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Microsoft Outlook – full list of keyboard shortcuts

by Shortcut Dude · Published May 18, 2015 · Updated January 27, 2021

Microsoft Outlook is quite a complex program so this is a long list here. Normally you only need a fraction of these. Your best bet is to select your tasks from below and then learn those shortcuts. Note: This list applies to Office 2013, though most will work with earlier versions as well.

Basic navigation		Format text

To do this	Press	To do this	Press
Switch to Mail.	Ctrl+1	Display the Format menu.	Alt+O
Switch to Calendar.	Ctrl+2	Display the Font dialog box.	Ctrl+Shift+P
Switch to Contacts.	Ctrl+3	Switch case (with text selected).	Shift+F3
Switch to Tasks.	Ctrl+4	Format letters as small capitals.	Ctrl+Shift+K
Switch to Notes.	Ctrl+5	Make letters bold.	Ctrl+B
Switch to Folder List in Folder Pane.	Ctrl+6	Add bullets.	Ctrl+Shift+L
Switch to Shortcuts.	Ctrl+7	Make letters italic.	Ctrl+I
Switch to next message (with message open).	Ctrl+Period	Increase indent.	Ctrl+T
Switch to previous message (with message open).	Ctrl+Comma	Decrease indent.	Ctrl+Shift+T
Move between the Folder Pane, the main Outlook window, the Reading Pane, and the To-Do Bar.	Ctrl+Shift+Tab or Shift+Tab	Left align.	Ctrl+L
Move between the Outlook window, the smaller panes in the Folder Pane, the Reading Pane, and the sections in the To-Do Bar.	Tab	Center.	Ctrl+E
Move between the Outlook window, the smaller panes in the Folder Pane, the Reading Pane, and the sections in the To-Do Bar, and show the access keys in the Outlook ribbon.	F6	Underline.	Ctrl+U
Move around message header lines in the Folder Pane or an open message.	Ctrl+Tab	Increase font size.	Ctrl+] or Ctrl+Shift+>
Move around within the Folder Pane.	Arrow keys	Decrease font size.	Ctrl+[ or Ctrl+Shift+<
Go to a different folder.	Ctrl+Y	Cut.	Ctrl+X or Shift+Delete
Go to the Search box.	F3 or Ctrl+E	Copy.	Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Insert
In the Reading Pane, go to the previous message.	Alt+Up Arrow or Ctrl+Comma or Alt+Page Up
In the Reading Pane, page down through text.	Spacebar		Note Ctrl+Insert is not available in the Reading Pane.
In the Reading Pane, page up through text.	Shift+Spacebar	Paste.	Ctrl+V or Shift+Insert
Collapse or expand a group in the email message list.	Left Arrow or Right Arrow, respectively	Clear formatting.	Ctrl+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Spacebar
Go back to previous view in main Outlook window.	Alt+B or Alt+Left Arrow	Delete the next word.	Ctrl+Shift+H
Go forward to next view in main Outlook window.	Alt+Right Arrow	Stretch a paragraph to fit between the margins.	Ctrl+Shift+J
Select the InfoBar and, if available, show the menu of commands.	Ctrl+Shift+W	Apply styles.	Ctrl+Shift+S
		Create a hanging indent.	Ctrl+T
Search		Insert a hyperlink.	Ctrl+K
		Left align a paragraph.	Ctrl+L
To do this	Press	Right align a paragraph.	Ctrl+R
Find a message or other item.	Ctrl+E	Reduce a hanging indent.	Ctrl+Shift+T
Clear the search results.	Esc	Remove paragraph formatting.	Ctrl+Q
Expand the search to include All Mail Items, All Calendar Items, or All Contact Items, depending on the module you are in.	Ctrl+Alt+A
Use Advanced Find.	Ctrl+Shift+F	Add web information to items
Create a Search Folder.	Ctrl+Shift+P
Search for text within an open item.	F4	To do this	Press
Find and replace text, symbols, or some formatting commands. Works in the Reading Pane on an open item.	Ctrl+H	Edit a URL in the body of an item.	Hold down Ctrl and click the mouse button.
Expand search to include items from the current folder.	Ctrl+Alt+K	Insert a hyperlink.	Ctrl+K
Expand search to include subfolders.	Ctrl+Alt+Z
		Printing
Flags
		To do this	Press
To do this	Press	Open Print tab in Backstage view.	Press Alt+F, and then press P
