WordPad Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete Guide

WordPad — is a built-in Windows text editor that combines the simplicity of Notepad with basic formatting capabilities inherent in more advanced word processors. It supports working with formatted text (RTF, DOCX, ODT), inserting images, tables, hyperlinks, as well as basic object manipulation.

Although WordPad is not as functional as Microsoft Word, it has keyboard shortcuts that allow you to speed up document work. It's worth noting that many users simultaneously study Google Docs keyboard shortcuts for working with cloud documents, which expands skills for working with various text editors. Additionally, to achieve high typing speed, it's useful to regularly take a 100-word typing speed test, which will help improve efficiency not only in WordPad, but in any other text editors as well. Below is a complete list of WordPad key combinations, divided by categories.

File Management

• Ctrl + N — create new document.
• Ctrl + O — open existing document.
• Ctrl + S — save document.
• F12 — save as…
• Ctrl + P — print.
• Alt + F4 — close WordPad.

Text Editing

• Ctrl + Z — undo last action.
• Ctrl + Y — redo undone action.
• Ctrl + X — cut selected text.
• Ctrl + C — copy selected text.
• Ctrl + V — paste from clipboard.
• Delete — delete selected text or object.
• Ctrl + A — select all text in document.

Text Formatting

• Ctrl + B — bold font.
• Ctrl + I — italic.
• Ctrl + U — underline.
• Ctrl + Shift + > — increase font size.
• Ctrl + Shift + < — decrease font size.
• Ctrl + E — center alignment.
• Ctrl + L — left alignment.
• Ctrl + R — right alignment.
• Ctrl + J — justify alignment.
• Ctrl + 1 — single spacing.
• Ctrl + 2 — double spacing.
• Ctrl + 5 — 1.5 spacing.

Inserting Objects and Elements

• Alt + N, P — insert image.
• Alt + N, D — insert Paint drawing.
• Alt + N, T — insert object (e.g., chart or file).
• Alt + N, H — insert hyperlink.
• Alt + N, D, T — insert date and time.

Text Navigation

• Arrow keys — move by characters and lines.
• Ctrl + Left/Right arrow — move by words.
• Home — to beginning of line.
• End — to end of line.
• Ctrl + Home — to beginning of document.
• Ctrl + End — to end of document.
• Page Up / Page Down — scroll page up/down.

Find and Replace

• Ctrl + F — find text.
• F3 — find next occurrence.
• Ctrl + H — replace text.

Working with Tables and Lists

• Ctrl + Shift + L — bulleted list.
• Alt + H, N — numbered list.
• Tab — increase list indent.
• Shift + Tab — decrease list indent.

WordPad Window Management

• Alt + Spacebar — open window system menu.
• Ctrl + mouse wheel — change text display zoom.

WordPad — is a lightweight and convenient text editor that's perfect for quick notes, letters, and small texts with basic formatting. Keyboard shortcuts in it allow you to quickly manage files, easily insert images, objects and links, and search for needed information.

If you want to work in WordPad as productively as possible, start by learning basic commands (Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + F), then add formatting and object insertion to your arsenal.