Microsoft Word Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks | Symbols & Alt Codes Guide
Microsoft Word is a powerful tool for creating and editing documents, but mastering its shortcuts, tips, and tricks can significantly enhance your productivity. In this guide, we’ll cover essential MS Word shortcuts, useful tips & tricks, and a comprehensive list of symbol & icon codes, including Alt codes for special characters, Wingdings, and Webdings icons.
Here are some useful Microsoft Word shortcuts, tips, and tricks to enhance your productivity:
Microsoft Word Shortcuts
Basic Shortcuts:
- Ctrl + N → New document
- Ctrl + O → Open document
- Ctrl + S → Save document
- Ctrl + P → Print document
- Ctrl + W → Close document
- Ctrl + Z → Undo
- Ctrl + Y → Redo
Text Formatting:
- Ctrl + B → Bold
- Ctrl + I → Italic
- Ctrl + U → Underline
- Ctrl + Shift + W → Underline words only
- Ctrl + Shift + D → Double underline
- Ctrl + Shift + > → Increase font size
- Ctrl + Shift + < → Decrease font size
Editing and Navigation:
- Ctrl + A → Select all
- Ctrl + C → Copy
- Ctrl + X → Cut
- Ctrl + V → Paste
- Ctrl + Shift + V → Paste without formatting
- Ctrl + F → Find
- Ctrl + H → Replace
- Ctrl + G → Go to a page, section, or bookmark
- Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow → Move one word left/right
- Ctrl + Up/Down Arrow → Move one paragraph up/down
Paragraph and Alignment:
- Ctrl + E → Center align
- Ctrl + L → Left align
- Ctrl + R → Right align
- Ctrl + J → Justify text
- Ctrl + M → Indent paragraph
- Ctrl + Shift + M → Remove indent
- Ctrl + T → Hanging indent
- Ctrl + Shift + T → Decrease hanging indent
Working with Tables:
- Tab → Move to the next cell
- Shift + Tab → Move to the previous cell
- Ctrl + Shift + Enter → Add a new row in a table
- Alt + Shift + Up/Down Arrow → Move rows up/down
Page and Layout:
- Ctrl + Enter → Insert a page break
- Alt + Ctrl + P → Switch to Print Layout
- Alt + Ctrl + N → Switch to Draft View
Microsoft Word Tips & Tricks
1. Use Format Painter:
Quickly copy formatting from one text to another:
- Select the formatted text
- Click Format Painter (Home tab)
- Select the text you want to apply the formatting to
2. Remove Formatting Quickly:
Use Ctrl + Spacebar to remove all formatting and return text to default.
3. Insert Symbols and Special Characters:
- Press Alt + 0176 to insert a degree symbol (°)
- Press Alt + 0153 for a trademark symbol (™)
4. Create a Table Instantly:
- Type
+----+----+----+
and press Enter to create a table automatically.
5. Use “Read Aloud” Feature:
Go to Review > Read Aloud to have Word read your text.
6. Quickly Select a Sentence or Paragraph:
- Ctrl + Click → Select a sentence
- Triple-click → Select a whole paragraph
7. Use AutoCorrect for Shortcuts:
Set your own text shortcuts via File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options.
8. Compare Two Documents Side by Side:
Go to View → View Side by Side to compare two documents.
9. Convert a Document to PDF Instantly:
Press Ctrl + P, then select Save as PDF in the printer options.
10. Recover Unsaved Documents:
Go to File → Info → Manage Document → Recover Unsaved Documents.
Sure! Below is an extensive list of Microsoft Word Alt Codes for symbols, special characters, and icons, categorized for easy reference.
