Ribbon, Help, and other Microsoft Office keyboard shortcuts

You can use the keyboard to access commands on the Ribbon, which is a component of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, and to navigate to and move around in the Help window. This topic also provides keyboard shortcuts for basic Microsoft Office functionality.

In this article

Keyboard access to the Office Fluent Ribbon

Keyboard shortcuts for using the Help window

Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Office basics

Keyboard access to the Office Fluent Ribbon

1. Press ALT.

   The KeyTips are displayed over each feature that is available in the current view. The following example is from Microsoft Office Word.

   

2. Press the letter that appears in the KeyTip over the feature that you want to use.

3. Depending on which letter you press, additional KeyTips may appear. For example, if the Home tab is active and you press I, the Insert tab is displayed, along with the KeyTips for the groups on that tab.

4. Continue pressing letters until you press the letter of the command or control that you want to use. In some cases, you must first press the letter of the group that contains the command.

   Note: To cancel the action that you are taking and hide the KeyTips, press ALT.

   Tip: If the Watch Window does not get focus after you select it by using the KeyTips, press ALT, and then press CTRL+TAB.

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Keyboard shortcuts for using the Help window

The Help window provides access to all Office Help content. The Help window displays topics and other Help content.

To do this	Press
Open the Help window.	F1
Close the Help window.	ALT+F4
Switch between the Help window and the active program.	ALT+TAB
Go back to Program Name Home.	ALT+HOME
Select the next item in the Help window.	TAB
Select the previous item in the Help window.	SHIFT+TAB
Perform the action for the selected item.	ENTER
In the Browse Program Name Help section of the Help window, select the next or previous item.	TAB or SHIFT+TAB
In the Browse Program Name Help section of the Help window, expand or collapse the selected item.	ENTER
Select the next hidden text or hyperlink, including Show All or Hide All at the top of a Help topic.	TAB
Select the previous hidden text or hyperlink.	SHIFT+TAB
Perform the action for the selected Show All, Hide All, hidden text, or hyperlink.	ENTER
Move to the previous Help topic (Back button).	ALT+LEFT ARROW or BACKSPACE
Move to the next Help topic (Forward button).	ALT+RIGHT ARROW
Scroll small amounts up or down within the current Help topic.	UP ARROW, DOWN ARROW
Scroll larger amounts up or down within the current Help topic.	PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN
Change whether the Help window appears connected to (tiled) or separate from (untiled) the active program.	ALT+U
Display a menu of commands for the Help window. This requires that the Help window is the active focus. (Click in the Help window.)	SHIFT+F10
Stop the last action (Stop button).	ESC
Refresh the window (Refresh button).	F5
Print the current Help topic. Note: If the cursor is not in the current Help topic, press F6 and then press CTRL+P.	CTRL+P
Change the connection state.	F6, and then click DOWN ARROW
Type text in the Type words to search for box.	F6, and then click DOWN ARROW
Switch among areas in the Help window; for example, switch between the toolbar, Type words to search for box, and Search list.	F6
In a Table of Contents in tree view, select the next or previous item.	UP ARROW, DOWN ARROW
In a Table of Contents in tree view, expand or collapse the selected item.	LEFT ARROW, RIGHT ARROW

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Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Office basics

Display and use windows

To do this	Press
Switch to the next window.	ALT+TAB
Switch to the previous window.	ALT+SHIFT+TAB
Close the active window.	CTRL+W or CTRL+F4
Restore the size of the active window after you maximize it.	CTRL+F5
Move to a task pane from another pane in the program window (clockwise direction). You may need to press F6 more than once. Note: If pressing F6 doesn't display the task pane that you want, try pressing ALT to place focus on the menu bar or the Ribbon, and then press CTRL+TAB to move to the task pane.	F6
Move to a pane from another pane in the program window (counterclockwise direction).	SHIFT+F6
When more than one window is open, switch to the next window.	CTRL+F6
Switch to the previous window.	CTRL+SHIFT+F6
When a document window is not maximized, perform the Move command (on the Control menu for the window). Use the arrow keys to move the window, and, when finished, press ESC.	CTRL+F7
When a document window is not maximized, perform the Size command (on the Control menu for the window). Press the arrow keys to resize the window, and, when finished, press ESC.	CTRL+F8
Minimize a window to an icon (works for only some Microsoft Office programs).	CTRL+F9
Maximize or restore a selected window.	CTRL+F10
Copy a picture of the screen to the Clipboard.	PRINT SCREEN
Copy a picture of the selected window to the Clipboard.	ALT+PRINT SCREEN

