Microsoft OneNote Keyboard Shortcuts

Man Using Microsoft Tablet For OneNote

If you’ve ever attended an online training on behalf of your company or participated in any sort of collaborative project with your coworkers, then chances are you’ve had to jot down notes in a way that makes them easy to share. Many people now rely on Microsoft OneNote, the collaborative note-taking app within the MS Office Suite, for this exact purpose.

Microsoft OneNote Keyboard Shortcuts Download

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Like most other Microsoft Office products, you waste a lot of time navigating the ribbon and menu bar within OneNote. Luckily, there are lots of great keyboard shortcuts available to save you time. So, whether you are using a Windows or macOS computer, you can boost your productivity and easily update your notes with this Microsoft OneNote keyboard shortcut cheatsheet.

WindowsmacOSFunction
Frequently Used Shortcuts
Ctrl + MCommand + MOpen a new OneNote window.
Ctrl + Shift + M
or Alt + Win + N
Create a Quick Note.
Ctrl + Alt + DDock the OneNote window.
Ctrl + ZCommand + ZUndo the previous action.
Ctrl + YCommand + YRedo the previous action, if possible.
Ctrl + ACommand + ASelect all items on the current page.
Ctrl + XCommand + XCut the selected text or item.
Ctrl + CCommand + CCopy the selected text or item.
Ctrl + VCommand + VPaste the cut/copied text or item.
HomeCommand + Left arrowMove to the beginning of the line.
EndCommand + Right arrowMove to the end of the line.
Ctrl + Left arrowOpt + Left arrowMove one word to the left.
Ctrl + Right arrowOpt + Right arrowMove one word to the right.
BackspaceDeleteDelete one character to the left.
DeleteFn + DeleteDelete one character to the right.
Ctrl + BackspaceOpt + DeleteDelete one word to the left.
Ctrl + DeleteFn + Opt + DeleteDelete one word to the right.
Shift + EnterShift + ReturnInsert a line break without starting a new paragraph.
F7Check spelling.
Shift + F7Open the thesaurus for the currently selected word.
Shift + F10Display the context menu for the currently focused object.
Ctrl + Shift + WPerform the action suggested on the Information Bar when it appears at the top of a page.
Ctrl + Alt + PPlay the selected audio recording.
Ctrl+Alt+SStop audio recording playback.
Ctrl + Alt + YSkip the current audio recording backward by 10 seconds.
Ctrl + Alt + USkip the current audio recording forward by 10 seconds.
Format Notes
Ctrl + Alt + HCommand + Alt + HHighlight the selected text.
Ctrl + KCommand + KInsert a hyperlink.
Ctrl + Shift + CCommand + Opt + CCopy the formatting of the selected text.
Ctrl + Shift + VCommand + Opt + VPaste the formatting to the selected text.
Enter (when on the hyperlink text)ReturnOpen a hyperlink.
Ctrl + BCommand + BApply or remove bold formatting.
Ctrl + ICommand + IApply or remove italics formatting.
Ctrl + UCommand + UApply or remove underline formatting.
Ctrl + HyphenCommand + HyphenApply or remove strikethrough formatting.
Ctrl + Shift + Equal signCommand + Shift + Equal signApply or remove superscript formatting.
Ctrl + PeriodCommand + PeriodApply or remove bulleted list formatting.
Ctrl + Forward slashCommand + Forward slashApply or remove numbered list formatting.
Ctrl + Alt + 1Command + Alt + 1Apply a Heading 1 style to the current note.
Ctrl + Alt + 2Command + Alt + 2Apply a Heading 2 style to the current note.
Ctrl + Alt + 3Command + Alt + 3Apply a Heading 3 style to the current note.
Ctrl + Alt + 4Command + Alt + 4Apply a Heading 4 style to the current note.
Ctrl + Shift + NCommand + Shift + NClear all formatting applied to the selected text.
Tab
or Alt + Shift + Right arrow
TabIncrease the paragraph indent.
Shift + Tab
or Alt + Shift + Left arrow
Shift + TabDecrease the paragraph indent.
Ctrl + LCommand + LLeft align paragraph.
Ctrl + RCommand + RRight align paragraph.
Ctrl + Shift + Right angle bracketIncrease the font size of the selected text.
Ctrl + Shift + Left angle bracketDecrease the font size of the selected text.
Ctrl + Shift + RShow or hide the rule lines on the current page.
Insert Items
Alt + N, FInsert a document or file on the current page.
Alt + N, OInsert a document or file as a printout on the current page.
Alt + N, PInsert a picture from a file.
Alt + N, SInsert a sticker.
Win + Shift + S, then Ctrl + VInsert a screen clipping.
Alt + Shift + DInsert the current date.
Alt + Shift + FInsert the current date and time.
Alt + Shift + TInsert the current time.
Shift + EnterInsert a line break.
Alt + Equal signStart a math equation or convert selected text to a math equation.
Work With Tables
Tab (after typing a new line of text)Create a table.
TabCreate another column in a table with a single row.
EnterEnterCreate another row when at the end cell of a table.
Ctrl + EnterCommand + EnterInsert a row below the current row.
Alt + EnterCreate another paragraph in the same cell in a table.
Ctrl + Alt + RCommand + Ctrl + RCreate a column to the right of the current column in a table.
Ctrl + Alt + ECommand + Ctrl + LCreate a column to the left of the current column in a table.
