that you want.

Move and resize toolbars

1. Press ALT to select the menu bar.
2. Press CTRL+TAB repeatedly to select the toolbar you want.
3. In the toolbar, press CTRL+SPACE to display the Toolbar Options menu.
4. Do one of the following:

   Resize a toolbar

   1. Select the Size command, and then press ENTER.
   2. Use the arrow keys to resize the toolbar. Press CTRL+ the arrow keys to resize one pixel at a time.

   Move a toolbar

   1. Select the Move command, and then press ENTER.
   2. Use the arrow keys to position the toolbar. Press CTRL+ the arrow keys to move one pixel at a time. To undock the toolbar, press DOWN ARROW repeatedly. To dock the toolbar vertically on the left or right side, press LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW respectively when the toolbar is all the way to the left or right side.

Use dialog boxes

TAB

Move to the next option or option group

SHIFT+TAB

Move to the previous option or option group

CTRL+TAB

Switch to the next tab in a dialog box

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

Switch to the previous tab in a dialog box

Arrow keys

Move between options in an open drop-down list, or between options in a group of options

SPACEBAR

Perform the action assigned to the selected button; check or clear the selected check box

First letter of an option in a drop-down list

Open the list if it is closed and move to that option in the list

ALT+ the letter underlined in an option

Select an option; select or clear a check box

ALT+DOWN ARROW

Open a selected drop-down list

ESC

Close a selected drop-down list; cancel a command and close a dialog box

ENTER

Perform the action assigned to a default button in a dialog box

Use edit boxes within dialog boxes

An edit box is a blank in which you type or paste an entry, such as your user name or the path to a folder.

HOME

Move to the beginning of the entry

END

Move to the end of the entry

LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW

Move one character to the left or right

CTRL+LEFT ARROW

Move one word to the left

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW

Move one word to the right

SHIFT+LEFT ARROW

Select or unselect one character to the left

SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW

Select or unselect one character to the right

CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW

Select or unselect one word to the left

CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW

Select or unselect one word to the right

SHIFT+HOME

Select from the insertion point to the beginning of the entry

SHIFT+END

Select from the insertion point to the end of the entry

Use the Open, Save As, and Insert File dialog boxes

The Open, Save As, and Insert File dialog boxes support standard dialog box keyboard shortcuts. (To view standard shortcuts for dialog boxes, refer to the Use dialog boxes and Use edit boxes within dialog boxes sections in this topic.) These dialog boxes also support the shortcuts below.

ALT+1

Go to the previous folder

ALT+2

Up One Level button: open the folder up one level above the open folder

ALT+3

Search the Web button: close the dialog box and open your Web search page

ALT+4

Delete button: delete the selected folder or file

ALT+5

Create New Folder button: create a new folder

ALT+6

Views button: switch among available folder views

ALT+7 or ALT+L

Tools button: show the Tools menu

SHIFT+F10

Display a shortcut menu for a selected item such as a folder or file

TAB

Move between options or areas in the dialog box

F4 or ALT+I

Open the Look in list

F5

Refresh the file list

Use program windows

ALT+TAB

Switch to the next window

ALT+SHIFT+TAB

Switch to the previous window

ALT+F4

Close the selected program window; if this is the only open window, closes the program

SHIFT+F6

Move to a pane from another pane in the program window (counterclockwise direction)

CTRL+F6

When more than one window is open, switch to the next window

CTRL+SHIFT+F6

Switch to the previous window

CTRL+F7

When a document window is not maximized, performs the Move command (on the Control menu for the window). Use the arrow keys to move the window, and, when finished, press ESC.

CTRL+F8

When a document window is not maximized, performs the Size command (on the Control menu for the window). Use the arrow keys to resize the window, and, when finished, press ESC.

