Word 2016 Keyboard Shortcuts

Microsoft Word is a document processing Software from Microsoft as a Part of the Office Suite of products. It comes with Mobile and Web apps and it is the world’s most used Word processing software. In this post, I am going to post the top shortcuts for Microsoft Word which you can use to do stuff faster. So here goes the list:

Basic Usage and Navigation

ALT+TAB Switch to the next window. 
ALT+SHIFT+TAB Switch to the previous window. 
CTRL+W or CTRL+F4 Close the active window. 
ALT+F5 Restore the size of the active window after you maximize it. 
F6 Move to a task pane from another pane in the program window.
SHIFT+F6 Move to a task pane from another pane in the program window.
CTRL+F6 Switch to the next window with multiple Windows.
CTRL+SHIFT+F6 Switch to the previous window. 
CTRL+F10 Maximize or restore a selected window. 
PRINT SCREEN Copy a picture of the screen to the Clipboard. 
ALT+PRINT SCREEN Copy Selected window area to the Clipboard.

Using 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.
SPACEBAR Select or clear the selected check box.
ALT+ the  underlined letter in an option to select or clear check box.
ALT+DOWN ARROW Open a selected drop-down list.
ESC Cancel a command and close a dialog box.
ENTER Run the selected command.

How to Use edit boxes within dialog boxes

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 
SHIFT+END Select from the insertion point to the end of the entry.

