Technology Connections ~ Quick Tips and Shortcuts
In Microsoft’s Office programs, there are many shortcuts using key combinations, special keys or specific tools. You probably use some shortcuts already, and learning more will speed your work. You can also reduce the potential for repetitive stress injuries by using your mouse less.
The Ctrl, Alt and Window keys are located in two places on your keyboard. Like the Shift keys, they are used in combination strokes, and they are convenient to either hand when you are typing.
Explore the following groups of shortcuts and learn one or two at a time to gradually increase your efficiency. The shortcut letter usually suggests the word for your task--if it doesn't, a word association may help you remember.
Control Keys | Alternate Keys | Special Keys | Function Keys | Special Tools
Control Keys (Ctrl)—one in each lower corner of the keyboard
Holding down a Control key executes a menu action with the stroke of one additional key--these are the letters you see underlined in the File and Edit menus.
File menu commands:
Ctrl + N = New
Ctrl + O = Open
Ctrl + S = Save
Ctrl + P = Print
Edit menu commands:
Ctrl + X = Cut (X looks like a pair of scissors)
Ctrl + C = Copy
Ctrl + V = Paste (Velcro makes things stick)
Ctrl + A = Select All
Ctrl + F = Find
Ctrl + Z = Undo (Zips back to what it was)
Ctrl + W = Save document (Wrap up your session)
Holding down a Control key with other keys lets you format quickly.
Formatting commands:
Ctrl + B = Bold
Ctrl + I = Italics
Ctrl + U = Underline
Ctrl + 1 = Single line spacing
Ctrl + 2 = Double line spacing
Ctrl + 5 = 1.5 line spacing
Ctrl + Enter = Insert Page Break
Excel commands:
Ctrl + 1 = Display Format Cells dialog box
Ctrl + ; = Enter the date
Ctrl + Shift + : = Enter the time (hour:minutes)
Ctrl + Shift + & = Apply a border (and add a border)
Ctrl + Shift + $ = Turn numbers into dollars
Ctrl + Shift + % = Make numbers a percentage
Other commands:
Ctrl + Esc= Display the Start menu
Ctrl + F = Find
Ctrl + G = Go to
Alternate Keys (Alt)—one on each end of the space bar
Opening Menus:
Press the Alt key plus the underlined letter in a main menu to open it. With the menu open, you can press the underlined letter in the menu item you want to open. Example:
Alt + o - opens the Format menu.
Then type p to open the Paragraph dialog box.
Scrolling between Programs :
Use Alt + Tab to scroll through open windows.
Alternative Keyboard:
In combination with a number, the Alt key produces symbols and foreign language letters and punctuation.
The Num Lock key must be on, and you must use the number key pad. Some examples of symbols:
Alt + 20 = ¶ - paragraph symbol
Alt + 21 = § - section symbol
Alt + 155 = ¢ - cent sign
Alt + 248 = ° - degree symbol
There is more than one system of code numbers--one uses 4-digit numbers, and another uses fewer digits, starting at number 1. In Word, you can use either number system to type letters and punctuation for a foreign language. To find number codes, try this link to WSU: Microsoft's Keyboard for Foreign Languages.
Windows Keys
—one on each side, between Ctrl and Alt keys
Win = display Start menu
Win + D = minimize all open windows and go to desktop; press again
to reopen windows
Win + E = open Windows Explorer
Win + F = open Find window--seaches Windows Explorer for files
Win + L = Locks your screen and requires a password to open it again.
It's a good habit when leaving your station even for a few minutes
Win + R = open Run window--type in Notepad and open it quickly,
or type in any folder or file name to open it quickly
Applications (Menu) Key—this is a single key, next to the right-side Windows key. It has the image of an arrow pointing in a menu. This is a shortcut to right clicking--it displays a shortcut menu for the current task.
The F1-F11 keys across the top of your keyboard all have uses, either singly or in combination. Look up function key in the Help Index for complete lists. The following shortcuts are quite useful.
F1 - Go to Help—this works in any program
F3 + Shift—a quick way to toggle the through case for a word--all caps, first letter capitalized, or no caps
F4 - Repeat the last action--a great tool to use when you want to apply a single action repeatedly, at several points in your document. To quickly repeat a combination of actions, see Format Painter, below
F7 - Check spelling
F11 - Go to full screen, or tap again to close full screen
Format Painter—This is a power tool that copies several formatting features to a new area of your document with one sweep of your cursor. For example, if you have a section with a desired font type and size, that is bold and in a certain color, you can copy all of these formatting features and paste them to another portion of text in your document.
First select the text you wish to copy and then click on the broad brush icon.
The next item you select will take on all of the formatting features that you copied. If you want to apply these features to several places in your document, simply double click the Format Painter icon. This is like touching the "on" switch, which allows you to paint the same set of formatting features to selected areas, one after another, until you click the icon again to turn it "off."
Note that Format Painter doesn't copy specific text. Use the Clipboard for that.
Clipboard—This is also a power tool. It makes exact copies of formatted text. It can copy and then paste up to 12 different items either all in one sequence, or one after another, in any order you choose. Generally, if you copy two or more different items in sequence, the clipboard will appear.
To paste, you simply click a text icon on the clipboard to copy it at your cursor point. If you forget what's in your text, the first few words appear when you rest your cursor on the text icon. You can use the clipboard to copy several parts of one document to another document.
Auto Correct—This is the function that automatically corrects certain misspellings as you type. It also automatically turns certain key combinations into symbols. For instance:
If you type these combinations, the symbol automatically appears:
(c) = ©
(r) = ®
:) = a smiley face
You can find the list of AutoCorrect combinations in the Tools menu.
