David Goldfield's Most-Used Keyboard Shortcuts For Academic Writing, received 2025 12 21
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Colin Howard
Dec 21, 2025, 2:32:32 AM12/21/25
to post AVIP list
Veroniiiica - Friday, December 19, 2025
Greetings,
I am keeping this for future reference as sure there are some useful key
board short cuts here.
As a student with low vision, I often spend more time formatting academic
writing and adjusting page layouts compared to the amount of time I spend
writing or actually getting my ideas on paper. For years, I would click on
icons or search for items listed in menus or on the toolbar using tools like
screen magnification or leaning in close to my screen to look at items
visually, which would often lead to eye strain or accidentally selecting
similar-looking items from menus because I couldn't see them very well. This
took a lot of time and often made me even more frustrated, as I would
question why concepts like APA formatting were so difficult for students
with low vision to implement on their own.
Something that has really transformed my academic writing workflow is
learning keyboard shortcuts for academic writing in Microsoft Word, which
can help with applying formatting and other text styles without requiring
users to search for icons. These academic writing keyboard shortcuts and
hotkeys are also invaluable for people that use keyboard access to write
with a screen reader or braille display. Here are my most-used keyboard
shortcuts for academic writing that I use for formatting papers in APA Style
as a student with low vision. All listed keyboard shortcuts are for
Microsoft Word for Windows.
Hanging indent: Ctrl + T
Hanging indents indent all lines of a paragraph or reference entry except
for the first line, and are used in APA Style for reference entries. To
ensure that hanging indents are set to indent 0.5 inches per APA Style
guidelines, users may need to configure special indentation in Paragraph
settings for the document, which can be accessed by pressing the following
keyboard shortcuts one after the other:
Alt + H
Z + P
P + G
Tab to Special Indentation, Hanging, By
Enter
Once these settings are configured, users can press Ctrl + T to add a
hanging indent to text, or Ctrl + Shift + T to remove a hanging indent.
Other indentation keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Indent entire paragraph (all lines indented equally): Ctrl + M
Remove indent from paragraph (all lines indented equally): Ctrl + Shift + M
Indent first line by 0.5 inches: Tab
Indentation keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Hanging indent: Command + T
Undo hanging indent: Command + Shift + T
Indent entire paragraph (all lines indented equally): Ctrl + Shift + M
Remove indent from paragraph (all lines indented equally): Command + Shift +
M
Indent first line by 0.5 inches: Tab
Related links
Apply double spacing: Ctrl + 2
Double spacing is frequently used in academic writing, and refers to the
amount of space between the individual lines of a page. Outside of keyboard
shortcuts for academic writing, increased spacing between lines can also be
helpful for reading with double vision or line tracking. To apply double
spacing to a paragraph, select any line in the paragraph and use the
keyboard shortcut Ctrl + 2. To apply double spacing to the entire document,
use the Ctrl + A shortcut to select all text, and then use Ctrl + 2.
Other line spacing keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Apply single-line spacing: Ctrl + 1
Apply 1.5-line spacing: Ctrl + 5
Line spacing keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Apply double-line spacing: Command + 2
Apply single-line spacing: Command + 1
Apply 1.5-line spacing: Command + 5
Related links
Web layout: Alt + W, L1 (Alt + W, L+1)
For users that prefer to write with a responsive layout or zoom in on a page
without changing the font size, web layout is useful for displaying Word
documents in large print and fitting text to the width of the screen, with a
maximum zoom level of 500%. To activate Web layout, use the keyboard
shortcut Alt + W, and then press L + 1 together.
For users that do not want to edit their document, another alternative for
reading Word documents in large print is Read Mode. Read mode uses the
keyboard shortcut Alt + W, F (press Alt + W followed by F), which can zoom
in up to 300% and divides text into smaller sections without affecting the
original document. I recommend enabling Column Layout for best results.
I have noticed that switching from Read Mode to Web layout with keyboard
shortcuts is challenging. If I want to switch from Read mode to Web layout,
I have to use the Escape key to exit Read Mode and then use the Alt + W, L1
shortcut to open Web layout again. That said, my zoom/magnification
preferences are saved, so I do not have to manually adjust zoom again.
