Productivity Reference

Keyboard Shortcuts

A keyboard shortcut is a combination of keys that performs a specific action. The shortcuts typically involve one or more modifier keys such as Ctrl, Alt, or Command combined with another key usually a letter, number, or punctuation symbol. By using keyboard shortcuts, you can bypass navigating through menus and dialog boxes in software applications. Tasks that would normally require multiple clicks with a mouse can be accomplished swiftly using shortcuts, and you will be less relying on mouse movements. Professionals who use keyboard shortcuts efficiently perform repetitive actions more quickly. Most software allows customization of keyboard shortcuts. Users can assign their preferred shortcuts for specific functions. Additionally, each application often has its own unique set of shortcuts. We have crafted shortcuts for most commonly used applications across multiple platforms.

Practical Notes

Shortcut Learning Strategy

Keyboard shortcuts are easiest to adopt when you focus on repeated actions instead of trying to memorize an entire application at once.

Start with frequent tasks

Learn the commands you use every hour: search, save, switch tabs, copy, paste, undo, and open command menus.

Mind the platform

The same action may use Ctrl on Windows or Linux and Command on macOS.

Practice in context

Shortcuts stick faster when you use them during real work instead of reading a list once.

Shortcut	Application	Action
Press Ctrlandclick a link	Google Docs	Open the link in a new tab in the background
Press Shiftandclick a link	Google Docs	Open the link in a new window
Drag the link to the tabs address bar	Google Docs	Open the link in the tab
`Shift`+`Alt`+`S`	Google Docs	Open the status area (where the time appears)
Type a web address (URL) in the address barthenthen press Alt+`Enter`	Google Docs	Open the webpage in a new tab
Press & hold Shift+`Alt`thentap Tab until you get to the window you want to openthenthen release.	Google Docs	Open the window you used least recently
`Alt`+`↓`	Google Docs	Page down
`Alt`+`↑`	Google Docs	Page up
`Ctrl`+`V`	Google Docs	Paste content from the clipboard
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`V`	Google Docs	Paste content from the clipboard as plain text
`Enter`	Google Docs	Paste content when clipboard menu is open
`Ctrl`+`K`or`Ctrl`+`E`	Google Docs	Perform a Google search
Select the filethenthen press Space	Google Docs	Preview a file in the Files app
`Ctrl`+`P`	Google Docs	Print current file
`Ctrl`+`P`	Google Docs	Print your current page
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`Z`	Google Docs	Redo your last action
`Ctrl`+`R`	Google Docs	Reload your current page
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`R`	Google Docs	Reload your current page without using cached content
`Shift`+`Alt`+`L`thenthen Esc	Google Docs	Remove the highlight from a button on your shelf
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`T`	Google Docs	Reopen the last tab or window you closed
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`0`	Google Docs	Reset screen resolution to default
`Ctrl`+`0`	Google Docs	Reset zoom level
`Ctrl`+`O`	Google Docs	Reset zoom scale
While dragging the tabthenpress Esc	Google Docs	Return the tab to its original position
Press Altandclick a link	Google Docs	Right-click a link
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`Rotate`	Google Docs	Rotate screen 90 degrees
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`D`	Google Docs	Save all open pages in your current window as bookmarks in a new folder
`Ctrl`+`S`	Google Docs	Save current file
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`s`	Google Docs	Save current file as dialog
Drag link to bookmarks bar	Google Docs	Save the link as a bookmark
`Ctrl`+`S`	Google Docs	Save your current page
`Ctrl`+`D`	Google Docs	Save your current webpage as a bookmark
`Space`	Google Docs	Scroll down the web page
`Ctrl`+`F`	Google Docs	Search the current page
`Shift`+`Alt`+`N`	Google Docs	See your notifications
`Ctrl`+`A`	Google Docs	Select everything on the page
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`←`	Google Docs	Select previous word or letter
Search Key+`Shift`+Arrow Left (or) Launcher Key+`Shift`+`←`	Google Docs	Select text to the beginning of the line
Search Key+`Shift`+Arrow Right (or) LauncherKey+`Shift`+`→`	Google Docs	Select text to the end of the line
`Ctrl`+`L`or`Alt`+`D`	Google Docs	Select the content in the address bar
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`→`	Google Docs	Select the next word or letter
`Alt`+`Space`	Google Docs	Show or hide sidebar
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`B`	Google Docs	Show or hide the bookmarks bar
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`I`	Google Docs	Show or hide the Developer Tools panel
`Alt`+`Shift`+`T`	Google Docs	Show the toolbar
`Esc`	Google Docs	Stop the loading of your current page
`Shift`+`Ctrl`+`Space`	Google Docs	Switch between the keyboard languages you havve set
`Ctrl`+`Back`or`Ctrl`+`Forward`	Google Docs	Switch focus between: Status area, Launcher, Address bar, Bookmarks bar (if visible), The webpage that's open, Downloads bar (if visible)
Press & hold Altthentap Tab until you get to the window you want to openthenthen release. You can also press & hold Altthenthen tap Tabthenand select a window with the leftorright arrow keysthen`mouse`thenor touch.	Google Docs	Switch quickly between windows
`Search`+`[`or] (leftorright square bracket)	Google Docs	Switch to a desk on the left or right

Shortcut Learning Strategy

Start with frequent tasks

Mind the platform

Practice in context

Related References