Tech Blog

The mouse is a great tool for allowing ease of use on your computer. In complex programs like Word however, the keyboard is where additional productivity can be found. These key combinations will mean less menu hunting!

CTRL + A	-	Select all contents of the page
CTRL + B	-	Bold highlighted selection
CTRL + C	-	Copy selected text
CTRL + D	-	Open the font preferences window
CTRL + E	-	Aligns the line or selected text to the centre of the screen
CTRL + F	-	Open find box
CTRL + G	-	Displays the Go To dialog box
CTRL + H	-	Displays the Replace dialog box
CTRL + I	-	Italic highlighted selection
CTRL + J	-	Aligns the selected text or line to justify the screen
CTRL + K	-	Insert link
CTRL + L	-	Aligns the line or selected text to the left of the screen
CTRL + M	-	Indent the paragraph
CTRL + N	-	Creates a new, blank document
CTRL + O	-	Displays the Open dialog box to open or find a file
CTRL + P	-	Open the print window
CTRL + R	-	Aligns the line or selected text to the right of the screen
CTRL + S	-	Save the open document
CTRL + T	-	Create a hanging indent
CTRL + U	-	Underline the selected text
CTRL + V	-	Paste
CTRL + W	-	Closes the selected document window
CTRL + X	-	Cut selected text
CTRL + Y	-	Redo the last action performed
CTRL + Z	-	Undo last action

 

And, if you are a list maker, then  you might find creating bulleted lists with the following key combination a real time saver!

CTRL + Shift + L Quickly create a bullet point.

 

ABC’s of using the Control Key combinations in Microsoft Excel – Happily, many are exactly the same as Word.

CTRL + A	-	Selects the worksheet
CTRL + B	-	Applies or removes bold formatting
CTRL + C	-	Copies the selected cells
CTRL + D	-	Uses the Fill Down command to copy the contents and format of the topmost cell of a selected range into the cells below
CTRL + E	-	Looks at data next to your selection and looks for a pattern to fill in values
CTRL + F	-	Displays the Find and Replace dialog box, with the Find tab selected
CTRL + G	-	Displays the Go To dialog box
CTRL + H	-	Displays the Find and Replace dialog box, with the Replace tab selected
CTRL + I	-	Applies or removes italic formatting
CTRL + K	-	Displays the Insert Hyperlink dialog box for new hyperlinks or the Edit Hyperlink dialog box for selected existing hyperlinks
CTRL + L	-	Displays the Create Table dialog box
CTRL + N	-	Creates a new, blank workbook
CTRL + O	-	Displays the Open dialog box to open or find a file
CTRL + P	-	Displays the Print tab in Microsoft Office Backstage view
CTRL + R	-	Uses the Fill Right command to copy the contents and format of the leftmost cell of a selected range into the cells to the right
CTRL + S	-	Saves the active file with its current file name, location, and file format
CTRL + T	-	Displays the Create Table dialog box
CTRL + U	-	Applies or removes underlining
CTRL + V	-	Inserts the contents of the Clipboard at the insertion point and replaces any selection. Available only after you have cut or copied an object, text, or cell contents
CTRL + W	-	Closes the selected workbook window
CTRL + X	-	Cuts the selected cells
CTRL + Y	-	Repeats the last command or action, if possible
CTRL + Z	-	Uses the Undo command to reverse the last command or to delete the last entry that you typed

There are many, many more keyboard combinations in Word and Excel – if you remember when you were learning to read and write: it all started at the alphabet, so it is with the key-combinations.