Other view options keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Print layout view: Ctrl + Alt + P
Outline view: Ctrl + Alt + O
Zoom in: Ctrl + +
Zoom out: Ctrl + -
Return to 100% zoom: Ctrl + 0
View options keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Web layout: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Print layout view: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Outline view: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Zoom in: Command + +
Zoom out: Command + -
Return to 100% zoom: Command + 0
Related links
Paste as plain text: Ctrl + Shift + V
When copying and pasting formatted text from another source, it can be
easier to paste as plain text or keep text only to avoid potential
formatting issues when using keyboard shortcuts for academic writing. Using
Ctrl + Shift + V will paste content from the clipboard as plain text, adding
the text to the current cursor location in the document. To merge formatting
and have the selected text formatted like the other text in the document,
use Ctrl + Shift + V, M (pressing M after the other keyboard shortcut to
merge formatting).
Users can change default paste behaviors in Word options in the Advanced
menu. This can be accessed by pressing the following keyboard shortcuts:
Alt + F
00 (zero twice)
Use arrow keys to select Options
Tab to Advanced
Navigate to cut, copy, paste (I found this by pressing W twice)
Select enter to save changes
Other paste keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word
Paste clipboard: Ctrl + V
Merge document formatting: Ctrl + V, M or Ctrl + Shift + V, M
View paste options in document after pasting selected text: Alt + Shift +
F10
Paste keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Paste clipboard: Command + V
Paste text only: Command + Shift + V
Merge document formatting: Command + V, M or Command + Shift + V, M
View paste options in document after pasting selected text: Command +
Control + V
Related links
Apply Heading 1 or Heading 2 styles: Ctrl + Alt + 1 or Ctrl + Alt + 2
Headings are essential for navigating documents with screen readers and are
a key part of academic writing. Instead of simply applying bold formatting
to body text, use Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 styles to structure
documents and make it easier to navigate between paragraphs. Users can also
update heading styles by using Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S to open the Styles
task pane and modify styles to fit APA, MLA, or other style requirements.
Other headings keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Heading 1: Ctrl + Alt + 1
Heading 2: Ctrl + Alt + 2
Heading 3: Ctrl + Alt + 3
Normal style (body text): Ctrl + Shift + N
Styles task pane: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S, use arrow keys to select Manage
Styles
Headings keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Heading 1: Command + Option + 1
Heading 2: Command + Option + 2
Heading 3: Command + Option + 3
Normal style (body text): Command + Shift + N
Styles task pane: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Related links
Increase (or decrease) font size: Ctrl + Shift + > or Ctrl + Shift + <
To increase the font size in Microsoft Word using keyboard shortcuts, select
an area of text and use Ctrl + Shift + > to increase the font size, or Ctrl
+ Shift + < to decrease the font size. This will set the font size for the
document as the next highest or lowest font size in the font drop-down
listing; for example, using Ctrl + Shift + > at a font size of 12 will
increase the font size to 14, while using Ctrl + Shift + < will decrease the
font size to 11.
Other font size keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Increase the font size by 1 point: Ctrl + ] (right bracket)
Decrease the font size by 1 point: Ctrl + [ (left bracket)
Font size keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Increase font size: Command + Shift + >
Decrease font size: Command + Shift + <
Increase the font size by 1 point: Command + ] (right bracket)
Decrease the font size by 1 point: Command + [ (left bracket)
Related links
Find and replace: Ctrl + H
I often will insert placeholder text for parenthetical citations or
statistics that I want to reference in my paper, and use find and replace to
insert formatted citations or text in multiple locations. This is also
helpful when it comes to checking errors or spelling mistakes, especially if
I notice that I am making the same error frequently in my paper (e.g.
misspelled citation, wrong acronym) as I can replace everything
simultaneously.
Other navigation keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Find in document: Ctrl + F
Alternative for find and replace: Alt + H, Z + N, R
Find and replace keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Find and replace: Control + H
Find in document: Command + F
Related links
Insert a comment: Ctrl + Alt + M
Instead of using track changes (which can be more challenging for me to
read), I prefer to have professors or peers use the commenting tool with
Microsoft Word to make notes about suggested changes or let me know what I
need to fix. This also makes it easier for me to review other people's
papers when reading in Web layout with large print.