Change or resize the font

To do this	Press
Change the font.	CTRL+SHIFT+F
Change the font size.	CTRL+SHIFT+P
Increase the font size of the selected text.	CTRL+SHIFT+>
Decrease the font size of the selected text.	CTRL+SHIFT+<

Move around in text or cells

To do this	Press
Move one character to the left.	LEFT ARROW
Move one character to the right.	RIGHT ARROW
Move one line up.	UP ARROW
Move one line down.	DOWN ARROW
Move one word to the left.	CTRL+LEFT ARROW
Move one word to the right.	CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Move to the end of a line.	END
Move to the beginning of a line.	HOME
Move up one paragraph.	CTRL+UP ARROW
Move down one paragraph.	CTRL+DOWN ARROW
Move to the end of a text box.	CTRL+END
Move to the beginning of a text box.	CTRL+HOME
In Microsoft Office PowerPoint, move to the next title or body text placeholder. If it is the last placeholder on a slide, this will insert a new slide with the same slide layout as the original slide.	CTRL+ENTER
Repeat the last Find action.	SHIFT+F4

Move around in and work in tables

To do this	Press
Move to the next cell.	TAB
Move to the preceding cell.	SHIFT+TAB
Move to the next row.	DOWN ARROW
Move to the preceding row.	UP ARROW
Insert a tab in a cell.	CTRL+TAB
Start a new paragraph.	ENTER
Add a new row at the bottom of the table.	TAB at the end of the last row

Access and use task panes

To do this	Press
Move to a task pane from another pane in the program window. (You may need to press F6 more than once.) Note: If pressing F6 doesn't display the task pane that you want, try pressing ALT to place focus on the menu bar, and then press CTRL+TAB to move to the task pane.	F6
When a menu or toolbar is active, move to a task pane. (You may need to press CTRL+TAB more than once.)	CTRL+TAB
When a task pane is active, select the next or previous option in the task pane.	TAB or SHIFT+TAB
Display the full set of commands on the task pane menu.	CTRL+DOWN ARROW
Move among choices on a selected submenu; move among certain options in a group of options in a dialog box.	DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW
Open the selected menu, or perform the action assigned to the selected button.	SPACEBAR or ENTER
Open a shortcut menu; open a drop-down menu for the selected gallery item.	SHIFT+F10
When a menu or submenu is visible, select the first or last command on the menu or submenu.	HOME or END
Scroll up or down in the selected gallery list.	PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN
Move to the top or bottom of the selected gallery list.	CTRL+HOME or CTRL+END
Open the Research task pane. Note: This keyboard shortcut does not work in Microsoft Office PowerPoint or Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer.	ALT+Click

Access and use smart tags

To do this	Press
Display the menu or message for a smart tag. If more than one smart tag is present, switch to the next smart tag and display its menu or message.	ALT+SHIFT+F10
Select the next item on a smart tag menu.	DOWN ARROW
Select the previous item on a smart tag menu.	UP ARROW
Perform the action for the selected item on a smart tag menu.	ENTER
Close the smart tag menu or message.	ESC

Tips

• You can ask to be notified by a sound whenever a smart tag appears. To hear audio cues, you must have a sound card. You must also have Microsoft Office Sounds installed on your computer.

