Shortcut keys, also known as keyboard shortcuts, are a set or sequence of keys on your computer keyboard that you press at the same time to perform a function or a command instead of using your mouse or navigating through menus. These are designed to expedite common operations by reducing input sequences to a few keystrokes, hence the term “shortcut”.

Universal Shortcuts (can be used in all Microsoft Office applications):

1. Ctrl + C: Copy
2. Ctrl + V: Paste
3. Ctrl + X: Cut
4. Ctrl + Z: Undo
5. Ctrl + Y: Redo
6. Ctrl + S: Save
7. Ctrl + P: Print
8. Ctrl + F: Find
9. Ctrl + H: Replace
10. Ctrl + A: Select All
11. Ctrl + N: New (Create a new document, workbook, presentation)
12. Ctrl + O: Open
13. Ctrl + W: Close

Microsoft Word:

1. Ctrl + N: Create a new document
2. Ctrl + O: Open a document
3. Ctrl + W: Close a document
4. Ctrl + S: Save a document
5. Ctrl + P: Print a document
6. Ctrl + X: Cut selected text or graphics
7. Ctrl + C: Copy selected text or graphics
8. Ctrl + V: Paste the most recent addition to the Clipboard
9. Ctrl + Z: Undo the last action
10. Ctrl + Y: Redo the last action
11. Ctrl + B: Make selected text bold
12. Ctrl + I: Make selected text italic
13. Ctrl + U: Underline selected text
14. Ctrl + A: Select all text
15. Ctrl + F: Find text in a document
16. Ctrl + H: Replace text in a document
17. Ctrl + E: Center align text
18. Ctrl + L: Left align text
19. Ctrl + R: Right align text
20. Ctrl + J: Justify text
21. Ctrl + 1: Single space lines
22. Ctrl + 2: Double space lines
23. Ctrl + Shift + >: Increase the font size
24. Ctrl + Shift + <: Decrease the font size
25. Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy formatting
26. Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste formatting
27. Ctrl + Shift + Space: Insert a non-breaking space
28. Ctrl + Shift + Enter: Insert a column break
29. Ctrl + Shift + E: Toggle track changes
30. Ctrl + Alt + 1/2/3: Apply Heading 1/2/3 style to a paragraph

Microsoft Excel:

1. Ctrl + N: Create a new workbook
2. Ctrl + O: Open a workbook
3. Ctrl + S: Save a workbook
4. Ctrl + W: Close a workbook
5. Ctrl + P: Print a worksheet or workbook
6. Ctrl + X: Cut cells
7. Ctrl + C: Copy cells
8. Ctrl + V: Paste cells
9. Ctrl + Z: Undo the last action
10. Ctrl + Y: Redo the last action
11. Ctrl + B: Bold the selected cells
12. Ctrl + I: Italicize the selected cells
13. Ctrl + U: Underline the selected cells
14. Ctrl + A: Select all cells
15. Ctrl + F: Find text in a worksheet
16. Ctrl + H: Replace text in a worksheet
17. Ctrl + ;: Insert the current date
18. Ctrl + Shift + ;: Insert the current time
19. Ctrl + Arrow keys: Move to the edge of the current data region
20. Ctrl + Space: Select the entire column
21. Shift + Space: Select the entire row
22. Ctrl + Shift + L: Apply or remove a filter
23. Ctrl + D: Fill the selected cell(s) down with the content of the above cell(s)
24. Ctrl + R: Fill the selected cell(s) right with the content of the left cell(s)
25. Ctrl + Shift + $: Apply currency format to the selected cells
26. Ctrl + Shift + %: Apply percentage format to the selected cells
27. Ctrl + Shift + #:: Apply date format to the selected cells
28. Ctrl + Shift + @: Apply time format to the selected cells
29. Alt + H + O + I: Auto adjust column width based on cell content
30. F2: Edit the active cell

Microsoft PowerPoint:

1. Ctrl + N: Create a new presentation
2. Ctrl + O: Open a presentation
3. Ctrl + S: Save a presentation
4. Ctrl + W: Close a presentation
5. Ctrl + P: Print a presentation
6. Ctrl + X: Cut selected text or object
7. Ctrl + C: Copy selected text or object
8. Ctrl + V: Paste the most recent addition to the Clipboard
9. Ctrl + Z: Undo the last action
10. Ctrl + Y: Redo the last action
11. Ctrl + B: Bold the selected text
12. Ctrl + I: Italicize the selected text
13. Ctrl + U: Underline the selected text
14. Ctrl + A: Select all objects
15. Ctrl + F: Find text in a presentation
16. Ctrl + H: Replace text in a presentation
17. Ctrl + M: Insert a new slide
18. Ctrl + D: Duplicate the current slide
19. Ctrl + Shift + >: Increase the font size
20. Ctrl + Shift + <: Decrease the font size
21. Ctrl + T: Open the Font dialog box
22. Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy formatting
23. Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste formatting
24. Ctrl + Shift + D: Duplicate the current slide
25. Ctrl + Shift + G: Ungroup objects
26. Ctrl + Shift + H: Toggle hiding of the slide
27. Ctrl + Alt + V: Open the Paste Special dialog box
28. Alt + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Promote or demote a slide in the Outline View

Microsoft Outlook:

1. Ctrl + N: Create a new mail message
2. Ctrl + Shift + M: Create a new mail message (from any Outlook view)
3. Ctrl + R: Reply to a mail message
4. Ctrl + Shift + R: Reply all to a mail message
5. Ctrl + F: Forward a mail message
6. Ctrl + S: Save a draft message
7. Ctrl + Enter: Send the current message
8. Alt + S: Send the current message
9. Ctrl + Q: Mark message as read
10. Ctrl + U: Mark message as unread
11. Ctrl + Shift + G: Flag message for follow up
12. Ctrl + Shift + V: Move a message to a folder
13. Ctrl + 1: Switch to Mail view
14. Ctrl + 2: Switch to Calendar view
15. Ctrl + 3: Switch to Contacts view
16. Ctrl + 4: Switch to Tasks view
17. Ctrl + 5: Switch to Notes view
18. Ctrl + D: Delete an item
19. Ctrl + E: Activate the search bar
20. Ctrl + Shift + F: Advanced Find
21. F9: Send/Receive all
22. Ctrl + Shift + I: Switch to Inbox
23. Ctrl + Shift + O: Switch to Outbox

Further Reading