Google Docs is a free online word processor software that lets you create and edit documents online and keep them on Google Drive cloud storage. It looks simple but is a powerful word processor software. People use it for collaboration and keeping their documents online. To masker Google Docs and be quicker, you can learn keyboard shortcuts. Using keyboard shortcuts will make you faster and you can do several things quickly. Google Docs supports lots of keyboard shortcuts for Windows and macOS. Here I am making a list of notable keyboard shortcuts you need to know.
Also see: Google Drive Keyboard shortcuts
Google Docs Keyboard shortcuts Cheatsheet
Basic Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Copy selection | Ctrl + C | Command + C |
| Cut selection | Ctrl + X | Command + X |
| Paste selection | Ctrl + V | Command + V |
| Undo action | Ctrl + Z | Command + Z |
| Redo action | Ctrl + Shift + Z | Command + Shift + Z |
| Insert or edit link | Ctrl + K | Command + K |
| Open link | Alt + Enter | Option + Return |
| Open file | Ctrl + O | Command + O |
| Find text | Ctrl + F | Command + F |
| Find text and replace | Ctrl + Shift + H | Command + Shift + H |
| Enter compact mode | Ctrl + Shift + F | Command + Shift + F |
| Insert page break | Ctrl + Enter | Command + Return |
| Switch to suggesting mode | Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + X | Command + Option + Shift + Z |
| Switch to viewing mode | Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + C | Command + Option + Shift + C |
| Open revision history | Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + H | Command + Option + Shift + H |
| Open Explore tool | Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + I | Command + Option + Shift + I |
| Open spelling/grammar | Ctrl + Alt + X | Command + Option + X |
| View word count | Ctrl + Shift + C | Command + Shift + C |
Navigation Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Show document outline | Ctrl + Alt, press A then H | Control + Command, press A then H |
| Move to next heading | Ctrl + Alt, press N then H | Control + Command, press N then H |
| Move to previous heading | Ctrl + Alt, press P then H | Control + Command, press P then H |
| Move to next list | Ctrl + Alt, press N then N | Control + Command, press O then O |
| Move to previous list | Ctrl + Alt, press P then O | Control + Command, press P then O |
| Move to next edit | Shift + Home | Control + Command, press P then R |
| Move to previous edit | Shift + End | Control + Command, press P then R |
Text Selection Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Select all text | Ctrl + A | Command + A |
| Extend selection one character | Shift + Left/right arrow | Shift + Left/right arrow |
| Extend selection one line | Shift + Up/down arrow | Shift + Up/down arrow |
| Extend selection one paragraph | NA | Option + Shift + Up/down arrow |
| Extend selection one word | Ctrl + Shift + Left/right arrow | NA |
| Extend selection to beginning of line | Shift + Home | Shift + Fn + Left arrow |
| Extend selection to end of line | Shift + End | Shift + Fn + Right arrow |
| Extend selection to beginning of document | Ctrl + Shift + Home | Command + Shift + Up arrow |
| Extend selection to end of document | Ctrl + Shift + End | Command + Shift + Down arrow |
Formatting Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Make text bold | Ctrl + B | Command + B |
| Make text italic | Ctrl + I | Command + I |
| Underline text | Ctrl + U | Command + U |
| Strikethrough text | Alt + Shift + 5 | Command + Shift + X |
| Put text into superscript | Ctrl + . | Command + . |
| Put text into subscript | Ctrl + , | Command + , |
| Clear text formatting | Ctrl + \ | Command + \ |
| Increase font size | Ctrl + Shift + . | Command + Shift + . |
| Decrease font size | Ctrl + Shift + , | Command + Shift + , |
| Increase paragraph indentation | Ctrl + ] | Command + ] |
| Decrease paragraph indentation | Ctrl + [ | Command + [ |
| Left align paragraph | Ctrl + Shift + L | Command + Shift + I |
| Center align paragraph | Ctrl + Shift + E | Command + Shift + E |
| Right align paragraph | Ctrl + Shift + R | Command + Shift + R |
| Justify paragraph | Ctrl + Shift + J | Command + Shift + J |
| Move paragraph up/down | Ctrl + Shift + Up/down arrow | Ctrl + Shift + Up/down arrow |
| Add items in numbered list | Ctrl + Shift + 7 | Command + Shift + 7 |
| Add items in bulleted list | Ctrl + Shift + 8 | Command + Shift + 8 |
| Apply normal text style | Ctrl + Alt + 0 | Command + Option + 0 |
Image Operation Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Add alt text | Ctrl + Alt + Y | Command + Option + Y |
| Resize larger | Ctrl + Alt + K | Command + Ctrl + K |
| Resize smaller | Ctrl + Alt + J | Command + Ctrl + J |
| Rotate image clockwise | Alt + Right arrow | Option + Right arrow |
| Rotate image counterclockwise | Alt + Left arrow | Option + Left arrow |
Other Docs Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open Revision History | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H | Command + Option + Shift + H |
| Open Explore tool | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I | Command + Option + Shift + I |
| Open spelling/grammar | Ctrl + Alt + X | Command + Alt + X |
| Open dictionary | Ctrl + Shift + Y | Command + Shift + Y |
| Check Word count | Ctrl + Shift + C | Command + Shift + C |
| Move to the next misspelling | Ctrl + ‘ | Command + ‘ |
| Move to the previous misspelling | Ctrl + ; | Command + ; |
| Insert or move to header | Hold Ctrl + Alt, press O then H | Hold Ctrl + Command, press O then H |
| Insert or move to footer | Hold Ctrl + Alt + O, then press F | Hold Ctrl + Command + O, then press F |
