OneNote keyboard shortcuts
Microsoft documents far more OneNote keys for Windows than for the Mac, so many Mac cells here say Not listed rather than guess. This is the OneNote desktop app on Windows, once called OneNote 2016, and OneNote for Mac; OneNote for Windows 10 reached the end of support in October 2025 and is not covered. OneNote saves as you type, so Ctrl+S syncs rather than saves.
Checked against Microsoft Support — Keyboard shortcuts in OneNote. Version: OneNote for Microsoft 365 on Windows (the desktop app, formerly OneNote 2016) and OneNote for Mac, default keys.
Showing the Windows keyboard. Showing the Mac keyboard.
160 shortcuts
The top 20 are the OneNote shortcuts this page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear here. The drill asks the marked ones first too, shuffled. Or tick your own and print those.
The 20 to learn first: the shortcuts the OneNote page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear on it.
Your own sheet: the OneNote shortcuts you ticked.
Pages, sections and notebooks
Practise theseAdd a new page # On Windows it goes at the end of the selected section.WinControl plusNMacCommand plusN
Add a subpage below the current page #WinControl plusAlt plusShift plusNMacNot listed
Go to the next page in the section # On a Mac, with the focus in the page list (Cmd+Ctrl+G), Ctrl+Opt+Down does the same.WinControl plusPage DownMacCommand plusPage Down
Go to the previous page in the section # Ctrl+Opt+Up in the Mac page list.WinControl plusPage UpMacCommand plusPage Up
Go to the first page in the section #WinAlt plusHomeMacNot listed
Go to the last page in the section #WinAlt plusEndMacNot listed
Go to the first page showing in the page list #WinAlt plusPage UpMacNot listed
Go to the last page showing in the page list #WinAlt plusPage DownMacNot listed
Go back to the page you were on before #WinAlt plusLeft arrowMacNot listed
Go forward again #WinAlt plusRight arrowMacNot listed
Create a new section #WinControl plusTMacNot listed
Go to the next section #WinControl plusTabMacNot listed
Go to the previous section #WinControl plusShift plusTabMacNot listed
Switch between the sections of a notebook #WinNot listedMacShift plusCommand plus{orShift plusCommand plus}
Open a notebook # On a Mac the same key is where you create a new notebook too.WinControl plusOMacCommand plusO
Open a section #WinControl plusAlt plusShift plusOMacNot listed
Close the current notebook #WinNot listedMacShift plusCommand plusW
Show your open notebooks # Control on a Mac too. On Windows, pick a section with Up or Down, or Tab to another notebook, then press Enter.WinControl plusGMacControl plusG
Move the page to another section # On Windows the same dialogue copies it. On a Mac, Cmd+Shift+C copies the page instead.WinControl plusAlt plusMMacShift plusCommand plusM
Move the focus to the page list # On Windows, Microsoft describes it as putting the focus on the current page tab.WinControl plusAlt plusGMacControl plusCommand plusG
Move the focus to the section list # On Windows, to move a section: Ctrl+Shift+G, an arrow key to the section, then Shift+F10 for its menu.WinControl plusShift plusGMacControl plusShift plusG
Select the current page # If the page is part of a group, Ctrl+A then selects every page in the group.WinControl plusShift plusAMacNot listed
Move the selected page up the page list #WinAlt plusShift plusUp arrowMacNot listed
Move the selected page down the page list #WinAlt plusShift plusDown arrowMacNot listed
Indent the page in the page list #WinControl plusAlt plusRight bracketMacNot listed
Outdent the page in the page list #WinControl plusAlt plusLeft bracketMacNot listed
Expand or collapse a page group # In the page list.WinControl plusShift plus*MacNot listed
Widen the page list #WinControl plusShift plusLeft bracketMacNot listed
Narrow the page list #WinControl plusShift plusRight bracketMacNot listed
Mark the page as unread #WinControl plusQMacNot listed
Open OneNote's preferences #WinNot listedMacCommand plusComma
