Google Docs Keyboard Shortcuts
60+ Google Docs shortcuts for writing, formatting, and collaboration. Works on Mac, Windows, and Chromebook.
General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New document | |
| Open document | |
| Save (to Drive) | |
| Undo | |
| Redo | |
| Redo | |
| Find | |
| Find and replace |
Selection
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select all | |
| Extend selection one character | |
| Extend selection one word | |
| Extend selection to line start/end | |
| Extend selection to document start |
Formatting
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Bold | |
| Italic | |
| Underline | |
| Strikethrough | |
| Superscript | |
| Subscript | |
| Clear formatting | |
| Word count |
Paragraphs
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Normal text | |
| Heading 1 | |
| Heading 2 | |
| Heading 3 | |
| Heading 4 | |
| Heading 5 | |
| Heading 6 |
Lists
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Numbered list | |
| Bulleted list | |
| Checklist | |
| Increase indent | |
| Decrease indent |
Alignment
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Left align | |
| Center align | |
| Right align | |
| Justify |
Insert
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Insert link | |
| Insert comment | |
| Insert footnote | |
| Insert page break | |
| Insert image |
Tables
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move to next cell | |
| Move to previous cell | |
| New row at end |
Navigation
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Go to start of document | |
| Go to end of document | |
| Go to start of line | |
| Go to end of line | |
| Scroll up / down one page | |
| Next suggestion | |
| Previous suggestion |
Collaboration
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add comment | |
| Word count dialog |
Tools
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Voice typing | |
| Explore tool | |
| Spelling suggestions |
Pro tips
Use Headings for Structure
Apply headings (Ctrl+Alt+1 - 6) to create a document outline. View it in the left sidebar (View → Show document outline) for quick navigation in long documents.
@ Mentions for Actions
Type @ to mention people, insert smart chips (dates, files, events), and even create building blocks. Smart chips link directly to Calendar events, Drive files, and contacts.
Suggesting Mode for Edits
Switch to Suggesting mode (top-right dropdown) when editing others' documents. Your changes appear as tracked suggestions that the owner can accept or reject.
Voice Typing is Powerful
Use Ctrl+Shift+S to dictate text. Google's speech recognition is excellent and supports punctuation commands ('period', 'new paragraph', 'comma').
Version History Saves You
Access version history via File → Version History. Google Docs auto-saves every few minutes. Name important versions so you can restore them later.
Add-ons Extend Google Docs
Go to Extensions → Add-ons for tools like Grammarly, Lucidchart Diagrams, Table of Contents generators, and mail merge tools.
Frequently asked questions
How do I access Google Docs offline?
Install the Google Docs Offline Chrome extension. Go to drive.google.com → Settings → enable Offline. Recent documents will sync for offline editing. Changes sync automatically when you reconnect.
How do I share a document?
Click Share (top right). Add people by email or get a shareable link. Set permissions: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor. You can also restrict sharing, downloading, and printing.
Can I use Google Docs for academic papers?
Yes. Use Add-ons like EasyBib for citations, enable page numbers (Insert → Page Numbers), and use Heading styles for auto-generated table of contents. Export as .docx for submission if required.
How do I convert a Google Doc to PDF?
Go to File → Download → PDF Document (.pdf). You can also download as Word (.docx), plain text, HTML, EPUB, or Rich Text Format. For sharing, you can also use File → Share → Email as attachment.
Is there a word limit?
Google Docs supports up to 1.02 million characters. For very long documents (100+ pages), performance may slow. Consider splitting into multiple docs and using a table of contents doc to link them.
How do I use templates?
Go to docs.google.com → Template Gallery. Google provides templates for resumes, reports, letters, and more. You can also create your own templates by saving a doc as a template.
Want to master Google Docs?
Go beyond shortcuts with in-depth Google Docs video courses, from the basics all the way to advanced workflows.
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