Open the Flag for Follow Up dialog box to assign a flag.	Ctrl+Shift+G	To print an item from an open window.	Alt+F, press P, and then press F and press 1
		Open Page Setup from Print Preview.	Alt+S or Alt+U
Color Categories		To select a printer from Print Preview.	Alt+F, press P, and then press I
		To Define Print Styles.	Alt+F, press P, and then press L
To do this	Press	To open Print Options.	Alt+F, press P, and then press R
Delete the selected category from the list in the Color Categories dialog box.	Alt+D
		Send/Receive
Create an item or file
		To do this	Press
To do this	Press	Start a send/receive for all defined Send/Receive groups with Include this group in Send/Receive (F9) selected. This can include headers, full items, specified folders, items less than a specific size, or any combination that you define.	F9
Create an appointment.	Ctrl+Shift+A	Start a send/receive for the current folder, retrieving full items (header, item, and any attachments).	Shift+F9
Create a contact.	Ctrl+Shift+C	Start a send/receive.	Ctrl+M
Create a contact group.	Ctrl+Shift+L	Define Send/Receive groups.	Ctrl+Alt+S
Create a fax.	Ctrl+Shift+X
Create a folder.	Ctrl+Shift+E	Visual Basic Editor
Create a meeting request.	Ctrl+Shift+Q
Create a message.	Ctrl+Shift+M	To do this	Press
Create a note.	Ctrl+Shift+N	Open Visual Basic Editor.	Alt+F11
Create a Microsoft Office document.	Ctrl+Shift+H
Post to this folder.	Ctrl+Shift+S	Macros
Post a reply in this folder.	Ctrl+T
Create a Search Folder.	Ctrl+Shift+P	To do this	Press
Create a task.	Ctrl+Shift+K	Play macro.	Alt+F8
Create a task request.	Ctrl+Shift+U
		Forms
Command commands in most items
		To do this	Press
To do this	Press	Create an Office InfoPath form.	Click in an InfoPath folder, and then Ctrl+N.
Save (except in Tasks).	Ctrl+S or Shift+F12	Choose a Microsoft InfoPath form.	Ctrl+Shift+Alt+T
Save and close (except in Mail).	Alt+S
Save as (only in Mail).	F12	Views
Undo.	Ctrl+Z or Alt+Backspace
Delete an item.	Ctrl+D	Table view
Print.	Ctrl+P
Copy an item.	Ctrl+Shift+Y	To do this	Press
Move an item.	Ctrl+Shift+V	Open an item.	Enter
Check names.	Ctrl+K	Select all items.	Ctrl+A
Check spelling.	F7	Go to the item at the bottom of the screen.	Page Down
Flag for follow-up.	Ctrl+Shift+G	Go to the item at the top of the screen.	Page Up
Forward.	Ctrl+F	Extend or reduce the selected items by one item.	Shift+Up Arrow or Shift+Down Arrow, respectively
Send or post or invite all.	Alt+S	Go to the next or previous item without extending the selection.	Ctrl+Up Arrow or Ctrl+Down Arrow, respectively
Enable editing in a field (except in Mail or Icon view).	F2	Select or cancel selection of the active item.	Ctrl+Spacebar
Left align text.	Ctrl+L
Center text.	Ctrl+E	With a group selected
Right align text.	Ctrl+R
		To do this	Press
Mail		Expand a single selected group.	Right Arrow
		Collapse a single selected group.	Left Arrow
To do this	Press	Select the previous group.	Up Arrow
Switch to Inbox.	Ctrl+Shift+I	Select the next group.	Down Arrow
Switch to Outbox.	Ctrl+Shift+O	Select the first group.	Home
Choose the account from which to send a message.	Ctrl+Tab (with focus on the To box), and then Tab to the Accounts button	Select the last group.	End
Check names.	Ctrl+K	Select the first item on screen in an expanded group or the first item off screen to the right.	Right Arrow
Send.	Alt+S
Reply to a message.	Ctrl+R	Calendar Day/Week/Month view
Reply all to a message.	Ctrl+Shift+R
Reply with meeting request.	Ctrl+Alt+R	To do this	Press
Forward a message.	Ctrl+F	View from 1 through 9 days.	Alt+key for number of days
Mark a message as not junk.	Ctrl+ Alt+J	View 10 days.	Alt+0 (zero)
Display blocked external content (in a message).	Ctrl+Shift+I	Switch to weeks.	Alt+Minus Sign
Post to a folder.	Ctrl+ Shift+S	Switch to months.	Alt+=
