Archive for February, 2009

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word – Formatting

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

While I use most of the keyboard shortcuts I’ve discussed in recent blogs, these are the ones I can’t live without! There are two ways to use these shortcuts: as you are typing, if you would like to change the format of the next thing you type, use these shortcuts to begin the new formatting; or you may highlight text you’ve already typed, and change the format by using these shortcuts. I really encourage you to try these if you don’t use them already! You can also use these (and many of the shortcuts I’ve already given you) as you type emails in Outlook:

CTRL+] – Increase the font size by 1 point

CTRL+[ – Decrease the font size by 1 point

CTRL+U – Toggles underlining the text

CTRL+I – Toggles italicizing the text

CTRL+B – Toggles bolding the text

SHIFT+CTRL+F – Change the font (brings up a menu to change the font, size, and style)

Here are several that are new to me, but I think would be extremely valuable if you do a lot of formatting. In combination, these allow you finalize formatting of a particular text (for example a heading that is bold, underlined and sized larger than your other text) and copy it to the next heading without make those individual formatting changes. I will definitely start using these:
CTRL+SHIFT+C – Copies the formatting of the selected text
CTRL+SHIFT+V – Pastes the formatting of the previously

Again, if you do a lot of formatting, you’re probably making changes with line spacing (single, double or 1.5). These are great:
CTRL+1 – Single space
CTRL+2 – Double space
CTRL+5 – 1.5 line spacing

I’ve only scratched the surface on keyboard shortcuts available in Word! Most of these can also be used in other Office documents, like Outlook and Excel, so I think you’ll find them to be very helpful. If you are interested in learning even more shortcuts, you will fine many more here. If I missed one that you use often, please share with the rest of us in the comments section!

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word – Editing

Sunday, February 15th, 2009

I would anticipate most people use at least some of these editing shortcuts, but maybe you’ll pick up a few new tricks:

CTRL+C – Cut (adds selected text or object to your clipboard)

CTRL+V – Paste (adds text or object from your clipboard to the location of your cursor)

CTRL+X – Delete selected text or object

CTRL+Z – Undo last action (if you continue to hit this shortcut it will reverse your last few actions)

CTRL+Y – Repeat last action

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word – Print and Preview

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

These shortcuts will probably be some of your most often used shortcuts! The Alternate (ALT) key is located on either side of your space bar. This key is often used in combination with CTRL in three stroke shortcuts, as in the Print Preview shortcut below:

CTRL+P – Print a document (this will bring up the printer window, allowing you to select the desired printer and other print options)

ALT+CTRL+I – Toggles in and out of Print Preview. This is a new one for me, but I plan to use it! I almost always want to preview my document prior to printing (to check formatting and spacing)

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word – Managing Documents

Saturday, February 7th, 2009

Typically, to open, close, save, or create a new Word document, you would use your mouse to go to the File menu, then scroll down for the desired action. These document management shortcuts are very popular. If you don’t already use these, try them out! For most shortcuts you hold down the first button, while hitting the second button. For example, the shortcut to save a document in Word, you hold down the control button (CTRL) while typing S. Shortcuts are typically noted in this manner … CTRL+S. Here are a few document management shortcuts to try:

CTRL+S – Save a document

CTRL+W – Close a document (if you your document hasn’t been saved, Word will give you that option)

CTRL+O – Open a document

CTRL+N – Create a new document

Some keyboard shortcuts use just one key (usually the Function keys at the top of your keyboard, labeled F1-F12). Here is a simple, often used shortcut:

F12 – Save as (used if you are editing a previously saved document and you’d like to save your changes under a different document name).

Give those a try!

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word – Series

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

I am going to begin a series of blog posts describing some very valuable keyboard shortcuts. Rather than using your mouse and the on screen menus (many of which have multiple levels), shortcuts allow you to quickly complete a task by just hitting a combination of two or three keys at the same time. These shortcuts can be convenient time savers, allowing you to keep your fingers on the keyboard, rather than moving back and forth from keyboard to mouse. You may find some of them to be more helpful than others, so I encourage you to give them a test run and use what works for you!

Do you have a favorite Word or Office shortcut that you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments!