Comparison · Updated
Word vs Google Docs Keyboard Shortcuts: Every Key Compared
Moving between Microsoft Word and Google Docs? Every documented shortcut of both, side by side for Mac and Windows: which keys match, which differ, and which exist in only one.
By ShortcutPosters Editorial Team · from 3 official sources
Word and Google Docs agree on the basics of writing — bold, italic, undo, find — and part ways on the rest. This is every shortcut each one documents, joined on the key.
Every documented key, side by side
Each row is a key combination. "Different action" means both apps document it for something different — the keys your hands will get wrong after the switch.
- 11Same key, same action
- 4Same key, different action
- 31Google Docs only
- 26Microsoft Word only
| Key |  Microsoft Word |  Google Docs | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⌘] | Increase Font Size | Increase IndentationParagraph | Different action |
| ⌘[ | Decrease Font Size | Decrease IndentationParagraph | Different action |
| ⌘⇧L | Bulleted List | Left AlignParagraph | Different action |
| ⌘⇧E | Track Changes | Center AlignParagraph | Different action |
| ⌘S | Save | SaveCommon actions | Same |
| ⌘P | PrintCommon actions | Same | |
| ⌘X | Cut | CutCommon actions | Same |
| ⌘C | Copy | CopyCommon actions | Same |
| ⌘V | Paste | PasteCommon actions | Same |
| ⌘Z | Undo | UndoCommon actions | Same |
| ⌘F | Find | FindCommon actions | Same |
| ⌘A | Select All | Select AllCommon actions | Same |
| ⌘B | Bold | BoldText formatting | Same |
| ⌘I | Italic | ItalicText formatting | Same |
| ⌘U | Underline | UnderlineText formatting | Same |
| ⌘⇧V | — | Paste Without FormattingCommon actions | |
| ⌘⇧Z | — | RedoCommon actions | |
| ⌘⇧H | — | Find and ReplaceCommon actions | |
| ⌘K | — | Insert or Edit LinkCommon actions | |
| ⌥↵ | — | Open LinkCommon actions | |
| ⌘⇧X | — | StrikethroughText formatting | |
| ⌘. | — | SuperscriptText formatting | |
| ⌘, | — | SubscriptText formatting | |
| ⌘⇧. | — | Increase Font SizeText formatting | |
| ⌘⇧, | — | Decrease Font SizeText formatting | |
| ⌘⌥C | — | Copy Text FormattingText formatting | |
| ⌘⌥V | — | Paste Text FormattingText formatting | |
| ⌘\ | — | Clear FormattingText formatting | |
| ⌘⇧R | — | Right AlignParagraph | |
| ⌘⇧J | — | JustifyParagraph | |
| ⌘⇧7 | — | Numbered ListParagraph | |
| ⌘⇧8 | — | Bulleted ListParagraph | |
| ⌘⌥0 | — | Apply Normal Text StyleParagraph | |
| ⌘⌥1 | — | Apply Heading 1Paragraph | |
| ⌘⌥2 | — | Apply Heading 2Paragraph | |
| ⌘⌥3 | — | Apply Heading 3Paragraph | |
| ⌘↵ | — | Page BreakNavigation | |
| ⌃⌘thenNthenH | — | Move to Next HeadingNavigation | |
| ⌃⌘thenPthenH | — | Move to Previous HeadingNavigation | |
| ⌘⌥M | — | Insert CommentComments | |
| ⌘⌥F | — | Insert FootnoteComments | |
| ⌘⌥Athen⌘⌥W | — | Open Comment ThreadComments | |
| ⌘⇧C | — | Word CountMenus | |
| ⌃⌥F | — | File MenuMenus | |
| ⌃⌥E | — | Edit MenuMenus | |
| ⌃⌥I | — | Insert MenuMenus | |
| ⌘N | New Document | — | |
| ⌘O | Open | — | |
| ⌘⇧S | Save As | — | |
| ⌘W | Close Document | — | |
| ⌘⌃V | Paste Special | — | |
| ⌘Y | Redo | — | |
| ⌃H | Find & Replace | — | |
| ⌘D | Font Dialog | — | |
| ⌘E | Center | — | |
| ⌘L | Align Left | — | |
| ⌘R | Align Right | — | |
| ⌘J | Justify | — | |
| ⌘⌥G | Go To | — | |
| ⌘↖ | Beginning of Document | — | |
| ⌘↘ | End of Document | — | |
| ⌥← | Move One Word Left | — | |
| ⌥→ | Move One Word Right | — | |
| ⇧⌥← | Select Word Left | — | |
| ⇧⌥→ | Select Word Right | — | |
| ⇧↖ | Select to Line Start | — | |
| ⇧↘ | Select to Line End | — | |
| ⌘⇧↑ | Select Paragraph Up | — | |
| ⌘⇧↓ | Select Paragraph Down | — | |
| F7 | Spelling & Grammar | — | |
| ⇧F7 | Thesaurus | — | |
| ⌘⌥A | Insert Comment | — |
- 13Same key, same action
- 5Same key, different action
- 28Google Docs only
- 23Microsoft Word only