Apply Normal style.	Ctrl+Shift+N	Move between Calendar, TaskPad, and the Folder List.	Ctrl+Tab or F6
Check for new messages.	Ctrl+M or F9	Select the previous appointment.	Shift+Tab
Go to the previous message.	Up Arrow	Go to the previous day.	Left Arrow
Go to the next message.	Down Arrow	Go to the next day.	Right Arrow
Create a message (when in Mail).	Ctrl+N	Go to the same day in the next week.	Alt+Down Arrow
Create a message (from any Outlook view).	Ctrl+Shift+M	Go to the same day in the previous week.	Alt+Up Arrow
Open a received message.	Ctrl+O
Delete and Ignore a Conversation.	Ctrl+Shift+D	Day view
Open the Address Book.	Ctrl+Shift+B
Add a Quick Flag to an unopened message.	Insert	To do this	Press
Display the Flag for Follow Up dialog box.	Ctrl+Shift+G	Select the time that begins your work day.	HOME
Mark as read.	Ctrl+Q	Select the time that ends your work day.	END
Mark as unread.	Ctrl+U	Select the previous block of time.	Up Arrow
Open the Mail Tip in the selected message.	Ctrl+Shift+W	Select the next block of time.	Down Arrow
Find or replace.	F4	Select the block of time at the top of the screen.	Page Up
Find next.	Shift+F4	Select the block of time at the bottom of the screen.	Page Down
Send.	Ctrl+Enter	Extend or reduce the selected time.	Shift+Up Arrow or Shift+Down Arrow, respectively
Print.	Ctrl+P	Move an appointment up or down.	With the cursor in the appointment, Alt+Up Arrow or Alt+Down Arrow, respectively
Forward.	Ctrl+F	Change an appointment’s start or end time.	With the cursor in the appointment, Alt+Shift+Up Arrow or Alt+Shift+Down Arrow, respectively
Forward as attachment.	Ctrl+Alt+F	Move selected item to the same day in the next week.	Alt+Down Arrow
Show the properties for the selected item.	Alt+Enter	Move selected item to the same day in the previous week.	Alt+Up Arrow
Create a multimedia message	Ctrl+Shift+U
Mark for Download.	Ctrl+Alt+M	Week view
Clear Mark for Download.	Ctrl+Alt+U
Display Send/Receive progress.	Ctrl+B (when a Send/Receive is in progress)	To do this	Press
		Go to the start of work hours for the selected day.	Home
Calendar		Go to the end of work hours for the selected day.	End
		Go up one page view in the selected day.	Page Up
To do this	Press	Go down one page view in the selected day.	Page Down
Create an appointment (when in Calendar).	Ctrl+N	Change the duration of the selected block of time.	Shift+Left Arrow, Shift+Right Arrow, Shift+Up Arrow, or Shift+Down Arrow; or Shift+Home or Shift+End
Create an appointment (in any Outlook view).	Ctrl+Shift+A
Create a meeting request.	Ctrl+Shift+Q	Month view
Forward an appointment or meeting.	Ctrl+F
Reply to a meeting request with a message.	Ctrl+R	To do this	Press
Reply All to a meeting request with a message.	Ctrl+Shift+R	Go to the first day of the week.	Home
Show 1 day in the calendar.	Alt+1	Go to the same day of the week in the previous page.	Page Up
Show 2 days in the calendar.	Alt+2	Go to the same day of the week in the next page.	Page Down
Show 3 days in the calendar.	Alt+3
Show 4 days in the calendar.	Alt+4	Date Navigator
Show 5 days in the calendar.	Alt+5
Show 6 days in the calendar.	Alt+6	To do this	Press
Show 7 days in the calendar.	Alt+7	Go to the first day of the current week.	Alt+Home
Show 8 days in the calendar.	Alt+8	Go to the last day of the current week.	Alt+End
Show 9 days in the calendar.	Alt+9	Go to the same day in the previous week.	Alt+Up Arrow
Show 10 days in the calendar.	Alt+0	Go to the same day in the next week.	Alt+Down Arrow
Go to a date.	Ctrl+G
Switch to Month view.	Alt+= or Ctrl+Alt+4	Business Cards view or Address Cards view
Go to the next day.	Ctrl+Right Arrow
Go to the next week.	Alt+Down Arrow	To do this	Press
Go to the next month.	Alt+Page Down	Select a specific card in the list.	One or more letters of the name that the card is filed under or the name of the field that you are sorting by
