iWork, the office suite that ships with every Mac, has three easy-to-use apps—Pages (for documents), Numbers (for spreadsheets), and Keynote (for presentations.) They make a strong case for choosing iWork over Microsoft Office.
If you use any or all of the iWork apps, we have a quick tip to help you transform your workflow: adopt keyboard shortcuts.
You can discover many useful shortcuts for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote with the comprehensive cheat sheet below. (The three apps have quite a few shortcuts in common, which means fewer shortcuts to learn!)
The cheat sheet contains keyboard shortcuts for navigation, tool selection, file management, text editing, object manipulation, and more.
FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time only. Download Keyboard Shortcuts for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote on macOS.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote on macOS
Shortcut |
Action |
---|---|
File and Window Management |
|
Cmd + N |
Open template/theme chooser |
Esc |
Close template/theme chooser |
Cmd + O |
Open file |
Cmd + S |
Save current file |
Shift + Cmd + S |
Duplicate current file |
Option + Shift + Cmd + S |
Save current file as |
Cmd + P |
|
Shift + Cmd + P |
Open Page Setup dialog box |
Fn + Up Arrow |
Scroll up one page |
Fn + Down Arrow |
Scroll down one page |
Cmd + W |
Close current window |
Option + Cmd + W |
Close all windows |
Cmd + M |
Minimize current window |
Option + Cmd + M |
Minimize all windows |
Control + Cmd + F |
Switch to Full Screen mode |
Control + Tab |
Switch to next tab |
Shift + Control + Tab |
Switch to previous tab |
Control + Cmd + = |
Zoom current window |
Option + Control + Cmd + = |
Zoom all windows |
Cmd + H |
Hide current app |
Option + Cmd + H |
Hide other apps |
Cmd + , |
Open app settings |
Cmd + ? |
Open Help window |
Cmd + Q |
Quit app |
Option + Cmd + Q |
Quit app and keep windows open |
Tool and Panel Display |
|
Shift + Cmd + ; |
Show Spelling and Grammar window |
Control + Cmd + Space |
Show Character Viewer (Emoji & Symbols window) |
Option + Cmd + E |
Show Edit Equation dialog box |
Cmd + T |
Show Fonts window |
Option + Cmd + I |
Toggle Inspector sidebar |
Control + ` (Grave) |
Switch to next tab in Inspector |
Shift + Control + ` (Grave) |
Switch to previous tab in Inspector |
Cmd + R |
Toggle ruler(s) |
Shift + Cmd + C |
Show Colors window |
Option + Cmd + T |
Toggle primary toolbar |
Cmd + drag toolbar item |
Move item around in toolbar |
Cmd + drag item away from toolbar |
Remove item from toolbar |
Edit and Find |
|
Cmd + Z |
Undo last action |
Shift + Cmd + Z |
Redo last action |
Cmd + A |
Select all content |
Shift + Cmd + A |
Deselect all content |
Cmd + X |
Cut selection |
Cmd + C |
Copy selection |
Cmd + V |
Paste cut/copied content |
Option + Shift + Cmd + V |
Paste and match style of destination |
Option + Cmd + C |
Copy style of selection |
Option + Cmd + V |
Paste copied style to selection |
Delete |
Delete selection OR Clear contents of selected cell(s) in table |
Cmd + D |
Duplicate selection |
Cmd + F |
Open Find & Replace dialog |
Cmd + G |
Find next match (when Find & Replace dialog is active) |
Shift + Cmd + G |
Find previous match (when Find & Replace dialog is active) |
Cmd + E |
Find using selected text |
Cmd + J |
Show selected text or object in window |
Shift + Cmd + . (Period) |
Zoom in on file content |
Shift + Cmd + , (Comma) |
Zoom out of file content |
Cmd + 0 |
Return file content to actual size |
Objects, Groups, and Layers |
|
Arrow Key |
Move selected object one point or one screen pixel in specified direction |
Shift + Arrow Key |
Move selected object ten points or ten screen pixels in specified direction |
Shift + Cmd + B |
Send selected object to back |
Option + Shift + Cmd + B |
Send selected object one layer back |
Shift + Cmd + F |
Bring selected object to front |
Option + Shift + Cmd + F |
Bring selected object one layer forward |
Option + Cmd + G |
Group selected objects |
Option + Shift + Cmd + G |
Ungroup selected objects |
Cmd + L |
Lock selected objects |
Option + Cmd + L |
Unlock selected objects |
Shift + Cmd + M |
Edit image mask |
Cmd + Return |
Exit text editing and select its object |
Shift + Cmd + V |
Show Choose dialog box for inserting object |
Control + Option + Cmd + T |
Define selected text as placeholder text |
Control + Option + Cmd + I |
