Computer shortcut keys everyone should know: Word, Excel, Outlook, Windows shortcuts

Here is a list of commonly used shortcut keys that can provide an easier and quicker method of using computer programs.

There is no doubt in saying that computers have become a very important part of daily life! If you are frequent computer user then you must know about the keyboard shortcut keys. Basically, a computer shortcut is a set of one or more keys that invoke a command in software or an operating system. So, you can increase your productivity by invoking commands with a few keystrokes, otherwise, it will be accessible only through a menu, a mouse, or through any other aspect.

A computer short cut keys function quickly and make your work easy.

Here is a list of commonly used short-cut keys that can provide an easier and quicker method of using computer programs:

List of basic computer shortcut keys:

Alt + F–File menu options in the current program.
Alt + E–Edits options in the current program.
F1–Universal help (for any sort of program).
Ctrl + A–Selects all text.
Ctrl + X–Cuts the selected item.
Ctrl + Del–Cut selected item.
Ctrl + C–Copy the selected item.
Ctrl + Ins– Copy the selected item.
Ctrl + V–Paste the selected item.
Shift + Ins — Paste the selected item.
Home — Takes the user to the beginning of the current line.
Ctrl + Home–Go to the beginning of the document.
End — Go to the end of the current line.
Ctrl + End — Go to the end of a document.
Shift + Home — Highlight from current position to beginning of the line.
Shift + End — Highlight from current position to end of the line.
Ctrl + (Left arrow) — Move one word to the left at a time.
Ctrl + (Right arrow) — Move one word to the right at a time.

Microsoft Windows shortcut keys list

Alt + Tab — Switch between open applications.
Alt + Shift + Tab — Switch backward between open applications.
Alt + Print Screen — Create screenshot for the current program.
Ctrl + Alt + Del — Reboot/Windows task manager.
Ctrl + Esc — Bring up the start menu.
Alt + Esc — Switch between applications on the taskbar.
F2 — Rename selected icon.
F3 — Start find from the desktop.
F4 — Open the drive selection when browsing.
F5 — Refresh contents.
Alt + F4 — Close current open program.
Ctrl + F4 — Close window in program.
Ctrl + Plus Key– Automatically adjust widths of all columns in Windows Explorer.
Alt + Enter — Open properties window of selected icon or program.
Shift + F10 — Simulate right-click on selected item.
Shift + Del — Delete programs/files permanently.
Holding Shift During Boot up — Boot safe mode or bypass system files.
Holding Shift During Boot up — When putting in an audio CD, will prevent CD Player from playing.

Word shortcut keys

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 — Italicise 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 + [ — 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 the beginning of the line or paragraph.
Ctrl + (Down arrow) — Move to the end of the paragraph.
Ctrl + Del — Delete word to the right of the cursor.
Ctrl + Backspace — Delete word to the left of the cursor.
Ctrl + End — Move cursor to end of the document.
Ctrl + Home — Move cursor to the beginning of the 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 the 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.

Excel shortcut keys

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 the search box
Ctrl + A — Select all contents of a 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 + F9 — Minimize current window.
Ctrl + F10 — Maximize currently selected window.
Ctrl + F6 — Switch between open workbooks/windows.
Ctrl + Page up & Page Down — Move between Excel worksheets in the same document.
Ctrl + Tab — Move between two or more open Excel files
Alt + = — Create the formula to sum all of the above cells.
Ctrl + — Insert the value of above cell into the 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.