Do You Know The Rules Around Keyboard Shortcuts?

person using keyboard beside phone and coffee cup

Have you ever wondered why certain keys are used for specific shortcuts? In other words, what are the shortcut rules that most program developers use, and you can learn to make it easier to remember them.

There is a reason for this madness, let me elucidate (explain).

Command Names

For the most popular or well used commands, they decided to follow the most obvious shortcut rules. To use the first letter of the command.

New

Print

Save

Bold

So the first thing you need to know is the proper application name for the command. 

Here’s where I can’t give you an example, as I *only* know the command name – I’ve had to learn them over the years! 😁

Of course that doesn’t work for everything!

What happens when you’ve got two commands with the same letter – for example Copy and Cut?

Well, they chose one – C for Copy, and then selected another letter for Cut (it’s X by the way).

But this is a great starting point and all of the programs that I’ve seen and used (and believe me that’s a lot now) follow this rule for a lot of the default options.

Adding Shift

When you’ve got two commands that are opposite, sometimes they are two different options (Undo and Redo), but other times the difference is a single modifier key – Shift.

Another easy addition to the shortcut rules – in many circumstances, Shift reverses the command.

If you’re moving to the right, Shift will let you go to the left (and of course vice versa).

Automatic Lists

This is a great example.

If you add an automatic list (bullets or numbers) to your document, you know that return will take you to the next item.

But what if you need to move that next item, down to the next sub-level?

Here’s where Tab fits in. 

The next level is often indented, and with a different symbol (bullets) or letter/number (number).

Then you carry on typing the items, until you realise that you need to move back up a level.

If you’re not sure, there is a button on the toolbar/ribbon for this, or you can use Shift + Tab.

Shortcut Rules: Add the SHIFT key to reverse the option, for example moving between levels in Word's Automatic Lists.

How about app switching?

You know the keyboard shortcut that lets you move between the open applications on your desktop.

When you press the keys, you are moved forward (to the right) between the open apps.

Do you know that if you add Shift to that command then you move backwards (to the left) between the apps?

Levels or the Displayed Order

When you’ve got levels built-in (mostly headings) or the order in which things are displayed, you can find that there are shortcut keys available.

My examples for this are:

  • The order of the pinned app on a Windows Taskbar
  • Sections in Outlook
  • Heading Styles

What do all of these have in common? Numbers

The next example of the shortcut rules, using the relevant number in the keyboard shortcut.

Let’s start with the easy one:

Heading Styles.

Both Microsoft and Google offer heading styles.

Starting with the largest style at Heading 1, and getting smaller or different formatting down to Heading 9 (in Word).

Do you know that you can use the shortcut keys to apply the heading style?

It’s the same shortcut but with the related number.

Heading 1 = 1

Heading 2 = 2

Heading 3 = 3 

Heading 4 = 4 – well kinda. In some applications 4 is actually the euro symbol, and others it’s the heading.

Outlook Sections

In a similar way, in Outlook, you can switch between the sections (Mail, Calendar, Contacts, etc.) based on the order.

The standard order in Outlook is:

  1. Mail
  2. Calendar
  3. Contacts
  4. Tasks
  5. Notes
  6. Journal

You can use the relevant number to move to a different section.

However, if you change the order then the number matches the section in that ‘slot’.

So let’s say you switch Calendar to be the first section, then 1 would take you to the calendar, not Mail.

Windows Taskbar Pinned Apps

Opening pinned applications on the taskbar is the same.

The first app is 1, then the next is 2, and so on.

You get the idea.

However, if you change the order, then it’s whichever app is in that slot, that will be opened.

Everything else

Those are the main rules that the shortcuts follow, and can make it easier for you to remember and use them.

When it comes to any other shortcut, they are fitted around the other shortcuts.

That means that it’s more a matter of remembering the ones that you prefer or need to use.

But to give you a bit of a helping hand, in remembering which keys to use, try this:

Layers of the Keyboard

Over the years I’ve discovered that a useful way to think of the keyboard is having different layers. This can make it easier to work out which keys perform what commands for a shortcut.

First layer – when you press a key (by itself) the result that appears. So this is all the letters, the numbers, and symbols. 

Note: When there’s more than one symbol printed on the key, it’s the bottom option.

Second layer – adding Shift. For letters, this means getting the capital version. Numbers equals the symbol above them. Remember that keyboards for different countries can have differences. E.g. The UK keyboard has the double quotes on the 2 key, whereas the US has the @ symbol on the 2.

Third layer – using CTRL. This is the most popular modifier for the keyboard shortcuts. Most of the everyday options (New, Undo, Open, etc.) use the CTRL key.

Fourth layer – ALT. Similar to CTRL, using the ALT and a letter most frequently accesses menus or menu equivalent (the ribbon tabs).

Fifth layer – CTRL and Shift plus ALT and Shift. I’ve grouped these as a single layer, even though they could be two separate options, because they are fairly similar. Used for some of the useful, but less used shortcuts.

Sixth Layer – CTRL and ALT together. Not many built-in shortcuts use these modifiers, but there are a few that I can think of.

Tip: If you need to create/add your own shortcuts, then most often it’s going to be fifth and sixth layers, as they have the least commands already assigned. However, we’re now getting into finger tangling areas. 😄

Related YouTube Videos

Yep, I’ve recorded some YouTube Videos about keyboard shortcuts. And as a shortcut (see what I did there 😁) for you here are the direct links.

Note: I’m releasing them through out July, I’ve included the date they that are public.

Shortcut key with ALT GR

Alt GR Explained: Enhance Your Typing in Word and Google

Discover All the Shortcut Keys in Word

Quick Excel Date Shortcut Everyone Should Know

Excel Tips: Viewing and Printing Formulas Made Easy

Cut, Copy & Paste – on your keyboard (Jul 30)

Next Steps

Once you’ve mastered these shortcut rules, you’re in a good place to easily remember the relevant keyboard shortcuts.

While I’ve shared some of those shortcuts in this post, I hope that you’ll forgive me, as I know that I haven’t shared all of them.

And that’s because I’ve got them already available, plus a load more, in various products. Yes, you can own your very own copy of the popular keyboard shortcuts, so that you don’t have to keep coming back to this post.

The ones that I think you’ll find most useful are in the next section – Related Products.

Related Products

You know that there are so many keyboard shortcuts, but how do you remember them? A useful trick is to have them in your pocket with my pocket guide.

My pocket guide 'A Pocket Full of Keyboard Shortcuts' available to purchase on Amazon.

Related Posts

There’s a Proper Way to use a Keyboard Shortcut

Do You Know The Rules Around Keyboard Shortcuts? (current post)

Recent Posts

shortcut rules, computer keyboard shortcuts, time-saving keyboard shortcuts

Share this post

Shopping Basket