CTRL+F9

Minimize a window to an icon (works only for some Microsoft Office programs)

PRINT SCREEN

Copy a picture of the screen to the Clipboard

ALT+PRINT SCREEN

Copy a picture of the selected window to the Clipboard

Outlook shortcuts

For basic navigation

CTRL+ COMMA

Next item (with item open)

CTRL+PERIOD

Previous item (with item open)

F6 or CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

Switch between the Folder List and the main Outlook window

CTRL+Y

Go to a different folder

PLUS or MINUS SIGN on the numeric keypad

Expand/collapse a group (with a group selected)

To create an item or file

CTRL+SHIFT+A

Appointment

CTRL+SHIFT+C

Contact

CTRL+SHIFT+L

Distribution list

CTRL+SHIFT+E

Folder

CTRL+SHIFT+J

Journal entry

CTRL+SHIFT+Q

Meeting request

CTRL+SHIFT+M

Message

CTRL+SHIFT+N

Note

CTRL+SHIFT+H

new Office document.

CTRL+SHIFT+S

Post in this folder

CTRL+SHIFT+K

Task

CTRL+SHIFT+U

Task request

For all items

SHIFT+F1

Display ScreenTip for the active element

CTRL+S or SHIFT+F12

Save

ALT+S

Save and Close, Send

F12

Save As

CTRL+Z or ALT+BACKSPACE

Undo

CTRL+D

Delete

CTRL+P

Print

CTRL+SHIFT+Y

Copy item

CTRL+SHIFT+V

Move item

ALT+K (with Word as e-mail editor)

CTRL+K (using the Outlook e-mail editor)

Check names

F7

Check spelling

CTRL+SHIFT+G

Flag for follow-up

CTRL+F

Forward

CTRL+ENTER (Outlook e-mail editor only)

Send/post/invite all

F3 or CTRL+E

Find items

F4

Search for text in items

SHIFT+F4

Find next during text search

CTRL+SHIFT+F

Use Advanced Find

F2

Turn on editing in a field (except icon view)

For e-mail

CTRL+SHIFT+I

Switch to Inbox

CTRL+SHIFT+O

Switch to Outbox

CTRL+TAB (with focus on the To line) and then TAB to the Accounts button

Choose the account from which to send a message

CTRL+R

Reply to a message

CTRL+SHIFT+R

Reply all to a message

CTRL+ SHIFT+S

Post to a folder

CTRL+M or F5

Check for new mail

CTRL+N

Open a received message

CTRL+SHIFT+B

Display the Address Book

CTRL+SHIFT+O

Convert an HTML or RTF message to plain text

CTRL+Q

Mark as read

For Calendar

ALT+C

Accept

ALT+D

Decline

For Contacts

CTRL+SHIFT+D

Dial

F11

Enter a name in the Find a Contact box

For Tasks

ALT+C

Accept

ALT+D

Decline

To format text

ALT+O

Display the Format menu

SHIFT+F3

Switch case (with text selected)

CTRL+B

Add bold

CTRL+SHIFT+L

Add bullets

CTRL+I

Add italics

CTRL+T

Increase indent

CTRL+SHIFT+T

Decrease indent

CTRL+L

Left align

CTRL+E

Center

CRTL+U

Underline

CTRL+]

Increase font size

CTRL+[

Decrease font size

CTRL+X or SHIFT+DELETE

Cut

CTRL+C or CTRL+INSERT

Copy

CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT

Paste

CTRL+SHIFT+Z or CTRL+SPACEBAR

Clear formatting

To add Web information to items

CTRL+left mouse button

Edit a URL in the body of an item

SHIFT+left mouse button

Specify a Web browser

CTRL+K (When using Word as e-mail editor only)

Insert a hyperlink

For print preview

CTRL+F2

Open print preview

ALT+P

Print a print preview

ALT+S or ALT+U

Print preview page setup

ALT+Z

Zoom

ALT+C

Close print preview

Views

Table view

With a group selected

ENTER or RIGHT ARROW

Expand the group

ENTER or LEFT ARROW

Collapse the group

UP ARROW

Select the previous group

DOWN ARROW

Select the next group

HOME

Select the first group

END

Select the last group

RIGHT ARROW

Select the first item on screen in an expanded group or the first item off screen to the right

