Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word 2007-2024 (365)

Scope: Word 2007 and later (This feature is also available in earlier versions but the user interface is different.)

Level: Beginner

Platforms: Windows PC or Mac (not mobile, browser, or IOS)

See also: Assign Keyboard Shortcuts by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP

Introduction:

One of the quickest ways of using things in Word is by using keyboard shortcuts to call up features. Instructions for the Mac and for moving/copying shortcuts are at the bottom, but please read the entire page.

Existing shortcuts

Before you start assigning keyboard shortcuts you can save yourself some work by seeing whether Word already has a shortcut for that function. Don't re-invent the wheel! You can add a shortcut for a function that already has one if you think your custom shortcut will be more useful.

In another article I discussed ways to generate a list of keyboard shortcuts.

Here is a Microsoft Support Page that lists many (but not all) of the keyboard shortcuts for Word available on multiple platforms. (Be sure to indicate your platform.)

In the process of trying to assign a shortcut, Word will tell you if there is already a shortcut assigned for that function. Even if there is, you can add your own.

I recommend against overwriting any of the built-in shortcuts in files that will be used by others. You can add your own, but other users may expect the built-in shortcut to perform in the standard way.

There are also legacy Access keys which do not show up in any of these lists. I will try to address those in a different article. Note that these shortcuts start with the Alt key and recently, rather than Alt+e, Alt+i, Alt+o, Alt+t, and Alt+v, require that the Alt key be pressed, released and then the trigger key be pressed (quickly). When you have pressed one, you will see a pop-up like the ones below, waiting for you to press the next [trigger] key.

The requirement that you first lift the Alt key is a relatively recent change that caught many users unaware. These shortcuts are legacy and are little documented.

See also: Legacy Accelerators or Word 2003 Access Keys by Tony Jollans, MVP.

You can also create and save your own

While Word has many keyboard shortcuts already built into the program, it is possible for a user to create and save their own keyboard shortcuts. This article is about how to do that.

The Microsoft Support Page on assigning shortcuts is here. It is Windows only and does not reach the depth of this article. Here is the only Support page I've found for the Mac but I do not know as much about Macs as Windows.

Things for which you can assign a Keyboard Shortcut:

• Macros

• Building Blocks (including AutoText) Mac as of this writing AutoText only

• Styles

• Fonts (I do not recommend this, but rather using Styles instead.)

• Symbols

• Word Commands that appear on any Ribbon Tab

• Word Commands that do not appear on any Ribbon Tab

Using a Prefix or Trigger in a Keyboard Shortcut to get more possible shortcuts

This creates a two-stage shortcut where you first use a prefix shortcut followed by another key or key combination. There are a large but finite number of possible keyboard Shortcuts and some require real finger dexterity. Users have fertile imaginations and can come up with more uses for shortcuts than there would seem available key combinations. This is especially true if you do not want to overwrite commonly used built-in shortcuts.

You cannot assign things to the basic keys, you need combine with the Ctrl (Cmd) and/or Alt (Opt) shift keys. If you want to change the base keys, you need to look into redefining your keyboard.

Word allows one key combination to be the starting point or prefix or trigger for multiple shortcuts. For instance, you might wish to assign shortcuts to items that are in Backstage (show up under File). Rather than use multiple primary keyboard shortcuts, you can use Ctrl+Shift+F as a prefix to be followed by another keystroke to actually call a feature.

• Ctrl+Shift+F, C - Compatibility Checker

• Ctrl+Shift+F, I - Document Inspector

• Ctrl+Shift+F, O - File Open Using Backstage

Note, you cannot reassign the ordinary keys like the letters or numbers (or shift+a-z uppercase letters) as shortcuts but they can be the second stage of a two-stage shortcut. You can use any key combination you could use in assigning a shortcut as the prefix. That is, you can use F12 or Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F12 as a prefix, but you cannot use w or Shift+w or 9 as a prefix. The second stage can be any key or any key combined with the Shift key (but not Ctrl or Alt).

In one of my personal files, I have five macros that type date stamps. The shortcuts all use the prefix Shift+Alt+D. Then followed by one of five letters.

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(The shortcuts shown above are also available in my Date Stamp (Text) Shortcuts Add-In.)

The initial prefix can be a Function Key or a key combination (that can include a Function Key). That can be followed by any single keystroke which can be a function key. Here is another example of a shortcut prefix being assigned to symbols for card suits:

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If you use a prefix, Word will display it in the Status Bar while waiting for the next key press. This will be for a short time during which time pressing the next key will give perform the shortcut. When the full Status Bar returns, the shortcut prefix has expired and is no longer active. Note that even though the key press was Shift+Alt+D, it shows up as Alt+Shift+D.

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Prefixes can only be one level. That is, you press the prefix and then one more key. The second key press can include the Shift key, but not Ctrl or Alt.

Reserved Key Combinations

I recommend not using the Alt shift key with only one other key because they have been hijacked by the Ribbon accelerator keys that appear when you press the Alt key (Word 2007 and later). They can work, but this is generally very confusing to the user because it depends on timing. The same shortcut can give two different results! I do use Shift+Alt+ and Ctrl+Alt+ and Shift+Ctrl+Alt shortcuts. When using those I press the other shift key first; this blocks the Ribbon shortcuts which do not use these keys. In the prefix examples given above I write the prefixes with the Alt key after another Shift key even though in the keyboard modification Window it may show the Alt key first.

The example with card suits above was to help someone who wanted shortcuts for symbols for the four card suits. The first thought was to combine Ctrl+Alt+Shift with each of the appropriate letters. However, it turns out that Word will not let you assign a the shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D. Another reserved Shortcut is the F1 key by itself. If you try to assign that, you get the support page on assigning keyboard shortcuts.

