Why bother with shortcuts
A keyboard shortcut is a key combination that does something you would otherwise do with the mouse or a menu. Each saves only a second or two. But copying, pasting, switching windows and searching are things you do hundreds of times in a study session, and the seconds add up. Shortcuts also reduce the switching between keyboard and mouse that can interrupt your concentration.
You do not need to learn many. A dozen well-chosen combinations cover most everyday use.
A note on keys
On Windows and most Linux systems, the main modifier key is Ctrl. On a Mac, it is usually Command (the key with the cloverleaf symbol). The lists below use Ctrl, so Mac users should generally substitute Command. A few shortcuts differ by system, application or keyboard layout, and some programs let you change them, so if a shortcut does not work, check the program’s menus, which often display the shortcut beside each command.
Editing text
These work in nearly every word processor, note-taking app, text box and email program.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected text or item |
| Ctrl + X | Cut (copy and remove) |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo the last action |
| Ctrl + Y (or Ctrl + Shift + Z) | Redo |
| Ctrl + A | Select everything |
| Ctrl + S | Save |
Ctrl + Z is probably the most valuable of all, because it makes experimenting less risky. Ctrl + S is a good habit as well: press it every few minutes when working in a program that does not save automatically.
Pasting without formatting, often Ctrl + Shift + V, stops copied web text from bringing its fonts along. Test it, as not every program supports it.
Finding things
Ctrl + F opens a search box in browsers, PDF readers, word processors and many other programs. It lets you jump to a word inside a long reading rather than scrolling. When you are skimming an article for one detail, this is often the quickest route. In many programs, pressing Enter moves to the next match.
Some systems also let you search across your files. If the function is built in, learn the shortcut for it, because finding a file by name can be quicker than browsing folders. This works best when your file naming is consistent.
Moving around
- Ctrl + Left or Right arrow moves the cursor one word at a time instead of one character.
- Home and End jump to the start or end of a line.
- Ctrl + Home and Ctrl + End jump to the start or end of a document.
- Page Up and Page Down scroll a screenful at a time.
- Shift + any movement key extends the selection as you move, which is a quick way to highlight a sentence without dragging.
Browser and window shortcuts
For online learners, the browser is the busiest tool, so these pay off quickly.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + T | Open a new tab |
| Ctrl + W | Close the current tab |
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopen the last closed tab |
| Ctrl + Tab | Move to the next tab |
| Ctrl + L | Select the address bar |
| Ctrl + D | Bookmark the current page |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open programs on Windows and many Linux systems |
On a Mac, switching programs is Command + Tab. Ctrl + Shift + T is especially forgiving if you close a tab by mistake. If you keep many pages open for research, combining these with good bookmark habits keeps things manageable.
How to practice
Learning a list by reading it rarely works. These approaches tend to be more effective:
- Pick three at a time. Choose shortcuts for actions you already do often, such as copy, paste and find.
- Stick a note on your screen. A small written card near the monitor works until the shortcut is automatic.
- Resist the mouse. The first few days feel slower. That is normal. Each time you reach for the mouse, stop and use the key combination instead.
- Add new ones weekly. Once three feel natural, add three more.
- Notice menus. The shortcut is shown beside many menu items, so you can pick up new ones as you work.
This is the same principle as retrieval practice, applied to your fingers: repetition in real tasks helps more than a one-off read-through. A spaced repetition approach, such as revisiting the same short list over several days, also fits this kind of learning.
If some key combinations are hard to press, many systems offer sticky keys, which let modifier keys be pressed one at a time, in their accessibility settings. Voice and switch-based tools exist as well.
A starter set
If you want only a few: Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Z, Ctrl + F, Ctrl + S and Ctrl + T. Master those and you will already have cut a lot of repeated effort from daily study, without any need to memorize a full chart.