Enter (when the cursor is at the beginning of any row)ReturnCreate a row above the current one in a table.
Tab (when in the last cell of the table)TabCreate a new cell or row.
DeleteDelete the current empty row in a table.
Select Text or Objects
Ctrl + ACommand + ASelect all items on the current page.
Shift + EndSelect to the end of the line from the current cursor location.
Shift + Down arrow
(when the cursor is at the beginning of the line)
Select the whole line.
Ctrl + Shift + TJump to the title of the page and select it.
EscCancel selecting the outline or page.
Alt + Shift + Up arrowMove the selected paragraphs upward.
Alt + Shift + Down arrowMove the selected paragraphs downward.
Alt + Shift + Left arrowIncrease the paragraph indent.
Alt + Shift + Right arrowDecrease the paragraph indent.
Ctrl + Shift + HyphenSelect the current paragraph and its subordinate paragraphs.
DeleteDelete the selected note or object.
HomeMove to the beginning of the line.
EndMove to the end of the line.
Alt + Left arrowGo back to the last page visited.
Alt + Right arrow keyGo forward to the next page visited.
Tag Notes
Ctrl + 1Command + 1Apply, select, or clear the To Do tag.
Ctrl + 2Command + 2Apply or clear the Important tag.
Ctrl + 3Command + 3Apply or clear the Question tag.
Ctrl + 4Command + 4Apply or clear the Remember for Later tag.
Ctrl + 5Command + 5Apply or clear the Definition tag.
Ctrl + 6Command + 6Apply or clear the Highlight tag.
Ctrl + 7Command + 7Apply or clear the Contact tag.
Ctrl + 8Command + 8Apply or clear the Address tag.
Ctrl + 9Command + 9Apply or clear the Phone Number tag.
Ctrl + 0Command + 0Remove all selected note tags.
Outlines
Alt + Shift + 1Ctrl + Shift + 1Collapse the selected outline to Level 1.
Alt + Shift + 2Ctrl + Shift + 2Collapse the selected outline to Level 2.
Alt + Shift + 3Ctrl + Shift + 3Collapse the selected outline to Level 3.
Alt + Shift + 4Ctrl + Shift + 4Collapse the selected outline to Level 4.
Alt + Shift + 5Ctrl + Shift + 5Collapse the selected outline to Level 5.
Alt + Shift + 6Ctrl + Shift + 6Collapse the selected outline to Level 6.
Alt + Shift + 7Ctrl + Shift + 7Collapse the selected outline to Level 7.
Alt + Shift + 8Ctrl + Shift + 8Collapse the selected outline to Level 8.
Alt + Shift + 9Ctrl + Shift + 9Collapse the selected outline to Level 9.
Alt + Shift + 0Ctrl + Shift + 0Expand all levels of an outline.
Alt + Shift + Equal signExpand the selected heading.
Alt + Shift + HyphenCollapse the selected heading.
Alt + Shift + Plus signCtrl + Shift + Plus signExpand a selected, collapsed outline.
Alt + Shift + Minus signCtrl + Shift + Minus signCollapse a selected, expanded outline.
Pages, Notebooks, Sections
Ctrl + OCommand + OOpen a notebook.
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + OOpen a section.
F11Enable or disable the full-page view.
Ctrl + Shift + AsteriskExpand or collapse a page group in the page navigation pane.
Ctrl + PCommand + PPrint the current page.
Ctrl + TCommand + TCreate a new section.
Ctrl + NCommand + NAdd a new page at the end of the selected section.
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + NCreate a new subpage below the current page.
Ctrl + ACommand + ASelect all items.
Ctrl + Shift + ACommand + Shift + ASelect the current page.
Ctrl + TabCommand + Shift + Opening braceGo to the next section.
Ctrl +Shift + TabCommand + Shift + Closing braceGo to the previous section.
Ctrl + Page downCommand + Page downGo to the next page in a section.
Ctrl + Page upCommand + Page upGo to the previous page in a section.
Alt + HomeGo to the first page in the section.
Alt + EndGo to the last page in the section.
Page upPage upScroll up in the current page.
Page downPage downScroll down in the current page.
Ctrl + HomeScroll to the top of the current page.
Ctrl + EndScroll to the bottom of the current page.
Ctrl + Down arrowCommand + Down arrowGo to the next paragraph.
Ctrl + Up arrowCommand + Up arrowGo to the previous paragraph.
Ctrl + SCommand + SSynchronize the notebook.
Ctrl + Alt + MCommand + Shift + MMove or copy the current page.
Ctrl + Alt + GCommand + Shift + GPut focus on the current page tab.
Ctrl + Shift + ACommand + Shift + ASelect the current page tab.
Ctrl + Shift + GPut focus on the current section tab.
Ctrl + Shift + G, then Shift + F10 Move the current section.

Image credit: Christina Morillo via Pexels

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Megan Glosson
Megan Glosson - Staff Writer

Megan Glosson is a freelance technology writer based in Nashville, TN. She has extensive experience working with everything from printers to smart home systems, and serves as the go-to “tech guru” for a small business that sells digital products. Megan has created thousands of articles for online publications and company blogs, including How-To Geek, Clean Email, and Review Geek. When she’s not writing, you will probably find Megan playing board games with her partner and two children or swimming in the pool. You can check out Megan’s entire portfolio on her website, https://www.meganglosson.com/.