How to Use the Open and Save As dialog boxes

CTRL+F12 or CTRL+O Display the Open dialog box.
F12 Display the Save As dialog box.
ENTER Open the selected folder or file. 
BACKSPACE Delete Open the folder one level above the selected folder. DELETE the selected folder or file. 
SHIFT+F10 Display a shortcut menu for a selected item (File or Folder). 
TAB Move forward through options. 
F4 or ALT+I Move back through options. 
SHIFT+TAB Open the Look in list. 
ESC Press Cancel an action.
CTRL+Z Undo an action. 
CTRL+Y Redo or repeat an action. 
F6 Move to a task pane from another pane in the program window  
CTRL+TAB When a menu is active, move to a task pane.
TAB or SHIFT+TAB When a task pane is active, select the next or previous option in the task pane. 
CTRL+SPACEBAR Display the full set of commands on the task pane menu.  SPACEBAR or ENTER Perform the action assigned to the selected button SHIFT+F10 Open a drop-down menu for the selected gallery item 
HOME or END Select the first or last item in a gallery.  
PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN Scroll up or down in the selected gallery list 
F6 Close a task pane 
CTRL+SPACEBAR Press to move to the task pane, if necessary. Press . 
Use the arrow keys to select Close, and then press ENTER. 
Press F6 Move a task pane 
Press CTRL+SPACEBAR To move to the task pane, if necessary.
Use the arrow keys to select Move, and then press ENTER. 
Use the arrow keys to move the task pane, and then press ENTER. 
Press F6 Resize a task pane  
Press CTRL+SPACEBAR to move to the task pane.
Use the arrow keys to select Size, and then press ENTER. 
Use the Arrow keys to resize the task pane, and then press ENTER.
SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. 
ALT+SHIFT+F10 Display the menu or message for an available action.
ALT or F10 Select the active tab of the ribbon and activate access keys.
F10 Move to another tab of the ribbon to select the active tab
LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW 
CTRL+F1 Expand or collapse the ribbon.  
SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. 
CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR Create a nonbreaking space.  
CTRL+SHIFT+HYPHEN Create a nonbreaking hyphen. 
CTRL+B Make letters bold.  
CTRL+I Make letters italic. 
CTRL+U Make letters underline. 
CTRL+SHIFT+< Decrease font size one value.  
CTRL+SHIFT+> Increase font size one value. 
CTRL+[ Increase font size 1 point. CTRL+] Decrease font size 1 point. CTRL+SPACEBAR Remove paragraph or character formatting. 
CTRL+C Copy the selected text or object. 
CTRL+X Cut the selected text or object. 
CTRL+V Paste text or an object. 
CTRL+ALT+V Paste special 
CTRL+SHIFT+V Paste formatting only 
CTRL+Z Undo the last action. 
CTRL+Y Redo the last action.
CTRL+SHIFT+G Open the Word Count dialog box. 
CTRL+N Create a new document. 
CTRL+O  Open a document. 
CTRL+W Close a document.  
ALT+CTRL+S Split the document window.  
ALT+SHIFT+C or ALT+CTRL+S Remove the document window split. 
CTRL+S Save a document.  
CTRL+F Open the Navigation task pane (to search document).  
ALT+CTRL+Y Repeat find (after closing Find and Replace window).  
CTRL+H Replace text, specific formatting, and special items.
CTRL+G Go to a page, bookmark, footnote, table, comment, graphic, or other location.
ALT+CTRL+Z Switch between the last four places that you have edited. Open a list of browse options.
Press the arrow keys to select an option, and then press ENTER to browse through a document by using the selected option. ALT+CTRL+HOME CTRL+PAGE Move to the previous browse object (set in browse options). 
CTRL+PAGE DOWN or UP Move to the next browse object.
ALT+CTRL+P Switch to Print Layout view.  
ALT+CTRL+O Switch to Web Layout view. Switch to Outline view. 
ALT+CTRL+N Switch to Draft view.  
ALT+SHIFT+LEFT A Promote a paragraph. 
ALT+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW Demote a paragraph.  
CTRL+SHIFT+N Demote to body text.  
ALT+SHIFT+UP Move selected paragraphs up.  
ALT+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Move selected paragraphs down. 
ALT+SHIFT+PLUS ARROW Expand text under a heading.  
ALT+SHIFT+MINUS SIGN Collapse text under a heading.  
ALT+SHIFT+A SIGN Expand or collapse all text or headings. 
ALT+SHIFT+L To Hide or display the character formatting. Use slash (/) key on the numpad to show the first line of body text or full body text.  
ALT+SHIFT+1 Show all headings with the Heading 1 style. 
ALT+SHIFT+n  Show all headings up to Heading n. 
CTRL+TAB Insert a tab character. 
CTRL+P Print a document.  
ALT+CTRL+I Switch to print preview. 
Arrow keys Move by one preview page when zoomed out: 
PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN Move around the preview page when zoomed in. 
CTRL+HOME Move to the first preview page when zoomed out.  
CTRL+END Move to the last preview page when zoomed out.  
ALT+CTRL+M Insert a comment.  
CTRL+SHIFT+E Turn change tracking on or off. 
ALT+SHIFT+C Close the Reviewing Pane if it is open.  
