Google Docs Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete Guide

Google Docs supports an extensive set of keyboard shortcuts that allow you to work many times faster: from basic editing and formatting to navigating document structure, working with images, comments, footnotes, and even managing screen reader announcements. For users looking to maximize their efficiency, combining these shortcuts with regular practice using a fast typing online trainer free and keyboard testing online tools can significantly boost overall productivity. Below you'll find a systematized list of combinations for PC (Windows/Linux), macOS, and Chrome OS.

Basic Google Docs Principles

On macOS, ⌘ (Command) is typically used instead of Ctrl, and ⌥ (Option) instead of Alt. This is reflected in separate subsections.

The complete shortcut reference within Docs is called with Ctrl + / (PC/Chrome OS) or ⌘ + / (Mac). Menu command search ("Tool finder") — Alt + / (PC/Chrome OS) or ⌥ + / (Mac).

General Actions (file, search, modes, zoom)

PC (Windows/Linux)

• Copy/cut/paste: Ctrl +C / Ctrl + X / Ctrl + V
• Paste without formatting: Ctrl + Shift + V
• Undo/redo: Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Shift + Z
• Insert/edit link: Ctrl + K; open link: Alt + Enter
• Open popular shortcuts list: Ctrl + /
• Open/print/find/replace: Ctrl + O / Ctrl + P / Ctrl + F / Ctrl + H
• Hide top menus (compact mode): Ctrl + Shift + F
• Page break: Ctrl + Enter
• "Tool finder": Alt + / (or Alt + Shift + Z, in Chrome — Alt + Z)
• Repeat last action: Ctrl + Y
• Switch modes: editing Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Z, suggestions … + X, viewing … + C
• Zoom: Ctrl + + / Ctrl + - / Ctrl + 0.

macOS

• Equivalents: ⌘ +C / ⌘ + X / ⌘ + V, without formatting: ⌘ + Shift + V
• Undo/redo: ⌘ + Z / ⌘ + Shift + Z
• Link: ⌘ + K; open: ⌥ + Enter
• Shortcuts list: ⌘ + /; page break: ⌘ + Enter
• Tool finder: ⌥ + /; repeat last: ⌘ + Y
• Modes: editing ⌘ + ⌥ + Shift + Z, suggestions … + X, viewing … + C
• Zoom: ⌘ + + / ⌘ + - / ⌘ + 0.

Chrome OS

Same basics: Ctrl +C/X/V, without formatting — Ctrl + Shift + V; shortcuts lists — Ctrl + /; Tool finder — Alt + Z or Alt + /; modes and zoom — same as PC.

Text Formatting

PC (Windows/Linux, Chrome OS)

• Bold/italic/underline: Ctrl +B / Ctrl + I / Ctrl + U
• Strikethrough: Alt + Shift + 5
• Superscript/subscript: Ctrl + . / Ctrl + ,
• Copy/paste formatting: Ctrl + Alt + C / Ctrl + Alt + V
• Clear format: Ctrl + \ (or Ctrl + Space)
• Font size ±: Ctrl + Shift + . / Ctrl + Shift + ,.

macOS

• ⌘ +B / ⌘ + I / ⌘ + U, strikethrough: ⌘ + Shift + X
• Superscript/subscript: ⌘ + . / ⌘ + ,
• Formatting: ⌘ + ⌥ + C / ⌘ + ⌥ + V, clear: ⌘ + \
• Font size ±: ⌘ + Shift + . / ⌘ + Shift + ,.

Paragraph Format and Lists

PC (Windows/Linux, Chrome OS)

• Paragraph indents: Ctrl + ] / Ctrl + [
• Styles: normal Ctrl + Alt + 0; headings Ctrl + Alt + 1…6
• Alignment: left/center/right/justify — Ctrl + Shift + L / E / R / J
• Numbered/bulleted/checklist: Ctrl + Shift + 7 / 8 / 9
• Move paragraph up/down: Ctrl + Shift + ↑/↓.

macOS

• Indents: ⌘ + ] / ⌘ + [
• Styles: ⌘ + ⌥ + 0 / … + 1–6
• Alignment: ⌘ + Shift + L/E/R/J
• Lists: ⌘ + Shift + 7/8/9
• Paragraph movement: Ctrl + Shift + ↑/↓.

Text Selection with Keyboard (and Mouse)

1. All/deselect: Ctrl + A / "holding Ctrl + Alt, then U, then A".
2. Extend selection:

• by character/line — Shift + ←/→, Shift + ↑/↓;
• by word — Ctrl + Shift + ←/→;
• to beginning/end of line — Shift + Home/End;
• to beginning/end of document — Ctrl + Shift + Home/End.

