50 Must-Know Keyboard Shortcuts in Word and Excel

Keyboard shortcuts can save a lot of time in both Word and Excel. Microsoft’s official shortcut guides for Word and Excel say shortcuts help users work more efficiently and can also be a useful alternative to using a mouse.

The most useful shortcuts are usually the ones you repeat every day: saving, copying, pasting, undoing, formatting, opening ribbon tabs, and moving through documents or worksheets faster. Microsoft maintains separate shortcut references for Word and Excel, and both include long lists, but a smaller core set delivers the biggest daily productivity boost.

25 must-know Word shortcuts

Microsoft’s Word shortcut guide lists these among the most practical and frequently used commands.

Ctrl + O = open a document
Ctrl + N = create a new document
Ctrl + S = save the document
Ctrl + W = close the document
Ctrl + X = cut selected content
Ctrl + C = copy selected content
Ctrl + V = paste content
Ctrl + Shift + V = paste text only
Ctrl + A = select all document content
Ctrl + B = bold text
Ctrl + I = italic text
Ctrl + U = underline text
Ctrl + [ = decrease font size by 1 point
Ctrl + ] = increase font size by 1 point
Ctrl + E = center text
Ctrl + L = align text left
Ctrl + R = align text right
Esc = cancel a command
Ctrl + Z = undo the previous action
Ctrl + Y = redo the previous action
Ctrl + Plus (+) = zoom in
Ctrl + Minus (-) = zoom out
Ctrl + 0 = return to 100% zoom
Alt + H = open the Home tab
Alt + R = open the Review tab

25 must-know Excel shortcuts

Microsoft’s Excel shortcut guide includes these as some of the most useful everyday commands and ribbon access keys.

Ctrl + O = open a workbook
Ctrl + S = save a workbook
Ctrl + W = close a workbook
Ctrl + C = copy selection
Ctrl + X = cut selection
Ctrl + V = paste selection
Ctrl + Z = undo recent action
Delete = remove cell contents
Ctrl + B = bold formatting
Alt + H = open the Home tab
Alt + N = open the Insert tab
Alt + P = open the Page Layout tab
Alt + A = open the Data tab
Alt + M = open the Formulas tab
Alt + R = open the Review tab
Alt + W = open the View tab
Alt + F = open the File menu
Alt + Q = move to Search
Alt + H, H = choose a fill color
Alt + H, B = add borders
Alt + H, A, C = center align cell contents
Alt + H, D, C = delete a column
Ctrl + 9 = hide selected rows
Ctrl + 0 = hide selected columns
Shift + F10 = open the context menu

The most useful ones to learn first

If you do not want to memorize 50 at once, start with the shortcuts that work for everyday editing and formatting.

For Word, the best first shortcuts are usually Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Z, Ctrl + B, Ctrl + I, Ctrl + A, and Alt + H because Microsoft lists them among the most frequently used commands and ribbon access keys.

For Excel, the best first shortcuts are usually Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Z, Delete, Ctrl + B, Alt + H, Alt + A, and Alt + M because they cover saving, editing, formatting, and quick access to the tabs people use most often.

FAQ

What are the most important Word shortcuts?

Microsoft’s Word shortcut guide includes Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Z, Ctrl + B, Ctrl + I, and Ctrl + A among the most frequently used shortcuts.

What are the most important Excel shortcuts?

Microsoft’s Excel shortcut guide highlights shortcuts such as Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Z, Delete, Alt + H, Alt + A, and Alt + M as practical daily commands and ribbon access keys.

Are Word and Excel shortcuts the same?

Some are the same, especially basics like Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, and Ctrl + Z, but others are app-specific because Word and Excel organize tools differently. Microsoft maintains separate shortcut references for each app.

Where can I learn more shortcuts in Word and Excel?

Microsoft provides full official shortcut references for both Word and Excel, including frequently used shortcuts, ribbon access keys, navigation shortcuts, and many more advanced commands.

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