Windows, views and syncing
Practise theseOpen OneNote #WinShift plusWindows key plusNMacNot listed
Open a new OneNote window #WinControl plusMMacNot listed
Create a Quick Note #WinControl plusShift plusMorAlt plusWindows key plusNMacNot listed
Dock the OneNote window #WinControl plusAlt plusDMacNot listed
Switch full-page view on or off # Microsoft calls it full-screen mode on a Mac.WinF11MacControl plusCommand plusF
Zoom in #WinControl plusPlusMacCommand plusPlus
Zoom out #WinControl plusMinusMacCommand plusMinus
Reset the zoom #WinNot listedMacCommand plus0
Show or hide the rule lines on the page #WinControl plusShift plusRMacNot listed
Sync this notebook now # OneNote saves your notes as you change them, so there is nothing to save by hand. On Windows, Shift+F9 syncs the current shared notebook.WinControl plusSMacCommand plusS
Sync every notebook # Microsoft's Windows list gives F9 for all shared notebooks.WinF9MacShift plusCommand plusS
Print the current page #WinControl plusPMacNot listed
Lock every password-protected section #WinControl plusAlt plusLMacNot listed
Do what the Information Bar suggests # When the bar appears at the top of a page.WinControl plusShift plusWMacNot listed
Typing, moving and selecting
Practise theseUndo the last action #WinControl plusZMacCommand plusZ
Redo the last action #WinControl plusYMacCommand plusY
Cut the selection #WinControl plusXMacCommand plusX
Copy the selection #WinControl plusCMacCommand plusC
Paste #WinControl plusVMacCommand plusV
Paste as plain text # Pastes without the formatting it was copied with.WinControl plusShift plusVMacNot listed
Start a new line without starting a new paragraph #WinShift plusEnterMacShift plusReturn
Move one word to the left #WinControl plusLeft arrowMacOption plusLeft arrow
Move one word to the right #WinControl plusRight arrowMacOption plusRight arrow
Move to the start of the line #WinHomeMacCommand plusLeft arrow
Move to the end of the line #WinEndMacCommand plusRight arrow
Go to the next paragraph #WinControl plusDown arrowMacCommand plusDown arroworOption plusDown arrow
Go to the previous paragraph #WinControl plusUp arrowMacCommand plusUp arroworOption plusUp arrow
Scroll up the page #WinPage UpMacPage Up
Scroll down the page #WinPage DownMacPage Down
Scroll to the top of the page #WinControl plusHomeMacNot listed
Scroll to the bottom of the page #WinControl plusEndMacNot listed
Jump to the page title # And selects it.WinControl plusShift plusTMacShift plusCommand plusT
Go to the next note container #WinAlt plusDown arrowMacNot listed
Move the cursor across the page, or make the page bigger that way # Microsoft describes it as moving the cursor, or expanding the page, in the direction of the arrow.WinControl plusAlt plusarrow keyMacNot listed
Move the cursor up the current outline #WinNot listedMacOption plusCommand plusUp arrow
Delete the word to the left #WinControl plusBackspaceMacOption plusDelete
Delete the word to the right #WinControl plusDeleteMacFunction key plusOption plusDeleteorOption plusForward Delete
Select everything on the page # Press it again to widen the selection.WinControl plusAMacCommand plusA
Select to the end of the line #WinShift plusEndMacNot listed
Select the whole line # With the cursor at the start of the line.WinShift plusDown arrowMacNot listed
Select the paragraph and the ones indented under it #WinControl plusShift plusMinusMacNot listed
Move the selected paragraphs up # In the page list, the same key moves the selected page up.WinAlt plusShift plusUp arrowMacNot listed
Move the selected paragraphs down #WinAlt plusShift plusDown arrowMacNot listed
Move the selected picture or object up #WinNot listedMacOption plusCommand plusUp arrow
Move the selected picture or object down #WinNot listedMacOption plusCommand plusDown arrow
Formatting notes
Practise theseHighlight the selected text #WinControl plusAlt plusHMacNot listed
