Microsoft Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete Guide

Microsoft Outlook — one of the most popular email clients used for both personal and corporate correspondence. It combines email, calendar, contact list, tasks, and notes. When actively working with emails and daily plans, every second counts, and keyboard shortcuts help significantly speed up the process. It's particularly important to note that the effectiveness of working with keyboard shortcuts directly depends on typing skills — regular practice using a keyboard typing trainer and proper system configuration, including keyboard layout switching, substantially increase productivity when working with any office applications. Below is a complete list of Outlook keyboard shortcuts, grouped by functional areas.

General Commands

• Ctrl + N — create new email.
• Ctrl + O — open selected email.
• Ctrl + S — save item (email, task, event).
• Ctrl + P — print.
• Ctrl + W or Esc — close active window.
• Ctrl + Q — mark email as read.
• Ctrl + U — mark email as unread.

Working with Emails

Creating and sending:

• Ctrl + Shift + M — create new message from anywhere in Outlook.
• Ctrl + R — reply to sender.
• Ctrl + Shift + R — reply to all.
• Ctrl + F — forward email.
• Alt + S or Ctrl + Enter — send email.

Text formatting in email:

• Ctrl + B — bold font.
• Ctrl + I — italic.
• Ctrl + U — underline.
• Ctrl + Shift + L — bulleted list.
• Ctrl + T — tab in email text.

Outlook Navigation

• Ctrl + 1 — go to mail.
• Ctrl + 2 — go to calendar.
• Ctrl + 3 — go to contacts.
• Ctrl + 4 — go to tasks.
• Ctrl + 5 — go to notes.
• Ctrl + Tab — switch between open Outlook windows.

Working with Calendar

• Ctrl + Shift + A — create appointment.
• Alt + H, A, P — accept invitation.
• Alt + H, D — decline invitation.
• Alt + H, T — mark as «tentative».
• Alt + = — go to current date.

Contacts and Tasks

Contacts:

• Ctrl + Shift + C — create new contact.
• Ctrl + Shift + B — open address book.

Tasks:

• Ctrl + Shift + K — create new task.
• Ctrl + Shift + U — create note.

Search and Filtering

• Ctrl + E or F3 — start search in mailbox.
• Ctrl + Alt + K — advanced search.
• Ctrl + Shift + F — advanced item search window.

Working with Attachments

• Alt + J, A, F — add file as attachment.
• Alt + J, A, P — insert Outlook item as attachment.
• Ctrl + S — save attachment.

Time-Saving Combinations

Ctrl + Shift + G — add or change reminder for email.

Ctrl + D — delete email or item.

Ctrl + Shift + V — move email to another folder.

Microsoft Outlook — not just an email program, but a multifunctional tool for managing communications, time, and tasks. By mastering keyboard shortcuts, you can automate routine actions and thus significantly save time.

It's recommended to start with basic commands (Ctrl + N, Ctrl + R, Ctrl + 1–4), then gradually add more complex combinations to your practice. After just one week of active use, you'll notice how much your Outlook work speed has increased.