Do it Yourself Keyboard Shortcuts

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Let’s review. We discussed how to navigate in Windows and MS Word, sans mouse. Is it fair to say that you’re overwhelmed? Perhaps you don’t like the shortcuts I’ve explained so far. If they don’t meet your needs, you can make your own!

Make your own Keyboard Shortcuts

Once again, few people know that you can customize MS Word functions, while even fewer know that any function, which can be customized, can be outfitted with a personalized keyboard shortcut.

Try the procedure below to create your own shortcut:

  1. Open the Word Customize dialog – Alt + T + C.
  2. Type Alt + K to open Customize Keyboard dialog.
  3. Use the down arrow under Categories to select View.
  4. Type Tab and scroll with the down arrow to the desired command, for example, ViewRuler.
  5. Check in the Current keys box that there is no previously assigned shortcut (of course, you may change any previously assigned shortcut if you wish); type Tab to Press new shortcut key box, and then type in your new shortcut.
  6. Type Tab to Assign button and then type Enter; conversely type Remove and Enter to remove any shortcut.
  7. Type Tab to Close button and then Enter to close the Customize Keyboard dialog.
  8. Repeat step 7 to close the Customize dialog.

By the way, the above procedure applies not only to MS Word, but also to nearly all Microsoft Office applications – PowerPoint, Excel and the like. This article concludes our discussion of MS Word shortcuts. Take your time in mastering the content of the past three columns.

By now, you can see that I am not merely interested in introducing keyboard shortcuts. I actually have a mission – I want to encourage writers to use the mouse as little as possible.

Next time: We tackle MS PowerPoint without the mouse.