Make the selection bold # Press again to remove it. The same goes for italics, underline and strikethrough.WinControl plusBMacNot listed
Put the selection in italics #WinControl plusIMacNot listed
Underline the selection #WinControl plusUMacNot listed
Strike through the selection #WinAlt plusMinusMacNot listed
Make the selection superscript #WinControl plusShift plusPlusMacOption plusShift plusCommand plusEquals
Make the selection subscript #WinControl plusShift plusMinusMacControl plusOption plusCommand plusEquals
Start a bulleted list # On Windows the same key removes the bullets. On a Mac, type it at the start of a line; Opt+8 types a single bullet character.WinControl plusFull stopMac*thenSpace bar
Start a numbered list # On Windows the same key removes the numbering.WinControl plusSlashMacCommand plusSlashor1thenSpace bar
Apply Heading 1 #WinControl plusAlt plus1MacNot listed
Apply Heading 2 #WinControl plusAlt plus2MacNot listed
Apply Heading 3 #WinControl plusAlt plus3MacNot listed
Apply Heading 4 # Ctrl+Alt+5 and Ctrl+Alt+6 apply Heading 5 and Heading 6.WinControl plusAlt plus4MacNot listed
Clear the formatting from the selection # It applies the Normal style.WinControl plusShift plusNMacNot listed
Indent the paragraph # Tab at the start of a line does it too.WinAlt plusShift plusRight arrowMacOption plusCommand plusRight arroworCommand plusRight bracket
Remove an indent # Shift+Tab at the start of a line does it too, on Windows.WinAlt plusShift plusLeft arrowMacOption plusCommand plusLeft arroworCommand plusLeft bracket
Align the paragraph left #WinControl plusLMacNot listed
Align the paragraph right #WinControl plusRMacNot listed
Make the font bigger #WinControl plusShift plus>MacNot listed
Make the font smaller #WinControl plusShift plus<MacNot listed
Copy the formatting of the selection # The Format Painter.WinControl plusAlt plusCMacOption plusCommand plusC
Paste that formatting onto the selection #WinControl plusAlt plusVMacOption plusCommand plusV
Insert a hyperlink #WinControl plusKMacNot listed
Open the link under the cursor # With the cursor on the link text.WinEnterMacReturnorShift plusReturn
Inserting things
Practise theseInsert today's date #WinAlt plusShift plusDMacCommand plusD
Insert the date and time #WinAlt plusShift plusFMacShift plusCommand plusD
Insert the time #WinAlt plusShift plusTMacNot listed
Start a maths equation # With text selected, it turns the text into an equation.WinAlt plusEqualsMacControl plusEquals
Insert a screen clipping # The OneNote icon has to be active in the notification area of the taskbar.WinShift plusWindows key plusSthenControl plusVMacNot listed
Insert a file on the page #WinAlt plusNthenFMacNot listed
Insert a file as a printout #WinAlt plusNthenOMacNot listed
Insert a picture from a file #WinAlt plusNthenPMacNot listed
Insert a sticker #WinAlt plusNthenSMacNot listed
Insert an emoji #WinNot listedMacControl plusCommand plusSpace bar
Show or hide printouts while a contrast theme is on # With a contrast theme in Windows 11, or high contrast mode in Windows 10.WinAlt plusShift plusPMacNot listed
Start a table from a line of text # Press it after typing a new line of text.WinTabMacNot listed
Add a column to a one-row table #WinTabMacNot listed
Add a row at the end of the table # From the last cell. Press Enter again to finish the table.WinEnterMacReturn
Insert a row below the current one #WinControl plusEnterMacCommand plusReturn
Insert a row above the current one # With the cursor at the start of any row except the first.WinEnterMacNot listed
Insert a column to the right #WinControl plusAlt plusRMacControl plusCommand plusR
Insert a column to the left #WinControl plusAlt plusEMacControl plusCommand plusL
Start a new paragraph in the same cell #WinAlt plusEnterMacOption plusReturn
Add a cell or row from the last cell #WinTabMacNot listed
Delete an empty row # With the cursor at the start of the row.WinDeletethenDeleteMacNot listed
Tags
Each key applies its tag, and pressing it again clears it. Microsoft lists them for Windows only.