Day/Week/Month view

For Day view

HOME

Select the time that begins your work day

END

Select the time that ends your work day

UP ARROW

Select the previous block of time

DOWN ARROW

Select the next block of time

PAGE UP

Select the block of time at the top of the screen

PAGE DOWN

Select the block of time at the bottom of the screen

SHIFT+UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW

Extend or reduce the selected time

With the cursor in the appointment, ALT+UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW

Move an appointment

With the cursor in the appointment, ALT+SHIFT+UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW

Change an appointment start or end time

ALT+DOWN ARROW

Move selected item to the same day in the next week

ALT+UP ARROW

Move selected item to the same day in the previous week

For Week or Month views

HOME

Go to the first day of the week

END

Go to the last day of the week

PAGE UP

Go to the same day of the week in the previous week (or 5 weeks previous if viewing by month)

PAGE DOWN

Go to the same day of the week in the next week (or 5 weeks ahead if viewing by month)

ALT+UP, DOWN, LEFT, or RIGHT ARROW

Move the appointment up, down, left, or right

SHIFT+LEFT, RIGHT, UP, or DOWN ARROW; or SHIFT+HOME or END

Change the duration of the selected block of time

For Date Navigator

ALT+HOME

Go to the first day of the current week

ALT+END

Go to the last day of the current week

ALT+UP ARROW

Go to the same day in the previous week

ALT+DOWN ARROW

Go to the same day in the next week

ALT+PAGE UP

Go to the first day of the month

ALT+PAGE DOWN

Go to the last day of the month

For address card views

To move between cards without changing the selection

To use the following keys, make sure a card is selected. To select a card, click the card heading.

CTRL+DOWN ARROW

To the next card

CTRL+UP ARROW

To the previous card

CTRL+HOME

To the first card in the list

CTRL+END

To the last card in the list

CTRL+PAGE UP

To the first card on the previous page

CTRL+PAGE DOWN

To the first card on the next page

CTRL+LEFT ARROW

To the closest card in the previous column

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW

To the closest card in the next column

F2

To a field in the active card

To move between fields in a card

To use the following keys, make sure a field in a card is selected. To select a field when a card is selected, click the field or press F2.

TAB

Move to the next field and, from the last field of a card, move to the first field in the next card

SHIFT+TAB

Move to the previous field and, from the first field of a card, move to the last field in the previous card

ENTER

Move to the next field, or add a line to a multi-line field

SHIFT+ENTER

Move to the previous field without leaving the active card

F2

Display the insertion point in the active field to edit text

To move between characters in a field

To use the following keys, make sure a field in a card is selected. To select a field when a card is selected, click the field or press F2.

ENTER

Add a line in a multi-line field

HOME

Move to the beginning of a line

END

Move to the end of a line

PAGE UP

Move to the beginning of a multi-line field

PAGE DOWN

Move to the end of a multi-line field

UP ARROW

Move to the previous line in a multi-line field

DOWN ARROW

Move to the next line in a multi-line field

LEFT ARROW

Move to the previous character in a field

RIGHT ARROW

Move to the next character in a field

For Timeline view (Tasks or Journal)

When a group is selected

ENTER or RIGHT ARROW

Expand the group

ENTER or LEFT ARROW

Collapse the group

UP ARROW

Select the previous group

DOWN ARROW

Select the next group

HOME

Select the first group on the timeline

END

Select the last group on the timeline

RIGHT ARROW

Select the first item on screen in an expanded group or the first item off screen to the right

When a unit of time on the time scale for days is selected

LEFT ARROW

Move back in increments of time that are the same as those shown on the time scale

RIGHT ARROW

Move forward in increments of time that are the same as those shown on the time scale

SHIFT+TAB

When the lower time scale is selected, select the upper time scale

TAB

When the upper time scale is selected, select the lower time scale

TAB

When the lower time scale is selected, select the first item on screen or the first group on screen if items are grouped