Boost Productivity: Master Google Docs Keyboard Shortcuts

TFD – Maximize your productivity with Google Docs by mastering essential keyboard shortcuts. Save time, streamline document editing, and stay in your creative flow effortlessly. Whether you’re on Windows or macOS, these productivity hacks will revolutionize how you work in Google Docs. Say goodbye to tedious mouse clicks and hello to efficient document creation.

Knowing your way around some keyboard shortcuts—whether for Windows, macOS, or individual programs—is perhaps one of the best time-saving productivity hacks there is. You don’t have to reach for the mouse or trackpad to navigate to a new place on the screen, and you don’t have to hunt through menus to find options for formatting images and text: Just press the right key combination and you’re done.

Keyboard shortcuts aren’t as helpful elsewhere as they are in Google Docs. These little keystrokes can save you a significant amount of time throughout the day while you’re deep in a document, and they also help your brain stay in the creative flow.

With versions for Windows and macOS, here are the most crucial Google Docs keyboard shortcuts you should be aware of. (The macOS shortcut is typically identical to the Windows version; the Cmd button takes the place of the Ctrl button.) While in Google Docs, hold down Ctrl or Cmd and press / to display a complete list of keyboard shortcuts (the forward slash).

Change Modes

You can then select Z to switch to editing, X to switch to suggesting, and C to switch to viewing in the document by holding down Ctrl+Shift+Alt (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+Option (macOS).

Copy Without Formatting

To avoid having your document layout suddenly destroyed, use Ctrl+Shift+V or Cmd+Shift+V to paste any text that is in your clipboard, but without any of its original formatting attached.

Expand Text Selections

Once you have some text selected, you may use the Left and Right arrow keys to expand it one character at a time while still holding down Shift. You can move one word at a time by holding down Ctrl or Cmd.

Add or Modify a Connection

To create a link to any text, highlight it and click Ctrl+K or Cmd+K. This shortcut also functions while modifying links. Use your cursor to discover the remove link option when you hover over a link.

Obtain the Word Count

You can view the overall word count, page count, and character count by pressing Ctrl+Shift+C or Cmd+Shift+C. To make these always visible, check the box on the dialog box.

Make Lists

You may then construct a numbered list by tapping 7, an ordered list by tapping 8, and a checklist by tapping 9, all while holding down Ctrl+Shift or Cmd+Shift on the keyboard.

Making Remarks on Documents

When a comment is selected, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts: R to respond to the remark, J and K to navigate between comments in order, E to resolve a comment, and U to quit a comment.

Locate a Tool

You can use Google Docs’ convenient tool finder to look through every option available on menus and on toolbars: To display it, hold Alt or Option and press the / (forward slash).

Return… and Return

Most of you are already aware that you may undo your most recent action and fix mistakes by pressing Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z. However, you may also continue tapping the shortcut to go backward and, if necessary, even undo everything from the current session.

Same once more

This one is useful in a range of circumstances: To do an action again, such as inserting a specific character or removing a sentence, press Ctrl+Y or Cmd+Y.

Locate and swap out

You can use Ctrl+H or Cmd+Shift+H to open the find and replace dialog. In case you only need to locate anything (without changing it), you can use Ctrl+F or Cmd+F keys instead.

Resize Pictures

Additionally, you can use keyboard keys to alter photos. After choosing an image, press and hold Ctrl+Alt or Cmd+Ctrl. Then, tap K to enlarge the image or J to reduce it in size.

Text Formatting

Holding down Ctrl or Cmd while the text is highlighted allows you to select B for bold, I for italics, U for underlining, and Shift+X for strikethrough. (comma) for the subscript and (period) for the superscript.

Using Heading Styles

Holding down Ctrl+Alt or Cmd+Option while tapping a number (ranging from 1 to 6) will apply a certain heading style to the text in your project.

Use Voice Typing Instead

Dictating your words might sometimes help you get them down faster. To bring up the voice typing dialog, use Ctrl+Shift+S or Cmd+Shift+S. You should be prompted by your browser to allow Google Docs to access your microphone. Once you accept, you can begin dictating.

Put a Page Break in

Ctrl+Enter or Cmd+Enter will insert a page break at the cursor’s current location in an open document; you don’t need to go around the menus to do so.