Practise theseTag the note as a To Do # Press again to tick the box, and again to clear the tag.WinControl plus1MacNot listed
Tag the note as Important #WinControl plus2MacNot listed
Tag the note as a Question #WinControl plus3MacNot listed
Tag the note as Remember for later #WinControl plus4MacNot listed
Tag the note as a Definition #WinControl plus5MacNot listed
Tag the note as Highlight #WinControl plus6MacNot listed
Tag the note as a Contact #WinControl plus7MacNot listed
Tag the note as an Address #WinControl plus8MacNot listed
Tag the note as a Phone number #WinControl plus9MacNot listed
Remove every tag from the selected notes #WinControl plus0MacNot listed
Outlines and writing direction
Practise theseCollapse the outline to level 1 #WinAlt plusShift plus1MacNot listed
Expand the outline to level 2 # Alt+Shift+3 to Alt+Shift+9 expand it to levels 3 to 9.WinAlt plusShift plus2MacNot listed
Expand every level of the outline #WinAlt plusShift plus0MacNot listed
Expand the selected heading #WinAlt plusShift plusEqualsMacNot listed
Collapse the selected heading #WinAlt plusShift plusMinusMacNot listed
Expand a collapsed outline # Microsoft's Mac list gives Ctrl+Shift+- to expand and Ctrl+Shift+Plus to collapse, the other way round from the Windows keys.WinAlt plusShift plusPlusMacControl plusShift plusMinus
Collapse an expanded outline # The Mac keys are the other way round from Windows, as Microsoft lists them.WinAlt plusShift plusMinusMacControl plusShift plusPlus
Write from left to right # The Shift key on the left. A right-to-left language has to be turned on in Office's language preferences first.WinControl plusShift plusMacNot listed
Write from right to left # The Shift key on the right. Tab and Shift+Tab indent and outdent right-to-left text.WinControl plusShift plusMacNot listed
Searching and proofing
Practise theseSearch every notebook # On a Mac it searches every open notebook.WinControl plusEMacOption plusCommand plusF
Find on this page # Esc closes the search and goes back to the page.WinControl plusFMacCommand plusF
Go to the next match on the page # While searching the current page.WinEnterorF3MacNot listed
Go to the previous match on the page #WinShift plusF3MacNot listed
Preview the next search result # While searching every notebook. Enter goes to the result and closes the search.WinDown arrowMacNot listed
Change where the search looks #WinControl plusEthenTabthenSpace barMacNot listed
Open the Search Results pane # After a search.WinAlt plusOMacNot listed
Check the spelling #WinF7MacNot listed
Open the thesaurus for the selected word #WinShift plusF7MacNot listed
Look up the selected text with Smart Lookup #WinNot listedMacControl plusOption plusCommand plusL
Next
Notion
Notion treats everything on a page as a block, so most of its speed comes from selecting blocks, moving them and changing their type from the keyboard.
Obsidian
In Obsidian, Ctrl+P runs any command by name and Ctrl+O opens any note by name, with Cmd in place of Ctrl on a Mac.
Word
Most of Word's shortcuts are decades old, but Microsoft has moved a few, and this page follows its current list, except where a row's note says otherwise.
Outlook
New Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Mac do the same jobs with different keys: Ctrl+F forwards a message on Windows, where a Mac forwards with Cmd+J.
OneNote keyboard shortcuts — comboshelf.com. Checked 27 September 2026 against Microsoft Support — Keyboard shortcuts in OneNote.