Microsoft Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts

Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts Featured

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most widely used email clients on the market. Many companies use it because of all of the tools and signature customizations it includes, while some people use it for their personal email because you can combine up to 20 email addresses into a single Outlook account and access them all simultaneously. What’s more, Outlook includes many other productivity tools, like a calendar, task manager, and note-taking.

While there are definitely benefits to using Outlook, it sometimes takes forever to navigate through the endless menu options to perform simple functions. Luckily, there are keyboard shortcuts to perform nearly every function within Outlook if you learn them. Of course, you don’t have to master them all right away – you can just take advantage of this list of Microsoft Outlook keyboard shortcuts.

Microsoft Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts Download

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WindowsmacOSFunction
Navigating Outlook
Alt + HGo to the Home tab.
Ctrl + 1Command + 1Switch to Mail.
Ctrl + 2Command + 2Switch to Calendar.
Ctrl + 3Command + 3Switch to Contacts.
Ctrl + 4Command + 4Switch to Tasks.
Ctrl + 5Command + 5Switch to Notes.
Ctrl + Shift + ISwitch to Inbox.
Ctrl + 8Open Journal.
Ctrl + Shift + BCommand + 0Open Address Book (contact search in MacOS).
Alt + B or Alt + Left arrow Shift + Ctrl + [Go back to previous view.
Alt + Right arrow Shift + Ctrl + ]Move forward to next view.
Down arrow Ctrl + ]Switch to next message.
Up arrow Ctrl + [Switch to previous message.
EscCommand + WClose a window or menu.
Creating Items in Outlook
Ctrl + Shift + MCommand + NCreate Message. *
Ctrl + Shift + CCommand + NCreate Contact. *
Ctrl + Shift + LCreate Contact Group.
Ctrl + Shift + ACommand + NCreate Appointment. *
Ctrl + Shift + NCommand + NCreate Note. *
Ctrl + Shift + QCreate Meeting Request.
Ctrl + Shift + EShift + Command + NCreate Folder. *
Ctrl + Shift + KCommand + NCreate Task. *
Ctrl + Shift + HCreate MS Office Document.
Searching In Outlook
Ctrl + E (or F3)Option + Command + FGo to search field.
Ctrl + Shift + FShift + Command + FUse Advanced Find.
F4Command + FSearch text within open item.
Ctrl + Alt + KOption + Command + FExpand search to current folder.
Ctrl + Alt + ZExpand search to subfolders.
Ctrl + Alt + AExpand search to All.
Ctrl + Shift + PCreate a search folder.
EscClear search results.
Mail Shortcuts
Ctrl + Shift + ISwitch to Inbox.
Ctrl + Shift + OSwitch to Outbox.
Ctrl + Shift + I
(within message)
Display blocked content.
Alt + SCommand + ReturnSend a message.
Ctrl + FCommand + JForward a message.
Ctrl + Alt + FForward a message as an attachment.
Ctrl + RCommand + RReply to a message.
Ctrl + Shift + RShift + Command + RRely all.
Ctrl + Alt + RReply to a meeting request.
Ctrl + Alt + JCommand + Shift + Opt + JMark as not junk.
Ctrl + Shift + DDeleteDelete a conversation.
Ctrl + QCommand + TMark as read.
Ctrl + UShift + Command + TMark as unread.
Ctrl + Shift + GCtrl + 5Flag a message.
Ctrl + PCommand + PPrint a message.
Ctrl + SCommand + SSave an item.
Ctrl + Alt + MMark an item for download.
Ctrl + M (or F9)Check for new messages.
Down arrow keyGo to next message.
Up arrow keyGo to previous message.
Calendar Shortcuts
Command + 2Open calendar view.
Ctrl + NCommand + NCreate a new appointment.
Alt + OCommand + OOpen a calendar event.
DeleteDeleteDelete a calendar event (when selected).
Ctrl + GCommand + TSwitch view to today.
Ctrl + Alt + 3Command + 2Switch to week view.
Alt + EqualCommand + 3Switch to month view.
Ctrl + FForward an appointment or meeting.
Ctrl + Left arrowCommand + Opt + Left arrowMove to previous day (in day view).
Ctrl + Right arrowCommand + Opt + Right arrowMove to next day (in day view).
Alt + Up arrowCommand + Opt + Left arrow Move to previous week (in week view).
Alt + Down arrowCommand + Opt + Right arrowMove to next week (in week view).
Alt + Page upCommand + Opt + Left arrow Move to previous month (in month view).
Alt + Page downCommand + Opt + Right arrowMove to next month (in month view).
Contacts Shortcuts
Ctrl + NCommand + NCreate new contact.
Ctrl + OCommand + OOpen a contact to edit.
DeleteDeleteDelete a contact.
Ctrl + [Move to previous contact.
Ctrl + Shift + .Ctrl + ]Move to next contact.
Task Shortcuts
Ctrl + NCommand + NCreate a new task.
Ctrl + CAccept a task request.
Ctrl + DDecline a task request.
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + UCreate a task request.
InsertMark a task as complete
Text Formatting Shortcuts
Alt + ODisplay the Format Text tab on the ribbon.
Ctrl + Shift + PDisplay the font dialog box.
Ctrl + ] + >Increase font size.
Ctrl + [ + <Decrease font size.
Ctrl + BCommand + BApply bold formatting.
Ctrl + ICommand + IApply italic formatting.
Ctrl + UCommand + UUnderline text.
Ctrl + Shift + SCommand + Shift + XStrike through text.
Ctrl + Shift + LCreate a bulleted list.
Ctrl + TCommand + ]Increase indent.
Ctrl + Shift + TCommand + [Decrease indent.
Ctrl + ECommand + |Center text.
Ctrl + LCommand + {Left align text.
Ctrl + RCommand + }Right align text.
Ctrl + X Command + XCut selected text.
Ctrl + CCommand + CCopy selected text.
Ctrl + VCommand + VPaste text.
Ctrl + Shift + ZClear formatting.
Ctrl + QRemove paragraph formatting.
Printing Shortcuts
Alt + F, then POpen the Print page in the File menu.
Alt + F, then P, PPrint an item from an open window.
Alt + SOpen Page Setup dialog box on Print page.
Alt + F + P + ISelect a printer from the Print page.
Alt + F + P + ROpen Print Options dialog box.
Ribbon Navigation
(Windows Only)
Alt + HOpen the Home tab.
Alt + FOpen the File menu.
Alt + J + SOpen the Send/Receive tab.
Alt + OOpen the Folder tab.
Alt + VOpen the View tab.
Ctrl + EOpen the Search tab.

* Must have appropriate window open for Mac.

Image credit: ©monticello/123RF.COM

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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/.