Productivity Cheat Sheet 9: Word - 2

Evidently the chap who said there are no shortcuts to any place worth going wasn’t a practical sort of fellow. Quite unlike us who dote on the shortest route to success with applications like Word.

Until you have mugged up these shortcuts, remember this: You can use the keyboard to select any menu command on the menu bar by pressing Alt to select the menu bar and then hitting the underlined letter of the required command in the menu item. In the menu that opens, pressing the underlined letter of the requisite command name executes that command. Now, before you check out what quickies are in store for you this week, there’re a few terms you should be familiar with.

Menu bar: The horizontal bar below the title bar that contains the names of the menus.

Toolbar: The bar with the buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. Invoked via Alt and then Shift+F10.

Shortcut menu: The menu that shows a list of commands relevant to a particular item. Invoked via a right-click on an item or pressing Shift+F10.

Submenu: The menu that appears when you select a command on a higher-level (previous) menu.

Task Pane: A window within an Office application that provides commonly used commands. Its location and narrower width size allow you to use it whilst working on your file.

MENUS AND TOOLBARS
Alt or F10: Selects menu bar, or closes an open menu and submenu at the same time
Ctrl + Tab or Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Selects a task pane or toolbar after pressing F10 or Alt to select the menu bar. Pressing the keys repeatedly moves the focus among the open toolbars, menu bars, and task pane
Tab or Shift + Tab: Selects next or previous button or menu after a menu bar or toolbar is selected
Enter: Opens selected menu, or performs the action for the selected button or command
Shift + F10: Displays shortcut menu for the selected item
Alt + Spacebar: Displays the title bar shortcut menu
Down Arrow or Up Arrow: Selects next or previous command when menu or submenu is open
Left Arrow or Right Arrow: Selects menu to left or right. Switches between main menu and submenu when submenu is open
Home or End: Selects first or last command on menu or submenu
Esc: Closes open menu. Close only submenu when submenu is open
Shift + Down Arrow: Opens selected menu
Ctrl + Down Arrow: Displays full set of commands when shortened menu is open
Alt + Ctrl + =: Adds a toolbar button to a menu. Use this shortcut combo and then click a toolbar button to add the button to the appropriate menu. E.g., clicking Bullets button on Formatting toolbar adds Bullets command to Format menu
Alt + Ctrl + -: Removes a command from a menu. Use this shortcut combo and then select a menu command to remove it
Alt + Ctrl + +: Customises shortcut key for a menu command. Use this shortcut combo and then select a menu command; the Customize Keyboard dialog box opens so you can add, change, or remove the shortcut key

TASK PANES
Ctrl + F1: Opens task pane or hides current task pane
F6: Activates currently open task pane window
Ctrl + Tab: Activates task pane window when a menu or toolbar is active (Pressing Ctrl+Tab more than once may be required at times)
Ctrl + Spacebar: Opens task pane menu
Alt + Home: Goes to the Getting Started task pane
Alt + Left Arrow: Reverses sequence of task panes you opened
Alt + Right Arrow: Repeats sequence of task panes you opened
Esc: Closes a menu if one is currently open, or go back to the document
Tab or Shift + Tab: Select the next or previous option in the task pane when a task pane is active
Down Arrow or Up Arrow: Moves among choices in a selected submenu; moves among certain options in a group of options
Spacebar or Enter: Opens selected menu, or performs the action assigned to selected button
Shift + F10: Opens a shortcut menu in a document; open a drop-down menu for the selected gallery item.
Home or End: Selects first or last command on the menu or submenu when a menu or submenu is visible
Page Up or Page Down: Scrolls up or down in selected gallery list
Ctrl + Right Arrow or Ctrl + Left Arrow: Expands or collapses a collapsible item in gallery list
Ctrl + Home or Ctrl + End: Moves to top or bottom of selected gallery list