At this time, I do not have any sort of list of the reserved shortcuts. I just know that they exist. Be aware of that when you are setting up your shortcuts.

Where Should Shortcuts be Stored? Is this a question?

Actually, no, it should not be a question but the Normal Template may be the wrong place.

Keyboard shortcuts are stored in the Normal template by default. As a default, that is not bad, but we can do better.

General Suggestion - Store them somewhere other than in the Normal Template

In the normal template they are available in all your documents, but...

• If you send a document or template that needs them to someone else, they will not have them.

• If something happens to your normal template, your shortcuts are lost. If you do not think anything will happen to your normal template, search this community forum (Word) for "normal" or "normal.dotm" and see what you find.

• If you want to share your shortcuts with a co-worker or friend they should not be in your normal template but in a separate Global Template.

• If you move to a different computer it may be difficult to move your shortcuts. Again, a Global Template is best for this.

Exception for Shortcuts for things stored in a Template or Document

If the item to which you are assigning a shortcut exists in a particular template or document, the shortcut should be stored in the same template or document. Examples would be:

1. Macros If you store your shortcut in one template or document and the macro in another, the macro may not be available when you use the template.

2. Building Blocks / AutoText - Same thing - store the shortcut in the template that contains the building block

3. Styles - again, store the shortcut in the template that contains the style.

Finally! Method of Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts:

You hoped I would get around to this eventually.

Windows:

Word 2010 and later

1. File > Options

2. Customize the Ribbon

3. Customize Keyboard (Button)

4. Choose the storage location for your customization (Either the normal template or the current document/template)

5. Choose what category it is you want to use the shortcut on (i.e. macros, styles)

6. Pick the specific macro, command, style, building block to which you will assign the shortcut

7. Click in the box for the new shortcut and press your shortcut combination. Look to see if already assigned.

8. Click on the Assign button.

Repeat 5-8 above as needed. Then Close the Customize Keyboard dialog and OK your way out of the Customize the Ribbon dialog.

If prompted, save changes to the template.

Word 2007:

• Instructions are as above except start with Customize or Modify the QAT to get to the Customize the Keyboard dialog.

• Office Button > Word Options > Customize the QAT

Alternative Method: All Windows Versions - not recommended

You can use the keyboard shortcut to bring up the Assignment dialog for any command on the Ribbon or in a menu.

That shortcut is Ctrl + Alt + "+" on the Numeric Keypad.

The cursor will change into a clover leaf shape ().

Then click on the command you want to assign, the dialog shown above will appear with that command and any already assignd shortcut.

Follow the steps above to choose a storage location and to assign the shortcut.

This method is not recommended because if you instead press Ctrl + Alt + "-" on the Numeric Keypad by mistake, you can end up deleting commands.

Macintosh:

Tools > Customize Keyboard

All Mac keyboards use the Command and Option shift keys as far as I know. Many also have the Ctrl Key.

(See Create a custom keyboard shortcut and follow the instructions. If this does not work, please let me know here.)

Using the QAT and Ribbon Alt-access keys to create shortcuts

There are some things that cannot be added as shortcuts using the Customize Keyboard Shortcut dialog. The commands do not appear there.

However, they do appear in the Modify the QAT dialog or can be added to the QAT from the Ribbon with a right-click.

Beginning with Word 2007 the Alt key has been sort of hijacked for key tips for the Ribbon. This includes the QAT if you have it displayed.

An example is the Style Inspector which does not appear in the commands for keyboard shortcuts but does for the QAT.

Once added to the QAT, pressing the Alt key and releasing gives a shortcut for the Style Inspector. However, what the shortcut will be depends on the position of the icon in the QAT. Here the Style Inspector is added as the fifth icon on the QAT.

When the Alt key is pressed like a prefix in a two-stage shortcut, (and then released) a tooltip appears showing 5 to access the Style Inspector on the QAT. Such a shortcut is not a true keyboard shortcut in that it is dynamic and definitely can change, seemingly by itself. If you add or delete any icon in the QAT before this one, the number will change. However, it will always display. It is not saved in any template, including the Normal.dotm template.

See also my page on Modifying the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Word. This process of using the Alt-ribbon tooltips for the QAT is discussed a bit more in this answer in the independent Microsoft Word forum, It was in answer to a question about adding a shortcut for the Style Inspector.

Copying / Moving Keyboard Shortcuts

There has never been a way built into Word to move keyboard shortcuts from one template to another. That difficulty is part of the reason this article stresses making a decision as to where to save your shortcuts when you create them.

Over twenty years ago, Chris Woodman developed code that creates an Organizer interface for Keyboard Shortcuts. As of this writing, it works fine in Word 2019 / Word 365 (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions). The original .dot version can be downloaded directly from an archival version of his webpage. An updated version that has Ribbon buttons in the Developer Tab can be downloaded from my website. (Both are free.)

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The dialog shown above is similar to the Styles or Macros Organizer in Word. It is the same in the .dot version or the .dotm version.

The .dotm version adds the buttons below to the Developer Tab in Word.

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See also this lengthy discussion of moving/using shortcuts for styles on multiple different computers. I urge that the shortcuts be in the templates that hold the styles. Problem transferring my Word shortcuts to clean local installs of Word using custom .dotm

See also this video by legal office guru Deborah Savadra:

Changes made in Shortcuts for pasting text by Microsoft

See: Paste Text Only Shortcut in Word

Changes made in Shortcuts for Zooming by Microsoft

See New Word Zoom Shortcuts