Define selected image or movie as placeholder media |
Option + Shift + Cmd + P |
Draw custom shape with Pen tool |
Text Manipulation |
|
¹Fn (twice) |
Start dictation |
Shift + Right Arrow |
Extend selection one character to right |
Shift + Left Arrow |
Extend selection one character to left |
²Option + Shift + Right Arrow |
Extend selection to end of current word |
²Option + Shift + Left Arrow |
Extend selection to beginning of current word |
Shift + Cmd + Right Arrow |
Extend selection to end of current line |
Shift + Cmd + Left Arrow |
Extend selection to beginning of current line |
Shift + Up Arrow |
Extend selection to line above |
Shift + Down Arrow |
Extend selection to line below |
Option + Shift + Up Arrow |
Extend selection to beginning of current paragraph |
Option + Shift + Down Arrow |
Extend selection to end of current paragraph |
Shift + Cmd + Up Arrow |
Extend selection to beginning of text |
Shift + Cmd + Down Arrow |
Extend selection to end of text |
Cmd + B |
Emphasize or embolden selected text |
Cmd + I |
Italicize selected text |
Cmd + U |
Underline selected text |
Option + Delete |
Delete word before cursor |
Option + Fn + Delete |
Delete word after cursor |
Cmd + + |
Increase size of selected text |
Cmd + - |
Decrease size of selected text |
Option + Cmd + [ |
Decrease space between selected characters |
Option + Cmd + ] |
Increase space between selected characters |
Control + Shift + Cmd + + |
Make selected text (or word at cursor) superscript |
Control + Cmd + - |
Make selected text (or word at cursor) subscript |
Cmd + Shift + [ |
Align selected text flush left |
Cmd + Shift + \ |
Center selected text |
Cmd + Shift + ] |
Align selected text flush right |
Option + Cmd + Shift + \ |
Justify selected text |
Cmd + [ |
Decrease indent level of block of text or list item where cursor is placed |
Cmd + ] |
Increase indent level of block of text or list item where cursor is placed |
Cmd + K |
Turn selected text into hyperlink |
Option + Space |
Insert non-breaking space |
Shift + Return |
Insert line break (soft return) |
Return |
Insert paragraph break |
Control + O |
Insert new line after cursor, without moving cursor |
Fn + Cmd + Return |
Insert page break |
Control + T |
Swap characters on either side of cursor |
Control + Cmd + D |
Look up selected word |
Option + Esc |
Display list of words to complete selected word |
Cmd + ; |
Check spelling and grammar |
Comments |
|
Shift + Cmd + K |
Insert new comment box for selected text, object, or cell |
Cmd + Return |
Save current comment |
³Option + Cmd + K |
Show next comment |
³Option + Shift + Cmd + K |
Show previous comment |
Charts and Tables |
|
Shift + Cmd + D |
Toggle Chart Data editor |
Return |
Complete cell entry and select cell below |
Shift + Return |
Complete cell entry and select cell above |
Tab |
Complete cell entry and select cell on right |
Shift + Tab |
Complete cell entry and select cell on left |
Arrow Key (when chart legend is selected) |
Move chart legend one point |
Shift + Arrow Key (when chart legend is selected) |
Move chart legend ten points |
Option + Up Arrow |
Add row above selected cells |
Option + Down Arrow |
Add row below selected cells |
Option + Right Arrow |
Add column to right of selected cells |
Option + Left Arrow |
Add column to left of selected cells |
Option + Cmd + Return |
Select all rows that intersect current selection |
Control + Cmd + Return |
Select all columns that intersect current selection |
Shift + Up Arrow |
Select row/cell above selected row/cell |
Shift + Down Arrow |
Select row/cell below selected row/cell |
Shift + Right Arrow |
Select column/cell to right of selected column/cell |
Shift + Left Arrow |
Select column/cell to left of selected column/cell |
Return (when cell is selected) |
Begin editing cell |
Option + Cmd + U |
Auto-align cell content |
Cmd + Return |
Stop editing cell and select it |
Cmd + Return (twice) |
Stop editing cell and select its table |
Arrow Key (when table is selected) |
Move selected table one point or one screen pixel in specified direction |
Shift + Arrow Key (when table is selected) |
Move selected table ten points or ten screen pixels in specified direction |
Arrow Key (when cell is selected) |
Select next cell in specified direction |
Shift + Arrow Key (when cell is selected) |
Extend cell selection by one cell in specified direction |
Control + Return |
Insert line break (soft return) when editing text in cell |