Go to the previous day.	Ctrl+Left Arrow	Select the previous card.	Up Arrow
Go to the previous week.	Alt+Up Arrow	Select the next card.	Down Arrow
Go to the previous month.	Alt+Page Up	Select the first card in the list.	Home
Go to the start of the week.	Alt+Home	Select the last card in the list.	End
Go to the end of the week.	Alt+End	Select the first card on the current page.	Page Up
Switch to Full Week view.	Alt+Minus Sign or Ctrl+Alt+3	Select the first card on the next page.	Page Down
Switch to Work Week view.	Ctrl+Alt+2	Select the closest card in the next column.	Right Arrow
Go to previous appointment.	Ctrl+Comma or Ctrl+Shift+Comma	Select the closest card in the previous column.	Left Arrow
Go to next appointment.	Ctrl+Period or Ctrl+Shift+Period	Select or cancel selection of the active card.	Ctrl+Spacebar
Set up recurrence for an open appointment or meeting.	Ctrl+G	Extend the selection to the previous card and cancel selection of cards after the starting point.	Shift+Up Arrow
		Extend the selection to the next card and cancel selection of cards before the starting point.	Shift+Down Arrow
See also under Views, Calendar Day/Week/Month view, and Date Navigator.		Extend the selection to the previous card, regardless of the starting point.	Ctrl+Shift+Up Arrow
		Extend the selection to the next card, regardless of the starting point.	Ctrl+Shift+Down Arrow
People		Extend the selection to the first card in the list.	Shift+Home
		Extend the selection to the last card in the list.	Shift+End
To do this	Press	Extend the selection to the first card on the previous page.	Shift+Page Up
Dial a new call.	Ctrl+Shift+D	Extend the selection to the last card on the last page.	Shift+Page Down
Find a contact or other item (Search).	F3 or Ctrl+E
Enter a name in the Search Address Books box.	F11	Move between fields in an open card
In Table or List view of contacts, go to first contact that starts with a specific letter.	Shift+letter
Select all contacts.	Ctrl+A	To use the following keys, make sure a field in a card is selected. To select a field when a card is selected, click the field.
Create a message with selected contact as subject.	Ctrl+F
Create a contact (when in Contacts).	Ctrl+N	To do this	Press
Create a contact (from any Outlook view).	Ctrl+Shift+C	Move to the next field and control.	Tab
Open a contact form for the selected contact.	Ctrl+O	Move to the previous field and control.	Shift+Tab
Create a contact group.	Ctrl+Shift+L	Close the active card.	Enter
Print.	Ctrl+P
Update a list of contact group members.	F5	Move between characters in a field
Go to a different folder.	Ctrl+Y
Open the Address Book.	Ctrl+Shift+B	To use the following keys, make sure a field in a card is selected. To select a field when a card is selected, click the field.
Use Advanced Find.	Ctrl+Shift+F
In an open contact, open the next contact listed.	Ctrl+Shift+Period	To do this	Press
Find a contact.	F11	Add a line in a multiline field.	Enter
Close a contact.	ESC	Move to the beginning of a line.	Home
Send a fax to the selected contact.	Ctrl+Shift+X	Move to the end of a line.	End
Open the Check Address dialog box.	Alt+D	Move to the beginning of a multiline field.	Page Up
In a contact form, under Internet, display the Email 1 information.	Alt+Shift+1	Move to the end of a multiline field.	Page Down
In a contact form, under Internet, display the Email 2 information.	Alt+Shift+2	Move to the previous line in a multiline field.	Up Arrow
In a contact form, under Internet, display the Email 3 information.	Alt+Shift+3	Move to the next line in a multiline field.	Down Arrow
		Move to the previous character in a field.	Left Arrow
In the Electronic Business Cards dialog box		Move to the next character in a field.	Right Arrow

