Navigate a Document with Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is the most common word-processing application software used. It is user friendly and easy to navigate. Many users are familiar with using the mouse when working on a document in Microsoft but using the keyboard shortcuts makes your faster. Most of the shortcut keys apply to some of the other office applications as well.

This document will focus on how to use the basic keyboard shortcuts to navigate a document and format a document.

Steps

  1. The right arrow key moves one character to the right from the insertion point
  2. The left arrow key moves one character to the left from the insertion point
  3. The up arrow key moves the cursor one line up from the insertion point
  4. The down arrow key moves the cursor one line down from the insertion point
  5. Holding down the ctrl key and pressing the right arrow key moves one word to the right
  6. Holding down the ctrl key and pressing the left arrow key moves one word to the left
  7. Holding down the ctrl key and pressing the up/down arrow key will move the cursor to the beginning of the paragraph.

Tips

  • The arrow keys allow you navigate a document without using the mouse. The insertion point allows you to know the direction of the cursor when moving around in a document.

Related Articles