From typing your first letter to formatting a 50 page report, Microsoft Word is still the default tool for writing. This cheat sheet rounds up the shortcuts, f…
From typing your first letter to formatting a 50-page report, Microsoft Word is still the default tool for writing. This cheat sheet rounds up the shortcuts, formatting tricks, and features that will make you noticeably faster—bookmark it for quick reference.
Table of Contents
- Essential Keyboard Shortcuts
- Navigation & Selection
- Text Formatting
- Paragraph & Page Formatting
- Working with Styles
- Tables Quick Guide
- Headers, Footers & Page Numbers
- Table of Contents & References
- Reviewing & Collaboration
- Mail Merge in Brief
- Common Fixes
- Pro Tips
Essential Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action |
Windows |
Mac |
| New document |
Ctrl + N |
Cmd + N |
| Open |
Ctrl + O |
Cmd + O |
| Save |
Ctrl + S |
Cmd + S |
| Save As |
F12 |
Cmd + Shift + S |
| Print |
Ctrl + P |
Cmd + P |
| Undo |
Ctrl + Z |
Cmd + Z |
| Redo |
Ctrl + Y |
Cmd + Y |
| Copy |
Ctrl + C |
Cmd + C |
| Paste |
Ctrl + V |
Cmd + V |
| Paste as plain text |
Ctrl + Shift + V |
Cmd + Option + Shift + V |
| Cut |
Ctrl + X |
Cmd + X |
| Find |
Ctrl + F |
Cmd + F |
| Find & Replace |
Ctrl + H |
Cmd + Shift + H |
| Select All |
Ctrl + A |
Cmd + A |
| Insert page break |
Ctrl + Enter |
Cmd + Enter |
| Insert line break (no new paragraph) |
Shift + Enter |
Shift + Enter |
| Insert hyperlink |
Ctrl + K |
Cmd + K |
| Insert footnote |
Ctrl + Alt + F |
Cmd + Option + F |
| Word count |
Ctrl + Shift + G |
Cmd + Shift + G |
| Spelling & grammar check |
F7 |
Fn + F7 |
Navigation & Selection
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Move to start of line |
Home |
| Move to end of line |
End |
| Move to start of document |
Ctrl + Home |
| Move to end of document |
Ctrl + End |
| Move one word left/right |
Ctrl + Arrow key |
| Select one word |
Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key |
| Select to start/end of line |
Shift + Home / Shift + End |
| Select entire paragraph |
Triple-click, or Ctrl + Shift + Down |
| Select entire document |
Ctrl + A |
| Go to a specific page |
Ctrl + G |
| Switch between open documents |
Ctrl + Alt + Tab (Windows) |
Text Formatting
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Bold |
Ctrl + B |
| Italic |
Ctrl + I |
| Underline |
Ctrl + U |
| Strikethrough |
Home tab → Strikethrough icon |
| Subscript |
Ctrl + = |
| Superscript |
Ctrl + Shift + = |
| Change font size +1/-1 pt |
Ctrl + ] / Ctrl + [ |
| Clear formatting |
Ctrl + Spacebar |
| Change case (cycle) |
Shift + F3 |
| Grow/Shrink font (Home ribbon) |
Font Size dropdown or Ctrl + Shift + > / < |
Paragraph & Page Formatting
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Align left |
Ctrl + L |
| Center |
Ctrl + E |
| Align right |
Ctrl + R |
| Justify |
Ctrl + J |
| Single line spacing |
Ctrl + 1 |
| Double line spacing |
Ctrl + 2 |
| 1.5 line spacing |
Ctrl + 5 |
| Indent paragraph |
Ctrl + M |
| Remove indent |
Ctrl + Shift + M |
| Insert bulleted list |
Ctrl + Shift + L |
| Set page margins |
Layout tab → Margins |
| Change page orientation |
Layout tab → Orientation |
| Insert section break |
Layout tab → Breaks → Section Break |
Working with Styles
Styles keep long documents consistent and are the foundation of automatic tables of contents.
- Apply a style: Home tab → Styles gallery (Heading 1, Heading 2, Normal, etc.)
