You forget about countless hours of self-editing and imagine a pleasant life of writing in which real words effortlessly flow from your fingertips as you sit in an ideal environment and sip your favorite beverage.
For all the following tips, the plus (+) symbol indicates that you press one key first and then the other key to get the desired result.
Before you execute each shortcut, I assumed you had selected the text you wanted to change with your mouse and cursor. Keep reading to learn how to select text using only the keys on the keyboard.
Typing Shortcuts
Plain text throughout a document can be boring to read, so you will often be able to separate words or phrases in a formatting style, such as bold text or italic text.
You may also need to change the look by organizing the text in different ways, such as centered or left-aligned. These keyboard shortcuts will help you make those changes.
Bold text
When used sparingly, bold text can highlight an extremely important point that you want the reader to understand. People who just scan your text are more likely to read bold dots and go over other sections.
For bold text on Mac
Command (⌘) + B
For bold text on a computer
Ctrl + B
Underline the text
While you won’t usually need to underline text in a blog post (it will look like a hyperlink), if you’re writing the text for printed documents, you may need to underline a phrase or a specific section.
Underline text on Mac
Command (⌘) + U
Underline text on a computer
Ctrl + U
Text in italics
Italic text can come in handy for emphasis in both digital and printed documents.
To put text in italics on a Mac
Command (⌘) + I
To put text in italics on a computer
Ctrl + I
Centrally aligned text
You may want to center images between margins or central text in image titles.
To center text on a Mac
Command (⌘) + E
To center text on a computer
Ctrl + E
Text aligned on both sides
Justified text is used more often in printed documents than in digital documents, but this may be the formatting style you prefer for the titles of the text in the image. Aligns your text between margins by adding extra spaces between words.
To use double-aligned Mac text
Command (⌘) + J
To use double-aligned text on a computer
Ctrl + J
Left aligned text
The default text setting in most word processors is left-aligned. If the text has changed to another formatting style, and you want to return it to left alignment, try these helpful keyboard shortcuts.
To left-align the text on the Mac
Command (⌘) + L
To align the text on the computer to the left
Ctrl + L
Align text to the right
If your layout requires the text to be right-aligned, it’s just as simple.
To right-align the text on the Mac
Command (⌘) + R
To right-align the text on the computer
Ctrl + R
Editing Shortcuts
Editing can be an artistic part of the writing process and allows for a presentation that will better connect with your readers.
Stay focused on creating great content with these editing shortcuts that keep your hands on your keyboard.
Select text
When I review a sketch, I often see how I want the text to look different and match my vision.
So, to edit the content as quickly as possible, I can use the commands on the keyboard, instead of moving my hand to the trackpad on my laptop.
Once I select a piece of text, I can copy or cut it and then paste it elsewhere in the sketch.
To select text on a Mac
Place the cursor on any side of the text you want to select, and then you can choose from the key combinations below to highlight the appropriate section:
Shift + left arrow key (+ up arrow key or down arrow key to select more text)
Shift + right arrow key (+ up arrow key or down arrow key to select more text)
Press the Shift key, then tap the corresponding arrow keys until you select. You can also press the arrow keys, but tapping gives you more precise control over text selection.
When you release your fingers from the Shift and Arrow keys, the text will remain highlighted, waiting for your next action for what you want to do with the selection.
To select text on a computer You need to do the same as for Mac!
Copy text
Once you’ve selected the text, you may want to copy it so you can paste it and put the same word or phrase somewhere else.
To copy text to Mac
Command (⌘) + C
To copy text to a computer
Ctrl + C
Cut the text
Sometimes you will want to delete or cut the selected text.
The Delete or Backspace keys can do what you want but only if you want to delete, but cutting the text allows you to paste it into another part of your sketch.
What is a keyboard shortcut for cutting text?
To cut text on a Mac
Command (⌘) + X
To cut text on a computer
Ctrl + X
Paste text
If you selected text, then copied or cut it and now want to paste it, here are some useful keyboard shortcuts.
To paste text on a Mac
Command (⌘) + V
To paste text on a computer
Ctrl + V
Find a word or phrase
When proofreading content, you will often notice words that you use excessively. You may also notice spelling or style errors that you have made multiple times.
To find specific words or phrases in a sketch, you can use the “find” function that causes the search box to appear on your screen.
The search will show the number of impressions of the words or phrases you enter in the box and refer you to each one individually.
So now you just need to know the keyboard shortcut to find the words in the text.
To find a word or phrase on Mac
Command (⌘) + F
To find a word or phrase on your computer
Ctrl + F
Highlight the Line
Selecting a specific area of text can also be considered highlighting a line of text.
To get started, place the cursor to the left or right of the text you want to highlight. (Just see the “Text Selection” section above if you need further instructions.)
To highlight the line on the Mac
Shift + left arrow key (+ up arrow key or down arrow key to highlight more text)
Shift + right arrow key (+ up arrow key or down arrow key to highlight more text)
Marking a line on a computer The shortcut for the highlighted line is the same!
Function Shortcuts
Function shortcuts help you with the usual steps that all writers need to take while working on sketches, such as saving files or undoing the last action (because it was a mistake).
Take a look at these commands that you will use often.
Take a screenshot (print screen)
Need to save something on your screen? Capture it with a screenshot, also known as a “print screen”.
To take a screenshot (print screen) on a Mac
Shift + Command (⌘) + 4
To take a screenshot (print screen) on a computer
Windows logo key + PrtScn or Fn key + Windows logo key + spacebar
Save text
Although most software now automatically saves your work, it’s always a good idea to save the text manually to make sure the last change you made isn’t lost. Familiarize yourself with the save shortcut.
To save text on a Mac
Command (⌘) + S
To save text on a computer
Ctrl + S
Print a document
If you need to print a document that you just finished typing, your fingers do not have to leave the keyboard.
To print a document on a Mac
Command (⌘) + P
To print a document on a computer
Ctrl + P
Preview before printing
Need to preview a document before printing it? Get to that screen in an instant.
To see a print preview on a Mac
Command (⌘) + P (A preview of the document to be printed should appear automatically.)
To view a print preview on your computer
Ctrl + F2
Switch between tabs
If you use a web browser with multiple open tabs, you can easily navigate through them.
To switch between cards on a Mac
Control + Tab
To switch between tabs on the computer
Ctrl + Tab
Undo the last action
Oops! You may want to know how to reset using the keyboard if you made a mistake or entered a large copy/paste error in the text incorrectly.
These useful keyboard shortcuts clean your document and fix it quickly.
Undo the last action on the Mac
Command (⌘) + Z
Undo the last action on the computer
Ctrl + Z
Repeat the last action
You didn’t mean to undo your last action? Learn how you can repeat this just as quickly on the keyboard (reverse the undo command).
To repeat the last action on the Mac
Shift + Command (⌘) + Z
To repeat the last action on the computer
Shift + Ctrl + Z ili Ctrl + Y
Repeat the last action
If you want to repeat a simple action you just performed, there are several options.
To repeat the last action on the Mac
Command + Y will work in some programs, but in others, you have to retype the last action or keyboard shortcut.
Let’s repeat the last action on the computer
Ctrl Y or F4
Practice Useful Keyboard Shortcuts
With practice, these useful keyboard shortcuts become second nature and you don’t even realize you’re using them and will significantly speed up your work.