Shortcut list for Google Docs on your computer (Part 1)

Google Docs does not have as many functions as Microsoft Office but only provides some essential features to help you draft an effective document. Using keyboard shortcuts makes it easy to understand how to use Google Docs.

Google Docs is an application that includes text data processing tools built on Google's web 2.0 and cloud computing platform. However, Google Docs does not have as many features as Microsoft Office but only provides some essential features to help you draft an effective document. In the article below, Network Administrator introduces you to some common shortcuts for Google Docs on your computer. Using keyboard shortcuts makes it easy to understand how to use Google Docs.

To use Google Docs you must have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, refer to the steps here.

Shortcut list for Google Docs on your computer (Part 1) Picture 1Shortcut list for Google Docs on your computer (Part 1) Picture 1

1. Shortcuts for general operations

Copy: Ctrl + C

Cut: Ctrl + X

Paste: Ctrl + V

Return (Undo): Ctrl + Z

Redo (Redo): Ctrl + Shift + Z

Insert or edit link: Ctrl + K

Open the link: Alt + Enter

Display keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl + /

Save: Ctrl + S

Print: Ctrl + P

Open: Ctrl + O

Find: Ctrl + F

Find and replace: Ctrl + H

Search again: Ctrl + G

Find backwards: Ctrl + Shift + G

Hide Menu: Ctrl + Shift + F

Page break: Ctrl + Enter

Search Menu: Alt + / n or Alt + Shift + Z.

Search Menu on Google Chrome browser: Alt + Z

See also: Sync data on computers and Google Docs accounts with SyncDocs

2. Shortcuts to format text

Bold: Ctrl + B

Italic: Ctrl + I

Underline: Ctrl + U

Dash: Alt + Shift + 5

Index on: Ctrl +.

Indicator below: Ctrl +,

Copy format: Ctrl + Alt + C

Paste format: Ctrl + Alt + V

Delete format: Ctrl + or Ctrl + Space

Increase font size: Ctrl + Shift +>

Reduce font size: Ctrl + Shift + <

3. Shortcuts use text paragraph formatting

Increase indentation: Ctrl +]

Reduce indentation: Ctrl + [

Delete the format, to format it back to default mode: Ctrl + Alt + 0

Create formatting for headings, create Headding (create automatic table of contents): Ctrl + Alt + [1-6]

Align left: Ctrl + Shift + L

Align center: Ctrl + Shift + E

Right alignment: Ctrl + Shift + R

Align 2 sides: Ctrl + Shift + J

Numbering: Ctrl + Shift + 7

Create bullets: Ctrl + Shift + 8

Move the paragraph up / down: Alt + Shift + up / down arrows

4. Shortcut for editing images or drawings

Change larger size: Ctrl + Alt + K

Change the larger horizontal size: Ctrl + Alt + B

Change larger vertical size: Ctrl + Alt + I

Resize smaller: Ctrl + Alt + J

Resize smaller horizontal dimensions: Ctrl + Alt + W

Change the smaller vertical size: Ctrl + Alt + Q

Move up / down / left / right: 4 arrow keys

Shift up 1 pixel: Shift + arrow key

Rotate clockwise 15 °: Alt + right arrow

Rotate counterclockwise 15 ° Alt + left arrow

Rotate counterclockwise 1 °: Alt + Shift + left arrow

Rotate clockwise 1 °: Alt + Shift + right arrow

Close the drawing editor: Shift + Esc

5. Shortcuts to edit comments and comments

Insert comment: Ctrl + Alt + M

Open discussion topic: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + A

Enter the current comment: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press E then press C

Switch to the next comment: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N then press C

Go back to the previous comment: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P then press C

Insert caption: Ctrl + Alt + F

Enter the current caption: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press E then press F

Switch to the next comment: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N then press F

Back to the previous comment:  Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P then press F

6. Shortcut to open Menu

Context menu (right click): Ctrl + Shift + X or Ctrl + Shift +

Open File Menu:

  1. On Chrome browser: Alt + F
  1. Other browser: Alt + Shift + F

Edit Menu:

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + E
  2. Other browser: Alt + Shift + E

Open the View Menu:

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + V
  2. On another browser: Alt + Shift + V

Open Insert Menu: 

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + I
  1. Other browser: Alt + Shift + I

Open Menu Format:

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + O
  2. Other browser: Alt + Shift + O