- Modify a style: Right-click the style → Modify → change font, size, color, spacing
- Create a new style: Format your text as desired → Styles gallery → Create a Style
- Style shortcuts:
Ctrl + Alt + 1 → Heading 1Ctrl + Alt + 2 → Heading 2Ctrl + Alt + 3 → Heading 3Ctrl + Shift + N → Normal style
Why it matters: Using Heading styles (instead of just bolding text bigger) is what lets Word auto-generate a Table of Contents and lets screen readers navigate your document properly.
Tables Quick Guide
- Insert: Insert tab → Table → drag to choose rows/columns.
- Add a row: Place cursor in the last cell of the last row → press
Tab.
- Move between cells:
Tab (forward), Shift + Tab (backward).
- Resize columns evenly: Select table → Layout tab (under Table Design) → AutoFit → AutoFit Contents.
- Convert text to a table: Select text separated by tabs/commas → Insert → Table → Convert Text to Table.
- Repeat header row on every page: Select header row → Layout tab → Repeat Header Rows.
Headers, Footers & Page Numbers
- Insert: Insert tab → Header / Footer / Page Number
- Different first page: Header & Footer Tools → Design tab → check Different First Page
- Different odd/even pages: Same tab → check Different Odd & Even Pages
- Restart numbering on a new section: Insert a section break first, then Page Number → Format Page Numbers → Start at 1
Table of Contents & References
- Auto-generate a TOC: Apply Heading styles throughout → References tab → Table of Contents → choose a built-in style
- Update the TOC after edits: Right-click it → Update Field → choose "entire table"
- Insert a citation/bibliography: References tab → Citations & Bibliography → choose style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
- Insert a footnote/endnote: References tab → Insert Footnote / Insert Endnote
- Cross-reference a figure/table: Insert tab → Cross-reference
Reviewing & Collaboration
| Feature |
Where |
Use |
| Track Changes |
Review tab, or Ctrl + Shift + E |
Records every edit so others can accept/reject |
| Add a comment |
Review tab → New Comment, or Ctrl + Alt + M |
Leave notes without editing text |
| Accept/Reject changes |
Review tab |
Finalize edits from collaborators |
| Compare documents |
Review tab → Compare |
Shows differences between two versions |
| Restrict editing |
Review tab → Restrict Editing |
Lock formatting or limit edits |
| Co-author in real time |
Share button (top right) |
Multiple people editing simultaneously via OneDrive/SharePoint |
Mail Merge in Brief
- Go to Mailings tab → Start Mail Merge → Step-by-Step Mail Merge Wizard.
- Choose document type (letters, emails, labels).
- Select recipients (an Excel sheet or Outlook contacts work well).
- Insert merge fields (e.g.,
«FirstName») into your document.
- Preview results, then Finish & Merge.
Common Fixes
| Problem |
Fix |
| Text won't stop auto-capitalizing |
File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options → uncheck the relevant box |
| Extra blank page at the end |
Show formatting marks (Ctrl + Shift + 8) and delete trailing paragraph marks/breaks |
| Numbering restarts unexpectedly |
Right-click the list → Restart/Continue Numbering |
| Can't edit a document |
Check if it's opened in Read-Only or Protected mode (Review → Restrict Editing) |
| Formatting looks inconsistent |
Use Clear Formatting (Ctrl + Spacebar) then reapply a Style |
| Pasted text keeps source formatting |
Paste with Ctrl + Shift + V (plain text) or use Paste Options → Keep Text Only |
Pro Tips
- Turn on formatting marks (
Ctrl + Shift + 8) to see hidden spaces, tabs, and breaks — this solves most layout mysteries.
- Use Styles, not manual formatting, for anything longer than one page.
- Save as PDF (File → Save As → PDF) to lock in formatting before sharing externally.
- Use AutoCorrect shortcuts to expand your own abbreviations into full phrases you type often.
- Turn on AutoSave (top-left toggle) when working from OneDrive to avoid losing work.
- Use Navigation Pane (
Ctrl + F → Headings tab) to jump around long documents instantly.
Got a Word trick that saves you time? Share it in the comments below.