Create or delete a keyboard shortcut in Word 2016 for Mac

You can create your own keyboard shortcuts to help you quickly do a task. However, if the keyboard shortcut is the same as a default Mac OS X keyboard shortcut, it won't work unless you turn off the Mac OS X keyboard shortcut.

Create a keyboard shortcut for a task

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize Keyboard.

2. In the Categories list, click a menu name.

3. In the Commands list, click the task that you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to.

   Any keyboard shortcuts that are currently assigned to the selected task appear in the Current keys box.

4. In the Press new keyboard shortcut box, type a key combination that includes at least one modifier key ( , Control , Option , Shift ) and an additional key, such as + Option + F11 .

   If you type a keyboard shortcut that is already assigned, the action assigned to that key combination appears next to Currently assigned to.

5. Click Assign.

   Notes: 

   • To cancel the keyboard shortcut assignment, press Esc.

   • Keyboard shortcut descriptions refer to the U.S. keyboard layout. Keys on other keyboard layouts might not correspond to the keys on a U.S. keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts for laptop computers might also differ.

Delete a keyboard shortcut for a task

Important: You can delete keyboard shortcuts that you added, but you can't delete the default keyboard shortcuts for Word.

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize Keyboard.

2. In the Categories list, click a menu name.

3. In the Commands list, click the task that you want to delete a keyboard shortcut from.

4. In the Current keys box, click the keyboard shortcut that you want to delete, and then click Remove.

Create a keyboard shortcut to insert a symbol

You can create a keyboard shortcut for a symbol, such as the telephone symbol from the Zapf Dingbats font ( ). For example, to create a keyboard shortcut to insert the telephone symbol, you could assign + Option + Shift + T.

1. On the Insert tab, click Advanced Symbol.

2. Click the symbol or special character you want.

3. Click the symbol or character that you want.

4. Click Keyboard Shortcut.

5. In the Press new keyboard shortcut box, type a key combination that includes at least one modifier key ( , Control , Option , Shift ) and an additional key, such as + Option + Shift + T.

   If you type a keyboard shortcut that is already assigned, the action assigned to that key combination appears next to Currently assigned to.

6. Click Assign and then click OK.

   Notes: 

   • To cancel the keyboard shortcut assignment, press Esc .

   • Keyboard shortcut descriptions refer to the U.S. keyboard layout. Keys on other keyboard layouts might not correspond to the keys on a U.S. keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts for laptop computers might also differ.

7. Click Cancel to close the Symbol dialog box.

Delete a keyboard shortcut to insert a symbol

1. On the Insert menu, click Symbol.

2. Click the symbol or character that you want to delete a keyboard shortcut from.

3. Click Keyboard Shortcut.

4. In the Current keys box, click the keyboard shortcut that you want to delete, and then click Remove, and then click OK.

5. Click Cancel to close the Symbol dialog box.

Reset all keyboard shortcuts

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize Keyboard.

2. To restore keyboard shortcuts to their original state, click Reset All, and then in the confirmation message, click Yes.

Turn off a Mac OS X keyboard shortcut

To use a keyboard shortcut that is the same as a default Mac OS X keyboard shortcut, you must first turn off that Mac OS X keyboard shortcut.

1. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences.

2. Click Keyboard, and then click the Shortcuts tab.

3. Click through the categories to find a specific keyboard shortcut, and then for the one that you want to turn off, clear the check box.

See also

Word keyboard shortcuts