To show a list of comments in a document, activate the keyboard shortcut by
pressing the following keys one after the other:
Alt
R
P
1
L
Other comment and proofreading keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word
Open all comments: Alt + R, Z + C, P + 1, L (list view)
Open all comments: Alt + R, Z + C, P + 1, C (contextual view, comments are
next to corresponding locations)
Turn change tracking on or off: Ctrl + Shift + E
Close the reviewing pane: Alt + Shift + C
Commenting and proofreading keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Insert comment: Command + Option + A
Open reviewing pane: Alt + Shift + E
Go to first comment in list: Open reviewing pane (Alt + Shift + E), then
Command + Home
Move to beginning of comment: Home
Turn change tracking on or off: Command + Shift + E
Close the reviewing pane: Alt + Shift + C
Related links
Extend the selection: F8
Need to select more than a single word? Start extending the selection of
text by pressing the function F8 key. Press the function F8 key repeatedly
to expand the selection to the entire word, sentence, paragraph, section, or
document, selecting the Escape key when finished. F8 can also be used with
the mouse to place the cursor at the desired start or end location for
selected text; place the cursor in the desired location and then select the
Escape key.
Other extend selection keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Select the nearest character to the left or right: F8, Left or Right arrow
key
Reduce the selection: Shift + F8
Select a vertical block of text: Ctrl + Shift + F8, use arrow keys
Extend selection keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Some Word for Mac keyboard shortcuts conflict with default macOS keyboard
shortcuts, including F8 for extending the selection of text. To use F8,
users will need to change their Mac keyboard settings to change the shortcut
for the key. Refer to Mac Help documents for your version of MacOS.
Once the shortcut conflicts are resolved, the following extend selection
keyboard shortcuts are available in Microsoft Word for Mac:
Start extending the selection: F8
Expand the selection: F8 repeatedly to expand the selection to the entire
word, sentence, paragraph, section, or document.
Select the nearest character to the left or right: F8, Left or Right arrow
key
Reduce the selection: Shift + F8
Select a vertical block of text: Ctrl + Shift + F8, use arrow keys
Stop extending the selection: Esc
Related links
Select more than one word: multiple shortcuts
There are several ways to select text in Microsoft Word without a mouse
using keyboard shortcuts for academic writing or other tasks. The exact
keyboard shortcuts will vary depending on the location of the text being
selected and how much text the user would like to select. To select text in
Microsoft Word using keyboard shortcuts, use one of the following options:
Select text: Shift + Arrow keys
Select the word to the left: Ctrl + Shift + Left arrow key
Select the word to the right: Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow key
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current line: Shift
+ Home
Select from the current position to the end of the current line: Shift + End
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current paragraph:
Ctrl + Shift + Up arrow key
Select from the current position to the end of the current paragraph: Ctrl +
Shift + Down arrow key
Select from the current position to the top of the screen: Shift + Page up
Select from the current position to the bottom of the screen: Shift + Page
down
Select from the current position to the beginning of the document: Ctrl +
Shift + Home
Select from the current position to the end of the document: Ctrl + Shift
+End
Select from the current position to the bottom of the window: Ctrl + Alt +
Shift + Page down
Select all document content: Ctrl + A
Select text with keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Select text: Shift + Arrow keys
Select the word to the left: Shift + Option + Left arrow key
Select the word to the right: Shift + Option + Right arrow key
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current line: Shift
+ Home or Command + Shift + Left arrow key
Select from the current position to the end of the current line: Shift + End
or Command + Shift + Right arrow key
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current paragraph:
Command + Shift + Up arrow key
Select from the current position to the end of the current paragraph:
Command + Shift + Down arrow key
Select from the current position to the top of the screen: Shift + Page up
Select from the current position to the bottom of the screen: Shift + Page
down
Select from the current position to the beginning of the document: Command +
Shift + Home
Select from the current position to the end of the document: Command + Shift
+End
Select from the current position to the bottom of the window: Command +
Shift + Option + Page down
Select all document content: Command + A
Display nonprinting characters or reveal formatting: Ctrl + Shift + 8 or
Shift + F1
Did I accidentally italicize a comma? What are the formatting
characteristics of selected text in the document? Ctrl + Shift + 8 displays
nonprinting characters so users can inspect details such as how many spaces
are between words, what types of formatting have been applied to selected
text, or where paragraphs are located in a document. Shift + F1 opens the
Reveal Formatting task pane and can be used to examine formatting for
selected text or make updates to styles.