HOME Go to beginning of document. 
END Go to end of document. 
n Go to page n. , 
ESC ENTER Exit Read mode. 
ALT+SHIFT+O Mark a table of contents entry. 
ALT+SHIFT+I Mark a table of authorities entry (citation). 
ALT+SHIFT+X Mark an index entry.
ALT+CTRL+F Insert a footnote.  
ALT+CTRL+D Insert an endnote. 
ALT+RIGHT Go forward one page.  
F9 ARROW Refresh. 
BACKSPACE Delete one character to the left.  
CTRL+BACKSPACE Delete one word to the left. 
DELETE Delete one character to the right. 
CTRL+DELETE Delete one word to the right.  
CTRL+X Cut selected text to the Office Clipboard.  
CTRL+Z Undo the last action.  
CTRL+F3 Cut to the Spike. 
Press ALT+H Open the Office Clipboard to move to the Home tab, and then press F,O. 
CTRL+C Copy selected text or graphics to the Office Clipboard. 
CTRL+X Cut selected text or graphics to the Office Clipboard. 
CTRL+V Paste the most recent addition or pasted item from the Office Clipboard.  
F2 (then move the cursor and press ENTER) Move text or graphics once.  SHIFT+F2 Copy text or graphics once.   
CTRL+F3 Cut to the Spike. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F3 Paste the Spike contents. 
ALT+SHIFT+R Copy the header or footer used in the previous section of the document. 
CTRL+F9 A field  
SHIFT+ENTER A line break 
CTRL+ENTER A page break  
CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER A column break 
ALT+CTRL+MINUS SIGN An em dash  
CTRL+MINUS SIGN An en dash  
CTRL+HYPHEN An optional hyphen  
CTRL+SHIFT+HYPHEN A nonbreaking hyphen 
CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR  A nonbreaking space 
ALT+CTRL+C The copyright symbol  
ALT+CTRL+R The registered trademark symbol 
ALT+CTRL+T The trademark symbol 
ALT+CTRL+PERIOD An ellipsis 
Turn extend mode on. F8 
Select the nearest character. F8, and then press LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW Increase the size of a selection. F8 
SHIFT+F8 Reduce the size of a selection. 
ESC Turn extend mode off.  
SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW Extend a selection one character to the right. 
 Extend a selection one character to the left. SHIFT+LEFT ARROW 
Extend a selection to the end of a word. CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT 
ARROW Extend a selection to the beginning of a word. CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW 
Extend a selection to the end of a line. SHIFT+END Extend
SHIFT+HOME a selection to the beginning of a line.  
SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Extend a selection one line down. 
SHIFT+UP ARROW Extend a selection one line up. 
CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Extend a selection to the end of a paragraph. CTRL+SHIFT+UP ARROW Extend a selection to the beginning of a paragraph.  SHIFT+PAGE DOWN Extend a selection one screen down. 
SHIFT+PAGE UP  Extend a selection one screen up. 
CTRL+SHIFT+HOME Extend a selection to the beginning of a document.  
CTRL+SHIFT+END Extend a selection to the end of a document. 
ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN Extend a selection to the end of a window.  CTRL+A Extend a selection to include the entire document. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F8 Select a vertical block of text and then use the arrow keys; press ESC to cancel selection mode
TAB Select the next cell's contents. 
SHIFT+TAB Select the preceding cell's contents.
CTRL+SHIFT+F8 Extend a selection (or block) and then use the arrow keys; press ESC to cancel selection mode Select an entire table. ALT+5 on the numeric keypad (NUM LOCK off) 
LEFT ARROW One character to the left 
RIGHT ARROW One character to the right 
CTRL+LEFT ARROW One word to the left  
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW One word to the right  
CTRL+UP ARROW One paragraph up  
CTRL+DOWN ARROW One paragraph down  
SHIFT+TAB One cell to the left (in a table) 
TAB One cell to the right (in a table) 
UP ARROW Up one line 
DOWN ARROW Down one line  
END To the end of a line 
HOME To the beginning of a line 
ALT+CTRL+PAGE UP To the top of the window 
ALT+CTRL+PAGE DOWN To the end of the window 
PAGE UP Up one screen (scrolling) 
PAGE DOWN Down one screen (scrolling)  
CTRL+PAGE DOWN To the top of the next page 
CTRL+PAGE UP To the top of the previous page 
CTRL+END To the end of a document  
CTRL+HOME To the beginning of a document  
SHIFT+F5 To a previous revision  
SHIFT+F5 After opening a document, to the location you were working in when the document was last closed  
TAB To the next cell in a row  
SHIFT+TAB To the previous cell in a row 
ALT+HOME To the first cell in a row  
ALT+END To the last cell in a row 
ALT+PAGE UP To the first cell in a column 
ALT+PAGE DOWN To the last cell in a column 
UP ARROW To the previous row 
ALT+SHIFT+UP To the next row DOWN ARROW Row up  
ALT+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW ARROW Row down 
CTRL+SHIFT+C Copy formatting from text. 
CTRL+SHIFT+V Apply copied formatting to text. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F Open the Font dialog box to change the font. 
