Keyboard Shortcuts Every Typist Should Know (Windows and Mac)
Keyboard shortcuts let you edit text without moving your hands away from the keys. Each shortcut saves only a second or two, but a day of writing, email and spreadsheets can contain hundreds of them. Learning the ones below in a few weeks removes a lot of hand movement to the mouse and trackpad.
Text editing shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Select all | Ctrl + A | Cmd + A |
| Copy / Cut / Paste | Ctrl + C / X / V | Cmd + C / X / V |
| Undo / Redo | Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y | Cmd + Z / Cmd + Shift + Z |
| Paste without formatting | Ctrl + Shift + V | Cmd + Shift + Option + V |
| Bold / Italic / Underline | Ctrl + B / I / U | Cmd + B / I / U |
| Find | Ctrl + F | Cmd + F |
| Find and replace | Ctrl + H | Cmd + Option + F (most editors) |
Moving the cursor by word and line
Moving one character at a time with the arrow keys is slow. Use these instead:
- Windows: Ctrl + Left or Right moves one word. Ctrl + Backspace deletes the previous word.
- Mac: Option + Left or Right moves one word. Option + Delete deletes the previous word.
- Start and end of a line: Home and End on Windows. Cmd + Left and Cmd + Right on Mac.
- Start and end of a document: Ctrl + Home and Ctrl + End on Windows. Cmd + Up and Cmd + Down on Mac.
Add Shift to any of these to select text while you move. Selecting a whole sentence with Ctrl + Shift + Right and then deleting it is faster than any mouse drag.
Windows and app switching
- Switch windows: Alt + Tab on Windows, Cmd + Tab on Mac.
- Close the current window or tab: Ctrl + W or Ctrl + F4 on Windows, Cmd + W on Mac.
- Reopen the last closed tab: Ctrl + Shift + T on Windows and Chrome, Cmd + Shift + T on Mac.
- Jump to the address bar: Ctrl + L on Windows, Cmd + L on Mac.
How to learn shortcuts without slowing down
Trying to memorize a list of 50 shortcuts in one day rarely works. A better method is to pick one new shortcut each week and use it on purpose for the whole week. When you reach for the mouse to do a task, pause for a second and ask whether a shortcut exists. Print a single cheat sheet and keep it next to the keyboard for the first month.
Shortcuts and typing speed
Shortcuts and touch typing support each other. Touch typing keeps your hands on the home row, and shortcuts keep them on the keyboard instead of the mouse. Together they remove the two biggest sources of lost time while you write. If you are still learning to type without looking at the keys, start with our touch typing guide, then use the free typing tutor to practice.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a shortcut work in one app but not another?
Operating systems share the basic shortcuts such as copy and paste. Each app adds its own shortcuts on top, and they can conflict. Check the Help menu of the app, which lists its shortcuts.
Can I change keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Windows and macOS both let you remap keys in system settings, and many apps have their own shortcut settings. Change only a few at a time so you do not forget the defaults you still need.