Other formatting keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Switch selected text to all caps: Shift + F3
Switch selected text to all lowercase: Shift + F3 + F3 (press F3 twice)
Switch selected text to title case (sentences are capitalized): Shift + F3 +
F3 + F3 (press F3 three times)
Formatting keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
View formatting characters or nonprinting characters: No keyboard shortcut
listed or assigned by default
Reveal formatting: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Switch selected text to all caps: Shift + F3
Switch selected text to all lowercase: Shift + F3 + F3 (press F3 twice)
Switch selected text to title case (sentences are capitalized): Shift + F3 +
F3 + F3 (press F3 three times)
More resources on keyboard shortcuts for academic writing with low vision
Time saving keyboard shortcuts for academic writing and formatting papers in
APA Style with Microsoft Word, a vital skill for students with visual
impairments!
Published December 17, 2025. Updated December 2025
https://veroniiiica.com/keyboard-shortcuts-for-academic-writing/
David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
http://www.DavidGoldfield.com
Director of Marketing,
Blazie Technologies
http://www.BlazieTech.com
JAWS Certified, 2022
NVDA Certified Expert
Subscribe to the Tech-VI announcement list to receive blindness technology
news, events and information.
Email: tech-vi+...@groups.io
http://www.DavidGoldfield.com
Colin Howard, living in Southern England, hopes you and your family,
acquaintances and friends may be able to enjoy a pleasant Festive holiday
followed by a peaceful 2026.
Greetings,
I am keeping this for future reference as sure there are some useful key
board short cuts here.
As a student with low vision, I often spend more time formatting academic
writing and adjusting page layouts compared to the amount of time I spend
writing or actually getting my ideas on paper. For years, I would click on
icons or search for items listed in menus or on the toolbar using tools like
screen magnification or leaning in close to my screen to look at items
visually, which would often lead to eye strain or accidentally selecting
similar-looking items from menus because I couldn't see them very well. This
took a lot of time and often made me even more frustrated, as I would
question why concepts like APA formatting were so difficult for students
with low vision to implement on their own.
Something that has really transformed my academic writing workflow is
learning keyboard shortcuts for academic writing in Microsoft Word, which
can help with applying formatting and other text styles without requiring
users to search for icons. These academic writing keyboard shortcuts and
hotkeys are also invaluable for people that use keyboard access to write
with a screen reader or braille display. Here are my most-used keyboard
shortcuts for academic writing that I use for formatting papers in APA Style
as a student with low vision. All listed keyboard shortcuts are for
Microsoft Word for Windows.
Hanging indent: Ctrl + T
Hanging indents indent all lines of a paragraph or reference entry except
for the first line, and are used in APA Style for reference entries. To
ensure that hanging indents are set to indent 0.5 inches per APA Style
guidelines, users may need to configure special indentation in Paragraph
settings for the document, which can be accessed by pressing the following
keyboard shortcuts one after the other:
Alt + H
Z + P
P + G
Tab to Special Indentation, Hanging, By
Enter
Once these settings are configured, users can press Ctrl + T to add a
hanging indent to text, or Ctrl + Shift + T to remove a hanging indent.
Other indentation keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Indent entire paragraph (all lines indented equally): Ctrl + M
Remove indent from paragraph (all lines indented equally): Ctrl + Shift + M
Indent first line by 0.5 inches: Tab
Indentation keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Hanging indent: Command + T
Undo hanging indent: Command + Shift + T
Indent entire paragraph (all lines indented equally): Ctrl + Shift + M
Remove indent from paragraph (all lines indented equally): Command + Shift +
M
Indent first line by 0.5 inches: Tab
Related links
Apply double spacing: Ctrl + 2
Double spacing is frequently used in academic writing, and refers to the
amount of space between the individual lines of a page. Outside of keyboard
shortcuts for academic writing, increased spacing between lines can also be
helpful for reading with double vision or line tracking. To apply double
spacing to a paragraph, select any line in the paragraph and use the
keyboard shortcut Ctrl + 2. To apply double spacing to the entire document,
use the Ctrl + A shortcut to select all text, and then use Ctrl + 2.