CTRL+SHIFT+> Increase the font size. 
CTRL+SHIFT+< Decrease the font size. 
CTRL+] Increase the font size by 1 point.  
CTRL+[ Decrease the font size by 1 point.  
CTRL+D Open the Font dialog box to change the formatting of characters.  SHIFT+F3 Change the case of letters.  
CTRL+SHIFT+A Format all letters as capitals. 
CTRL+B Apply bold formatting. 
CTRL+U Apply an underline.  
CTRL+SHIFT+W Underline words but not spaces.  
CTRL+SHIFT+D Double-underline text.  
CTRL+SHIFT+H Apply hidden text formatting. 
CTRL+I Apply italic formatting. 
CTRL+SHIFT+K Format letters as small capitals.  
CTRL+EQUAL SIGN Apply subscript formatting (automatic spacing).  
CTRL+SHIFT+PLUS SIGN Apply superscript formatting (automatic spacing).  
CTRL+SPACEBAR Remove manual character formatting. 
CTRL+SHIFT+Q Change the selection to the Symbol font. 
CTRL+SHIFT+* Display nonprinting characters. (Does not work on numeric keypad)
SHIFT+F1 Review text formatting. 
CTRL+SHIFT+C Copy formats. 
CTRL+SHIFT+V Paste formats.
CTRL+1 Single-space lines.
CTRL+2 Double-space lines.
CTRL+5 Set 1.5-line spacing.
CTRL+0 (zero) Add or remove one line space preceding a paragraph.  
CTRL+E Switch a paragraph between centered and left-aligned.  
CTRL+J Switch a paragraph between justified and left-aligned. 
CTRL+R Switch a paragraph between right-aligned and left-aligned. 
CTRL+L Left align a paragraph. 
CTRL+M Indent a paragraph from the left.  
CTRL+SHIFT+M Remove a paragraph indent from the left. 
CTRL+T Create a hanging indent.  
CTRL+SHIFT+T Reduce a hanging indent. 
CTRL+Q Remove paragraph formatting. 
CTRL+SHIFT+S Open Apply Styles task pane. 
ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+S Open Styles task pane. 
ALT+CTRL+K Start AutoFormat.  
CTRL+SHIFT+N Apply the Normal style. 
ALT+CTRL+1 Apply the Heading 1 style.  
ALT+CTRL+2 Apply the Heading 2 style.  
ALT+CTRL+3 Apply the Heading 3 style. 
ALT+SHIFT+D Insert a DATE field.  
ALT+CTRL+L Insert a LISTNUM field. 
ALT+SHIFT+P Insert a PAGE field. 
ALT+SHIFT+T Insert a TIME field. 
CTRL+F9 Insert an empty field.  
CTRL+SHIFT+F7 Update linked information in the source document.  
F9 Update selected fields.  
CTRL+SHIFT+F9 Unlink a field. 
SHIFT+F9 To switch between a selected field code and its result.  
ALT+F9 Switch between all field codes and their results.  
Run ALT+SHIFT+F9 GOTOBUTTON or MACROBUTTON from the field that displays the field results. 
F11 Go to the next field.  
SHIFT+F11 Go to the previous field.  
CTRL+F11 Lock a field. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F11 Unlock a field. 
F1 Get Help or visit Office.com. 
F2 Move text or graphics. 
F4 Repeat the last action. 
F5 Choose the Go To command (Home tab).  
F6 Go to the next pane or frame. 
F7 Choose the Spelling command (Review tab). 
F8 Extend a selection. 
F9 Update the selected fields. 
F10 Show KeyTips. 
F11 Go to the next field.  
F12 Choose the Save As command. 
SHIFT+F1 Start context-sensitive Help or reveal formatting. 
SHIFT+F2 Copy text. 
SHIFT+F3 Change the case of letters.  
SHIFT+F4 Repeat a Find or Go To action. 
SHIFT+F5 Move to the last change. 
SHIFT+F6 Go to the previous pane or frame (after pressing F6). 
SHIFT+F7 Choose the Thesaurus command. 
SHIFT+F8 Reduce the size of a selection. 
SHIFT+F9 Switch between a field code and its result. 
SHIFT+F10 Display a shortcut menu. 
SHIFT+F11 Go to the previous field. 
SHIFT+F12 Choose the Save command. 
CTRL+F1 Expand or collapse the ribbon. 
CTRL+F2 Choose the Print Preview command. 
CTRL+F3 Cut to the Spike. 
CTRL+F4 Close the window. 
CTRL+F6 Go to the next window. 
CTRL+F9 Insert an empty field. 
CTRL+F10 Maximize the document window. 
CTRL+F11 Lock a field.  
CTRL+F12 Choose the Open command. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F3 Insert the contents of the Spike.  
CTRL+SHIFT+F5 Edit a bookmark.  
CTRL+SHIFT+F6 Go to the previous window. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F7 Update linked information in a Word 2013 source document.  
CTRL+SHIFT+F8 Extend a selection or block. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F9 Press an arrow key Unlink a field. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F11 Unlock a field. 
CTRL+SHIFT+F12 Choose the Print command. 
ALT+F1 Go to the next field. 
ALT+F3 Create a new Building Block. 
ALT+F4 Exit Word 2013. 
ALT+F5 Restore the program window size.  
ALT+F7 Find the next misspelling or grammatical error. 
ALT+F8 Run a macro.  
ALT+F9 Switch between all field codes and their results. 
ALT+F10 Display the Selection and Visibility task pane. 
ALT+F11 Display Microsoft Visual Basic code.

See the Official Documentation from Microsoft here:

Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word 2016 for Windows

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. These are a subset of some of the shortcuts currently available. We will keep adding when we discover more and append to this list. Cheers!