• If you have access to the World Wide Web, you can download Microsoft Office Sounds from the Microsoft Office Online Web site. After you install the sound files, do the following in Microsoft Office Access 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007, and Microsoft Office Word 2007:

  1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Program Options.

  2. Click Advanced.

  3. Under General, select the Provide feedback with sound check box, and then click OK.

     Note: When you select or clear this check box, the setting affects all Office programs that support sound.

Resize and move toolbars, menus, and task panes

1. Press ALT to select the menu bar.

2. Press CTRL+TAB repeatedly to select the toolbar or task pane that you want.

3. Do one of the following:

   Resize a toolbar

   1. On the toolbar, press CTRL+SPACEBAR to display the Toolbar Options menu.

   2. Click the Size command, and then press ENTER.

   3. Use the arrow keys to resize the toolbar. Press CTRL+ the arrow keys to resize one pixel at a time.

   Move a toolbar

   1. On the toolbar, press CTRL+SPACEBAR to display the Toolbar Options menu.

   2. Click the Move command, and then press ENTER.

   3. Use the arrow keys to position the toolbar. Press CTRL+ the arrow keys to move one pixel at a time. To undock the toolbar, press DOWN ARROW repeatedly. To dock the toolbar vertically on the left or right side, press LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW when the toolbar is all the way to the left side or right side.

   Resize a task pane

   1. In the task pane, press CTRL+SPACEBAR to display a menu of additional commands.

   2. Use the DOWN ARROW key to select the Size command, and then press ENTER.

   3. Use the arrow keys to resize the task pane. Use CTRL+ the arrow keys to resize one pixel at a time.

   Move a task pane

   1. In the task pane, press CTRL+SPACEBAR to display a menu of additional commands.

   2. Use the DOWN ARROW key to select the Move command, and then press ENTER.

   3. Use the arrow keys to position the task pane. Use CTRL+ the arrow keys to move one pixel at a time.

4. When you finish moving or resizing, press ESC.

Use dialog boxes

To do this	Press
Move to the next option or option group.	TAB
Move to the previous option or option group.	SHIFT+TAB
Switch to the next tab in a dialog box.	CTRL+TAB
Switch to the previous tab in a dialog box.	CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Move between options in an open drop-down list, or between options in a group of options.	Arrow keys
Perform the action assigned to the selected button; select or clear the selected check box.	SPACEBAR
Open the list if it is closed and move to that option in the list.	First letter of an option in a drop-down list
Select an option; select or clear a check box.	ALT+ the letter underlined in an option
Open a selected drop-down list.	ALT+DOWN ARROW
Close a selected drop-down list; cancel a command and close a dialog box.	ESC
Perform the action assigned to a default button in a dialog box.	ENTER

Use edit boxes within dialog boxes

An edit box is a blank box in which you type or paste an entry, such as your user name or the path to a folder.

To do this	Press
Move to the beginning of the entry.	HOME
Move to the end of the entry.	END
Move one character to the left or right.	LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW
Move one word to the left.	CTRL+LEFT ARROW
Move one word to the right.	CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Select or cancel selection one character to the left.	SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
Select or cancel selection one character to the right.	SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
Select or cancel selection one word to the left.	CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
Select or cancel selection one word to the right.	CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
Select from the insertion point to the beginning of the entry.	SHIFT+HOME
Select from the insertion point to the end of the entry.	SHIFT+END

Use the Open and Save As dialog boxes

To do this	Press
Go to the previous folder.	ALT+1
Up One Level button: open the folder up one level above the open folder.	ALT+2
Search the Web button: close the dialog box and open your Web search page.	ALT+3
Delete button: delete the selected folder or file.	ALT+3
Create New Folder button: create a new folder.	ALT+4
Views button: switch among available folder views.	ALT+5
Tools button: show the Tools menu.	ALT+L
Display a shortcut menu for a selected item, such as a folder or file.	SHIFT+F10
Move between options or areas in the dialog box.	TAB
Open the Look in list.	F4 or ALT+I
Refresh the file list.	F5

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