Other line spacing keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Apply single-line spacing: Ctrl + 1
Apply 1.5-line spacing: Ctrl + 5
Line spacing keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Apply double-line spacing: Command + 2
Apply single-line spacing: Command + 1
Apply 1.5-line spacing: Command + 5
Related links
Web layout: Alt + W, L1 (Alt + W, L+1)
For users that prefer to write with a responsive layout or zoom in on a page
without changing the font size, web layout is useful for displaying Word
documents in large print and fitting text to the width of the screen, with a
maximum zoom level of 500%. To activate Web layout, use the keyboard
shortcut Alt + W, and then press L + 1 together.
For users that do not want to edit their document, another alternative for
reading Word documents in large print is Read Mode. Read mode uses the
keyboard shortcut Alt + W, F (press Alt + W followed by F), which can zoom
in up to 300% and divides text into smaller sections without affecting the
original document. I recommend enabling Column Layout for best results.
I have noticed that switching from Read Mode to Web layout with keyboard
shortcuts is challenging. If I want to switch from Read mode to Web layout,
I have to use the Escape key to exit Read Mode and then use the Alt + W, L1
shortcut to open Web layout again. That said, my zoom/magnification
preferences are saved, so I do not have to manually adjust zoom again.
Other view options keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Print layout view: Ctrl + Alt + P
Outline view: Ctrl + Alt + O
Zoom in: Ctrl + +
Zoom out: Ctrl + -
Return to 100% zoom: Ctrl + 0
View options keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Web layout: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Print layout view: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Outline view: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Zoom in: Command + +
Zoom out: Command + -
Return to 100% zoom: Command + 0
Related links
Paste as plain text: Ctrl + Shift + V
When copying and pasting formatted text from another source, it can be
easier to paste as plain text or keep text only to avoid potential
formatting issues when using keyboard shortcuts for academic writing. Using
Ctrl + Shift + V will paste content from the clipboard as plain text, adding
the text to the current cursor location in the document. To merge formatting
and have the selected text formatted like the other text in the document,
use Ctrl + Shift + V, M (pressing M after the other keyboard shortcut to
merge formatting).
Users can change default paste behaviors in Word options in the Advanced
menu. This can be accessed by pressing the following keyboard shortcuts:
Alt + F
00 (zero twice)
Use arrow keys to select Options
Tab to Advanced
Navigate to cut, copy, paste (I found this by pressing W twice)
Select enter to save changes
Other paste keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word
Paste clipboard: Ctrl + V
Merge document formatting: Ctrl + V, M or Ctrl + Shift + V, M
View paste options in document after pasting selected text: Alt + Shift +
F10
Paste keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Paste clipboard: Command + V
Paste text only: Command + Shift + V
Merge document formatting: Command + V, M or Command + Shift + V, M
View paste options in document after pasting selected text: Command +
Control + V
Related links
Apply Heading 1 or Heading 2 styles: Ctrl + Alt + 1 or Ctrl + Alt + 2
Headings are essential for navigating documents with screen readers and are
a key part of academic writing. Instead of simply applying bold formatting
to body text, use Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 styles to structure
documents and make it easier to navigate between paragraphs. Users can also
update heading styles by using Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S to open the Styles
task pane and modify styles to fit APA, MLA, or other style requirements.