Open the Tools Menu:

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + T
  1. Other browser: Alt + Shift + T

Open Table Menu:

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + B
  1. Other browser: Alt + Shift + B

Open Help Menu:

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + H
  1. Other browser: Alt + Shift + H

Open the Accessibility Menu:

  1. On Google Chrome browser: Alt + A
  2. Other browser: Alt + Shift + A

Menu Input Tools: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + K

Adjust Input Menu Toggle: Ctrl + Shift + K

Show browser context menu: Shift + right mouse button

7. Shortcut marks text

Select all text: Ctrl + A

Select a character to the left / right: Shift + left / right arrow

Select up / down one line: Shift + up / down arrow

Select to the end of a character to the left / right: Ctrl + Shift + left / right arrow

Highlight the entire character area from the cursor to the beginning of the line containing the cursor: Shift + Home

Highlight the entire character area from the cursor to the end of the line: Shift + End

Choose from the current position to the beginning of the text: Ctrl + Shift + Home

Choose from the current position to the end of the text: Ctrl + Shift + End

Select the current list item: hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press E then press I

Select all items in the current list: hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press E and then press O

8. Highlight text with mouse

Highlight a word: double click

Highlight several words at a time: double-click then hold and drag the mouse

Highlight text: click 3 times

Highlight a piece of text: click your mouse 3 times then hold and drag the mouse

9. Shortcuts to support reading Text on the screen

Activate text reading mode on the screen: Alt + Shift + ~ or Ctrl + Alt + Z

Read the selected text: Ctrl + Alt + X

Read the text from the cursor position : Ctrl + Alt + R

Notice the current position of the cursor: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press A and then press L

Notice the text format at the cursor position: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press A and press S

Read the header of the column and row in the table: hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press H

Read the position of the table cell: hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press N

Read the header of the line in the table: hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press R

Read the header of the column in the table: press Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press C

10. Navigation shortcuts

The two shortcut groups below will help you move, edit text documents or tables quickly:

  1. Scroll to the next item or return to the previous item to use:Ctrl + Alt + N or Ctrl + Alt + Pand another key.
  1. Move quickly around a table:Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Tand another key.

Shortcuts move around the document:

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press H : Move to the next heading

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press H : Move to the previous heading

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press [1-6]: Move to heading [1-6]

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press [1-6]: Move to heading [1-6]

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press G: Move to the next media (photo or drawing)

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press G: Move to the previous media (photo or drawing)

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press O: Scroll to the next list

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press O : Move to the previous list

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press I: Move to the next item in the current list

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press I: Move to the previous item in the current list

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press L : Move to the next link

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press L: Move to the previous link

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press B: Move to the next bookmark

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press B: Move to the previous bookmark

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N and press W: Move to change to the next format

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press W : Move to change the previous format

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press N then R or press Ctrl + Alt + K: Move to the next editor

Hold down Ctrl + Alt, press P and press R or hold down Ctrl + Alt + J : Move to the previous editor

Shortcuts move in the table:

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and press S : Move to the top of the table

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and press D : Move to the end of the table

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press N and press T : Move to the next table

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press P and press T: Move to the previous table

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press I: Move to the first column

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press K : Move to the last column

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and press B: Move to the next column

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and press V: Move to the previous column

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and press J: Move to the first row

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press L: Move to the last row

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and press M : Move to the next row

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and press G : Move to the previous row

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift, press T and then press E: Exit the table

11. Shortcuts used in toolbars and other navigation shortcuts

Open history: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + G

Open the search toolbar: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I

Determine the number of words selected on the toolbar: Ctrl + Shift + Y

Count words: Ctrl + Shift + C

Start voice input (available on Chrome browser): Ctrl + Shift + S

Page up: Page Up

Page down: Page Down

Move to the next spelling error : Ctrl + '

Move to the previous spelling error: Ctrl +;

Insert or delete header: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press O and press H

Insert or delete footer: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press O and press F

Move the cursor over the popup: hold down Ctrl + Alt, press E and press P

Chat: Shift + Esc

Move up on the application: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + M

The cursor position contains the web page: Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Return to the cursor position: Esc

Explore more:

  1. Prepare voice text on Google Docs

  2. 21 tips for Google Docs product suite

The next section, Network Administrator, will introduce you to the shortcut list for Google Docs on Mac.

Good luck!

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