| Key | Microsoft Word | Google Docs | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CtrlAltV | Paste Special | Paste Text FormattingText formatting | Different action |
| Ctrl] | Increase Font Size | Increase IndentationParagraph | Different action |
| Ctrl[ | Decrease Font Size | Decrease IndentationParagraph | Different action |
| CtrlShiftL | Bulleted List | Left AlignParagraph | Different action |
| CtrlShiftE | Track Changes | Center AlignParagraph | Different action |
| CtrlS | Save | SaveCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlP | PrintCommon actions | Same | |
| CtrlX | Cut | CutCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlC | Copy | CopyCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlV | Paste | PasteCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlZ | Undo | UndoCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlF | Find | FindCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlH | Find & Replace | Find and ReplaceCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlA | Select All | Select AllCommon actions | Same |
| CtrlB | Bold | BoldText formatting | Same |
| CtrlI | Italic | ItalicText formatting | Same |
| CtrlU | Underline | UnderlineText formatting | Same |
| CtrlAltM | Insert Comment | Insert CommentComments | Same |
| CtrlShiftV | — | Paste Without FormattingCommon actions | |
| CtrlShiftZ | — | RedoCommon actions | |
| CtrlK | — | Insert or Edit LinkCommon actions | |
| AltEnter | — | Open LinkCommon actions | |
| AltShift5 | — | StrikethroughText formatting | |
| Ctrl. | — | SuperscriptText formatting | |
| Ctrl, | — | SubscriptText formatting | |
| CtrlShift. | — | Increase Font SizeText formatting | |
| CtrlShift, | — | Decrease Font SizeText formatting | |
| CtrlAltC | — | Copy Text FormattingText formatting | |
| Ctrl\ | — | Clear FormattingText formatting | |
| CtrlShiftR | — | Right AlignParagraph | |
| CtrlShiftJ | — | JustifyParagraph | |
| CtrlShift7 | — | Numbered ListParagraph | |
| CtrlShift8 | — | Bulleted ListParagraph | |
| CtrlAlt0 | — | Apply Normal Text StyleParagraph | |
| CtrlAlt1 | — | Apply Heading 1Paragraph | |
| CtrlAlt2 | — | Apply Heading 2Paragraph | |
| CtrlAlt3 | — | Apply Heading 3Paragraph | |
| CtrlEnter | — | Page BreakNavigation | |
| CtrlAltthenNthenH | — | Move to Next HeadingNavigation | |
| CtrlAltthenPthenH | — | Move to Previous HeadingNavigation | |
| CtrlAltF | — | Insert FootnoteComments | |
| CtrlAltAthenCtrlAltW | — | Open Comment ThreadComments | |
| CtrlShiftC | — | Word CountMenus | |
| AltF | — | File MenuMenus | |
| AltE | — | Edit MenuMenus | |
| AltI | — | Insert MenuMenus | |
| CtrlN | New Document | — | |
| CtrlO | Open | — | |
| F12 | Save As | — | |
| CtrlW | Close Document | — | |
| CtrlY | Redo | — | |
| CtrlD | Font Dialog | — | |
| CtrlE | Center | — | |
| CtrlL | Align Left | — | |
| CtrlR | Align Right | — | |
| CtrlJ | Justify | — | |
| CtrlG | Go To | — | |
| CtrlHome | Beginning of Document | — | |
| CtrlEnd | End of Document | — | |
| CtrlLEFT | Move One Word Left | — | |
| CtrlRIGHT | Move One Word Right | — | |
| CtrlShiftLEFT | Select Word Left | — | |
| CtrlShiftRIGHT | Select Word Right | — | |
| ShiftHome | Select to Line Start | — | |
| ShiftEnd | Select to Line End | — | |
| CtrlShiftUP | Select Paragraph Up | — | |
| CtrlShiftDOWN | Select Paragraph Down | — | |
| F7 | Spelling & Grammar | — | |
| ShiftF7 | Thesaurus | — |
Keep the new set within reach
For the first weeks after a switch, keep the new app's full list one glance away and look a shortcut up instead of guessing from the old one. The differences above are the ones to drill.
FAQ
- Do Word shortcuts work in Google Docs?
- Many do. The table above lists every combination both apps document and whether it does the same thing in each.
- Where do these shortcuts come from?
- From each app's official documentation. Every app page lists its sources and the date its shortcuts were last checked.