1. Common Special Characters
Symbol | Alt Code | Description |
---|---|---|
© | Alt + 0169 | Copyright |
® | Alt + 0174 | Registered Trademark |
™ | Alt + 0153 | Trademark |
§ | Alt + 0167 | Section |
¶ | Alt + 0182 | Paragraph |
† | Alt + 0134 | Dagger |
‡ | Alt + 0135 | Double Dagger |
• | Alt + 0149 | Bullet Point |
2. Currency Symbols
Symbol | Alt Code | Description |
---|---|---|
$ | Shift + 4 | Dollar |
€ | Alt + 0128 | Euro |
£ | Alt + 0163 | British Pound |
¥ | Alt + 0165 | Japanese Yen |
₩ | Alt + 8361 | Korean Won |
¢ | Alt + 0162 | Cent |
₹ | Alt + 8377 | Indian Rupee |
3. Mathematical Symbols
Symbol | Alt Code | Description |
---|---|---|
± | Alt + 0177 | Plus-Minus |
÷ | Alt + 0247 | Division |
× | Alt + 0215 | Multiplication |
≈ | Alt + 247 | Approximate |
≤ | Alt + 243 | Less than or equal to |
≥ | Alt + 242 | Greater than or equal to |
∞ | Alt + 236 | Infinity |
√ | Alt + 251 | Square Root |
∑ | Alt + 228 | Summation |
∏ | Alt + 213 | Product |
π | Alt + 227 | Pi |
4. Arrows & Directional Symbols
Symbol | Alt Code | Description |
---|---|---|
↑ | Alt + 24 | Up Arrow |
↓ | Alt + 25 | Down Arrow |
→ | Alt + 26 | Right Arrow |
← | Alt + 27 | Left Arrow |
↔ | Alt + 29 | Left-Right Arrow |
↕ | Alt + 18 | Up-Down Arrow |
⇄ | Alt + 8660 | Left-Right Double Arrow |
⇒ | Alt + 8658 | Right Double Arrow |
5. Greek Letters & Scientific Symbols
Symbol | Alt Code | Description |
---|---|---|
α | Alt + 224 | Alpha |
β | Alt + 225 | Beta |
γ | Alt + 226 | Gamma |
δ | Alt + 235 | Delta |
ε | Alt + 238 | Epsilon |
λ | Alt + 955 | Lambda |
Ω | Alt + 234 | Omega |
6. Shapes & Miscellaneous Icons
Symbol | Alt Code | Description |
---|---|---|
♥ | Alt + 3 | Heart |
♦ | Alt + 4 | Diamond |
♣ | Alt + 5 | Club |
♠ | Alt + 6 | Spade |
☺ | Alt + 1 | White Smiley Face |
☻ | Alt + 2 | Black Smiley Face |
♪ | Alt + 13 | Single Music Note |
♫ | Alt + 14 | Double Music Note |
⚠ | Alt + 9888 | Warning Sign |
☎ | Alt + 9742 | Telephone |
7. Wingdings Font Icons
To use Wingdings:
- Type the corresponding letter
- Change the font to Wingdings
Symbol | Wingdings Key | Description |
---|---|---|
✔ | Alt + 0252 (ü) | Checkmark |
✘ | Alt + 0251 (û) | Cross |
✉ | Alt + 0036 ($) | Envelope |
✈ | Alt + 0052 (4) | Airplane |
☏ | Alt + 0070 (F) | Telephone |
⌛ | Alt + 0081 (Q) | Hourglass |
✎ | Alt + 0080 (P) | Pencil |
8. Webdings Font Icons
To use Webdings:
- Type the letter
- Change the font to Webdings
Symbol | Webdings Key | Description |
---|---|---|
🖂 | Alt + 0036 ($) | Envelope |
🖈 | Alt + 0040 (@) | Thumbtack |
🖉 | Alt + 0050 (P) | Pen |
🖂 | Alt + 0072 (H) | Letter |
📁 | Alt + 0070 (F) | Folder |
9. Unicode Symbols (Use Alt + X Method)
In Microsoft Word, type the Unicode value and press Alt + X to convert it into a symbol.
Symbol | Unicode | Alt + X |
---|---|---|
✔ | 2713 | Alt + X |
✖ | 2715 | Alt + X |
🖉 | 1F589 | Alt + X |
📞 | 1F4DE | Alt + X |
📌 | 1F4CC | Alt + X |
How to Insert These Symbols in Word?
- Using Alt Codes: Hold Alt, type the code using the numeric keypad, then release Alt.
- Using Wingdings/Webdings: Type the key, then change the font.
- Using Unicode: Type the Unicode value, then press Alt + X.
- Using Symbol Menu: Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
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