Other headings keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Heading 1: Ctrl + Alt + 1
Heading 2: Ctrl + Alt + 2
Heading 3: Ctrl + Alt + 3
Normal style (body text): Ctrl + Shift + N
Styles task pane: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S, use arrow keys to select Manage
Styles
Headings keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Heading 1: Command + Option + 1
Heading 2: Command + Option + 2
Heading 3: Command + Option + 3
Normal style (body text): Command + Shift + N
Styles task pane: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Related links
Increase (or decrease) font size: Ctrl + Shift + > or Ctrl + Shift + <
To increase the font size in Microsoft Word using keyboard shortcuts, select
an area of text and use Ctrl + Shift + > to increase the font size, or Ctrl
+ Shift + < to decrease the font size. This will set the font size for the
document as the next highest or lowest font size in the font drop-down
listing; for example, using Ctrl + Shift + > at a font size of 12 will
increase the font size to 14, while using Ctrl + Shift + < will decrease the
font size to 11.
Other font size keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Increase the font size by 1 point: Ctrl + ] (right bracket)
Decrease the font size by 1 point: Ctrl + [ (left bracket)
Font size keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Increase font size: Command + Shift + >
Decrease font size: Command + Shift + <
Increase the font size by 1 point: Command + ] (right bracket)
Decrease the font size by 1 point: Command + [ (left bracket)
Related links
Find and replace: Ctrl + H
I often will insert placeholder text for parenthetical citations or
statistics that I want to reference in my paper, and use find and replace to
insert formatted citations or text in multiple locations. This is also
helpful when it comes to checking errors or spelling mistakes, especially if
I notice that I am making the same error frequently in my paper (e.g.
misspelled citation, wrong acronym) as I can replace everything
simultaneously.
Other navigation keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Find in document: Ctrl + F
Alternative for find and replace: Alt + H, Z + N, R
Find and replace keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Find and replace: Control + H
Find in document: Command + F
Related links
Insert a comment: Ctrl + Alt + M
Instead of using track changes (which can be more challenging for me to
read), I prefer to have professors or peers use the commenting tool with
Microsoft Word to make notes about suggested changes or let me know what I
need to fix. This also makes it easier for me to review other people's
papers when reading in Web layout with large print.
To show a list of comments in a document, activate the keyboard shortcut by
pressing the following keys one after the other:
Alt
R
P
1
L
Other comment and proofreading keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word
Open all comments: Alt + R, Z + C, P + 1, L (list view)
Open all comments: Alt + R, Z + C, P + 1, C (contextual view, comments are
next to corresponding locations)
Turn change tracking on or off: Ctrl + Shift + E
Close the reviewing pane: Alt + Shift + C
Commenting and proofreading keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Insert comment: Command + Option + A
Open reviewing pane: Alt + Shift + E
Go to first comment in list: Open reviewing pane (Alt + Shift + E), then
Command + Home
Move to beginning of comment: Home
Turn change tracking on or off: Command + Shift + E
Close the reviewing pane: Alt + Shift + C
Related links
Extend the selection: F8
Need to select more than a single word? Start extending the selection of
text by pressing the function F8 key. Press the function F8 key repeatedly
to expand the selection to the entire word, sentence, paragraph, section, or
document, selecting the Escape key when finished. F8 can also be used with
the mouse to place the cursor at the desired start or end location for
selected text; place the cursor in the desired location and then select the
Escape key.
Other extend selection keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Select the nearest character to the left or right: F8, Left or Right arrow
key
Reduce the selection: Shift + F8
Select a vertical block of text: Ctrl + Shift + F8, use arrow keys
Extend selection keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Some Word for Mac keyboard shortcuts conflict with default macOS keyboard
shortcuts, including F8 for extending the selection of text. To use F8,
users will need to change their Mac keyboard settings to change the shortcut
for the key. Refer to Mac Help documents for your version of MacOS.
Once the shortcut conflicts are resolved, the following extend selection
keyboard shortcuts are available in Microsoft Word for Mac:
Start extending the selection: F8
Expand the selection: F8 repeatedly to expand the selection to the entire
word, sentence, paragraph, section, or document.