3. By lists: "Ctrl + Alt + Shift, then E, then I/O" — select current item and all at level.
4. With mouse: double click — word, triple — paragraph (with dragging — by words/paragraphs).

Comments, Suggestions and Footnotes

1. Insert comment: Ctrl + Alt + M (Mac: ⌘ + ⌥ + M)
2. Open discussion thread/comment history: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + A
3. Navigate comments: R (reply), J/K (forward/back), E (resolve), U (exit) — when comment is selected
4. Footnotes: insert — Ctrl + Alt + F, navigate to current/next/previous — combinations like "Ctrl + Alt, then E/N/P, then F".

Images and Drawings (size, rotation, alt text)

1. Alt text: Ctrl + Alt + Y (Mac: ⌘ + ⌥ + Y)
2. Resize: larger/smaller — Ctrl + Alt + K/J; horizontally: … + B/W; vertically: … + I/Q
3. Rotation: 15° — Alt + ←/→ (Mac: ⌥ + ←/→), 1° — Alt + Shift + ←/→ (Mac: ⌥ + Shift + …)
4. Close drawing editor: Shift + Esc (Mac also ⌘ + Esc).

Menu and Context Menu with Keyboard

1. Context menu: Ctrl + Shift + X (or Shift + F10; Mac: ⌘ + Shift + \ or Shift + F10)
2. Access to menu bar (Chrome/other browsers):
3. Alt + F/E/V/I/O/T/H (or Alt + Shift + … in non-browser layouts)
4. Mac: Ctrl + ⌥ + F/E/V/I/O/T/H
5. "Accessibility" menu (when screen reader enabled): Alt + A (Mac: Ctrl + ⌥ + A)
6. "Input Tools" menu (for non-Latin languages): Ctrl + Alt + Shift + K (Mac: ⌘ + ⌥ + Shift + K).

Document and Table Navigation (structure, outline)

1. Show outline/structure: "Ctrl + Alt, then A, then H" (Mac: Ctrl + ⌘, then A, then H)
2. To next/previous heading: "Ctrl + Alt, then N/P, then H" (for levels 1–6 — press number instead of H)
3. To next/previous image/list/table: similarly — "Ctrl + Alt, then N/P, then G/O/T"
4. Through tables: series "Ctrl + Alt + Shift, then T, then letter (S/D/I/K/J/L/M/G/E etc.)" — to beginning/end of table, column, row, to adjacent rows/columns, exit table. (On Mac instead of Ctrl + Alt — Ctrl + ⌘.)

Service Tools and Navigation

1. Version history: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H (Mac: ⌘ + ⌥ + Shift + H)
2. "Explore": Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I (Mac: ⌘ + ⌥ + Shift + I)
3. Spelling/grammar: Ctrl + Alt + X (Mac: ⌘ + ⌥ + X / Fn + F7)
4. Dictionary: Ctrl + Shift + Y (Mac: ⌘ + Shift + Y)
5. Word count: Ctrl + Shift + C (Mac: ⌘ + Shift + C)
6. Voice input (in Chrome): Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + S
7. Side panel: Ctrl/⌘ + Alt/⌥ + . and ,
8. Page up/down: Page Up / Page Down (on Mac — Fn + ↑/↓).

Accessibility: Screen Reader and Braille Support

Before use, enable screen reader support: Ctrl + Alt + Z (PC/Chrome OS) or ⌘ + ⌥ + Z (Mac). Then voice/braille commands are available for announcing selection, cursor position, formatting, headings, table cells, etc. (sequences like "Ctrl + Alt, then A/T, then another key"). There are also commands "Show live edits", "Announce comment/comment anchor", etc. Detailed sequences are provided in the official shortcuts help and Google editors accessibility materials.

Chrome OS: Differences and Additions

On Chromebook almost all combinations match PC. Additionally, there are variants with the Search key for quick jumps to document beginning/end and proprietary variants for side panel and document navigation (see Chrome OS sections in the official table).

Advanced Memory Tips

1. Master the basics (copy/paste, undo/redo, search, page break).
2. Modes in one swoop: editing/suggestions/viewing — one pattern (… + Shift + Z/X/C).
3. Unified formatting logic: fonts (B/I/U), lists (7/8/9), alignment (L/E/R/J).
4. Tool finder (Alt/⌥ + /) finds any command without mouse at all.
5. Outline and navigation: remember "Ctrl + Alt, then N/P, then …" — fastest way to jump through structure.

Google Docs keyboard shortcuts cover all scenarios — from basic text entry to fine navigation through structure, working with comments, images, and checking tools. Master the minimum (search, formatting, modes, Tool finder), then expand your arsenal: lists, outline, tables, comments, dictionary, version history, and accessibility.

For the current list, always keep handy the built-in cheat sheet Ctrl/⌘ + / and the official reference — Google regularly updates it.