To do this	Press	Timeline view (Tasks)
Open the Add list.	Alt+A
Select text in Label box when the field with a label assigned is selected.	Alt+B	When an item is selected
Open the Add Card Picture dialog box.	Alt+C
		To do this	Press
Place cursor at beginning of Edit box.	Alt+E	Select the previous item.	Left Arrow
Select the Fields box.	Alt+F	Select the next item.	Right Arrow
Select the Image Align drop-down list.	Alt+G	Select several adjacent items.	Shift+Left Arrow or Shift+Right Arrow
Select color palette for background.	Alt+K, then Enter	Select several nonadjacent items.	Ctrl+Left Arrow+Spacebar or Ctrl+Right Arrow+Spacebar
Select Layout drop-down list.	Alt+L	Open the selected items.	Enter
Remove a selected field from the Fields box.	Alt+R	Select the first item on the timeline (if items are not grouped) or the first item in the group.	Home
		Select the last item on the timeline (if items are not grouped) or the last item in the group.	End
Tasks		Display (without selecting) the first item on the timeline (if items are not grouped) or the first item in the group.	Ctrl+Home
		Display (without selecting) the last item on the timeline (if items are not grouped) or the last item in the group.	Ctrl+End
To do this	Press
Accept a task request.	Alt+C	When a group is selected
Decline a task request.	Alt+D
Find a task or other item.	Ctrl+E	To do this	Press
Open the Go to Folder dialog box.	Ctrl+Y	Expand the group.	Enter or Right Arrow
Create a task (when in Tasks).	Ctrl+N	Collapse the group.	Enter or Left Arrow
Create a task (from any Outlook view).	Ctrl+Shift+K	Select the previous group.	Up Arrow
Open selected item.	Ctrl+O	Select the next group.	Down Arrow
Print selected item.	Ctrl+P	Select the first group on the timeline.	Home
Select all items.	Ctrl+A	Select the last group on the timeline.	End
Delete selected item.	Ctrl+D	Select the first item on screen in an expanded group or the first item off screen to the right.	Right Arrow
Forward a task as an attachment.	Ctrl+F
Create a task request.	Ctrl+Shift+Alt+U	When a unit of time on the time scale for days is selected
Switch between the Folder Pane, Tasks list, and To-Do Bar.	Tab or Shift+Tab
Undo last action.	Ctrl+Z	To do this	Press
Flag an item or mark complete.	Insert	Move back in increments of time that are the same as those shown on the time scale.	Left Arrow
		Move forward in increments of time that are the same as those shown on the time scale.	Right Arrow
		Switch between active view, To-Do Bar, Search and back to active view.	Tab and Shift+Tab

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1 Response

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jOHN mEIKLE says:

January 16, 2016 at 5:10 pm

Shortcut keys of the week seems to me to be an excellent idea, I am blind so maybe i appreciate this type of info more than a sighted person.