Select the nearest character to the left or right: F8, Left or Right arrow
key
Reduce the selection: Shift + F8
Select a vertical block of text: Ctrl + Shift + F8, use arrow keys
Stop extending the selection: Esc
Related links
Select more than one word: multiple shortcuts
There are several ways to select text in Microsoft Word without a mouse
using keyboard shortcuts for academic writing or other tasks. The exact
keyboard shortcuts will vary depending on the location of the text being
selected and how much text the user would like to select. To select text in
Microsoft Word using keyboard shortcuts, use one of the following options:
Select text: Shift + Arrow keys
Select the word to the left: Ctrl + Shift + Left arrow key
Select the word to the right: Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow key
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current line: Shift
+ Home
Select from the current position to the end of the current line: Shift + End
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current paragraph:
Ctrl + Shift + Up arrow key
Select from the current position to the end of the current paragraph: Ctrl +
Shift + Down arrow key
Select from the current position to the top of the screen: Shift + Page up
Select from the current position to the bottom of the screen: Shift + Page
down
Select from the current position to the beginning of the document: Ctrl +
Shift + Home
Select from the current position to the end of the document: Ctrl + Shift
+End
Select from the current position to the bottom of the window: Ctrl + Alt +
Shift + Page down
Select all document content: Ctrl + A
Select text with keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
Select text: Shift + Arrow keys
Select the word to the left: Shift + Option + Left arrow key
Select the word to the right: Shift + Option + Right arrow key
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current line: Shift
+ Home or Command + Shift + Left arrow key
Select from the current position to the end of the current line: Shift + End
or Command + Shift + Right arrow key
Select from the current position to the beginning of the current paragraph:
Command + Shift + Up arrow key
Select from the current position to the end of the current paragraph:
Command + Shift + Down arrow key
Select from the current position to the top of the screen: Shift + Page up
Select from the current position to the bottom of the screen: Shift + Page
down
Select from the current position to the beginning of the document: Command +
Shift + Home
Select from the current position to the end of the document: Command + Shift
+End
Select from the current position to the bottom of the window: Command +
Shift + Option + Page down
Select all document content: Command + A
Display nonprinting characters or reveal formatting: Ctrl + Shift + 8 or
Shift + F1
Did I accidentally italicize a comma? What are the formatting
characteristics of selected text in the document? Ctrl + Shift + 8 displays
nonprinting characters so users can inspect details such as how many spaces
are between words, what types of formatting have been applied to selected
text, or where paragraphs are located in a document. Shift + F1 opens the
Reveal Formatting task pane and can be used to examine formatting for
selected text or make updates to styles.
Other formatting keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word
Switch selected text to all caps: Shift + F3
Switch selected text to all lowercase: Shift + F3 + F3 (press F3 twice)
Switch selected text to title case (sentences are capitalized): Shift + F3 +
F3 + F3 (press F3 three times)
Formatting keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word for Mac
View formatting characters or nonprinting characters: No keyboard shortcut
listed or assigned by default
Reveal formatting: No keyboard shortcut listed or assigned by default
Switch selected text to all caps: Shift + F3
Switch selected text to all lowercase: Shift + F3 + F3 (press F3 twice)
Switch selected text to title case (sentences are capitalized): Shift + F3 +
F3 + F3 (press F3 three times)
More resources on keyboard shortcuts for academic writing with low vision
Time saving keyboard shortcuts for academic writing and formatting papers in
APA Style with Microsoft Word, a vital skill for students with visual
impairments!
Published December 17, 2025. Updated December 2025
https://veroniiiica.com/keyboard-shortcuts-for-academic-writing/
David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
http://www.DavidGoldfield.com
Director of Marketing,
Blazie Technologies
http://www.BlazieTech.com
JAWS Certified, 2022
NVDA Certified Expert
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Colin Howard, living in Southern England, hopes you and your family,
acquaintances and friends may be able to enjoy a pleasant Festive holiday
followed by a peaceful 2026.
mj.ba...@gmail.com
Dec 21, 2025, 3:40:32 PM12/21/25
to avip...@googlegroups.com
Hi Colin
I'd be very surprised if you found much of use here unless you're thinking of writing a thseis. I'm saving just a small sample from this list of shortcuts, which might possibly be useful in the future.
Cheers
Mike
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I'd be very surprised if you found much of use here unless you're thinking of writing a thseis. I'm saving just a small sample from this list of shortcuts, which might possibly be useful in the future.
Cheers
Mike
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AVIP" group.
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