Microsoft Word Tips

Microsoft Word

Press CTRL + ALT + Z or Command Option + Z on the Apple to automatically go back to where your cursor has been previously. This is great for those times you move to the another page or paragraph in a document and need to go back where you came from.

Delete one full word back by pressing and holding down the CTRL key and pressing the backspace key or if you're on a Apple press and hold the Command key and the backspace key.

Microsoft Word

Type "=rand(8,10)" (without the quotes) and press enter in Microsoft word to have Microsoft Word automatically generate a bunch of text that can be used to test page formatting, fonts, etc.

Microsoft Word

Easily copy how text is formatted to other text by using the Microsoft Format Painter option. For example, if you have a heading in Microsoft Word that has font, size, or other format you like highlight that text, click the paintbrush icon in the formatting toolbar and then highlight the text you wish to have the same type of format.

Microsoft Word

Quickly zoom in and out of a Microsoft Word document by holding down the CTRL button and scrolling the wheel on your mouse.

Microsoft Word

Quickly move the cursor to the location it was at when the document was last saved by pressing SHIFT + F5.

Microsoft Word / Excel / Front Page

Quickly create hyper links in your Microsoft Word, Excel, or Front Page document by highlighting text and pressing "CTRL + K".

Microsoft Word / Excel

Close all open Microsoft Word and/or Excel files by holding down the shift key and clicking "File" and then "Close All".

Quickly open the recent files by first pressing "ALT + F" to open the file Menu and press 1, 2, 3, or 4

Quickly open the recent files by first pressing "ALT + F" to open the file Menu and press 1, 2, 3, or 4.

Microsoft Office applications

This tip works with the majority of Microsoft Office applications. Easily create an underlined space by pressing CTRL + U to start the underline, then press SHIFT + Space for each underlined space you wish to create. An example of how this could be used is for printable forms, for example: Name: .

Microsoft Word and above

Quickly insert bullets into Microsoft Word by typing an asterisk, a space, and then your sentence. When enter is pressed Microsoft Word will automatically change your asterisks to a bullet and text proceeding that text. Below is an example of what this may look like:

* this will bullet.

This can also be done with dashes ( - ), and numbers (1. or 1) ).

Most Microsoft Windows programs / Printers

Save on your printer ink by selectively printing in Windows programs such as Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, WordPad, Outlook, etc. To do this highlight portions of text you wish to print and click print. In the printer dialog window under Page Range choose the option Selection. It is important to realize that not all programs or printer drivers support this feature.

Microsoft Office - Repeat Action

Using the F4 key in Microsoft Office 2000 and above allows the user to repeat the last used action. For example, if you have changed the font of a selected text and wish to change another portion of text to the same font, pressing F4 will do this for you automatically.

Microsoft Word, other word processors and text programs

Quickly enlarge text in Microsoft Word and most other PC text programs by first highlighting the text and pressing CTRL + Shift + > or press and hold CTRL + Shift + <>

PC Windows Shortcut key

Quickly undo mistakes in the majority of most PC Windows program by pressing CTRL + Z. Additional shortcuts can be found on our shortcut page.