Return |
Insert paragraph break (hard return) when editing text in cell |
= |
Open formula editor for selected non-formula cell |
Control + = |
Edit cell formula |
Option + Cmd + Left Arrow |
Select first populated cell in current row |
Option + Cmd + Right Arrow |
Select last populated cell in current row |
Option + Cmd + Up Arrow |
Select first populated cell in current column |
Option + Cmd + Down Arrow |
Select last populated cell in current column |
Option + Cmd + Delete |
Delete selected rows |
Control + Cmd + Delete |
Delete selected columns |
Control + Cmd + M |
Merge selected cells |
Control + Shift + Cmd + M |
Unmerge selected cells |
Option + Shift + Cmd + Left Arrow |
Expand current selection to include first populated cell in current row |
Option + Shift + Cmd + Right Arrow |
Expand current selection to include last populated cell in current row |
Option + Shift + Cmd + Up Arrow |
Expand current selection to include first populated cell in current column |
Option + Shift + Cmd + Down Arrow |
Expand current selection to include last populated cell in current column |
Control + Option + Cmd + Up Arrow |
Toggle top border of selected cell(s) |
Control + Option + Cmd + Down Arrow |
Toggle bottom border of selected cell(s) |
Control + Option + Cmd + Right Arrow |
Toggle right border of selected cell(s) |
Control + Option + Cmd + Left Arrow |
Toggle left border of selected cell(s) |
Cmd + \ |
Enable Autofill mode |
Option + Cmd + \ |
Autofill from row above |
Control + Cmd + \ |
Autofill from column before |
Pages-Specific Shortcuts |
|
⁴Shift + Cmd + H |
Highlight selected text |
⁴Tab |
Increase indent level of list item |
⁴Shift + Tab |
Decrease indent level of list item |
Option + Shift + Cmd + E |
Add an EndNote bibliography |
Option + Cmd + A |
Accept change (when change tracking is on) |
Option + Cmd + R |
Reject change (when change tracking is on) |
⁵Option + Cmd + B |
Add bookmark |
Shift + Cmd + L |
Toggle layout |
Shift + Cmd + I |
Toggle invisibles |
Shift + Cmd + T |
Toggle comments pane |
Shift + Cmd + W |
Toggle word count |
Control + Cmd + G |
Open dialog box for switching to specific page |
Numbers-Specific Shortcuts |
|
Cmd + Return |
Select table from cell selection |
Shift + Cmd + \ |
Show Tab Overview |
Shift + Cmd + [ |
Switch to previous sheet |
Shift + Cmd + ] |
Switch to next sheet |
Option + Shift + Cmd + [ |
Switch to first sheet |
Option + Shift + Cmd + ] |
Switch to last sheet |
Control + Shift + Cmd + D |
Insert current date in selected cell |
Control + Shift + Cmd + T |
Insert current time in selected cell |
Shift + Cmd + R |
Apply sorting rules |
Option + Cmd + F |
Enable filters |
Cmd + 8 |
Collapse selected groups |
Option + Cmd + 8 |
Collapse peer groups |
Option + Shift + Cmd + 8 |
Collapse all groups |
Cmd + 9 |
Expand selected groups |
Option + Cmd + 9 |
Expand peer groups |
Option + Shift + Cmd + 9 |
Expand all groups |
Keynote-Specific Shortcuts |
|
Cmd + A |
Select all object types in object list |
Shift + Cmd + A |
Deselect all object types in object list |
Cmd + Return |
Select table from cell selection |
Shift + Cmd + N |
Insert new slide OR Add new master slide from Master Slides view |
Shift + Cmd + H |
Skip selected slide |
Shift + Cmd + E |
Toggle Master Slides view |
Shift + Cmd + P |
Toggle presenter nodes |
Shift + Cmd + L |
Toggle object list |
Shift + Cmd + 0 |
Zoom to selection |
Option + Cmd + 0 |
Zoom to fit slide |
Option + Shift + Cmd + 0 |
Zoom to fit content (including objects on extended canvas) |
Option + Cmd + P |
Play slideshow |
Space |
Play video during presentation |
K |
Pause or resume video |
J |
Rewind video one frame at a time when paused |
L |
Fast-forward video one frame at a time when paused |
I |
Jump to beginning of video |
O |
Jump to end of video |
¹Shortcut is available only when the dictation feature is enabled under System Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation. ²Use shortcut multiple times to select more words. ³Shortcut also works with changes in Pages when change tracking is enabled. ⁴Shortcut does not work in table cells. ⁵Shortcut is not available for Page Layout documents. |
Going Beyond the Basics in iWork Apps
Want more ways to improve your iWork experience? Explore these advanced tips for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
Image Credit: Bram Naus [Broken URL Removed] on Unsplash