Available Content
Hotkey Summary
Introduction
Below you will find the keyboard commands you can use to accomplish many of the popular tasks you may undertake in Outlook 365 Classic Desktop Edition. You can also click here to download this page as a Word document.
Enhance Outlook with sounds
You can enhance your experience using Outlook by enabling sounds. When enabled, sounds will reinforce many of the common actions you perform such as deleting, cutting, pasting, and actions like autocorrection, opening task pane, and closing task pane.
When enabled, the sound effects are used in all Microsoft Office apps irrespective of the app you chose to turn them on.
To enable sounds:
- Open Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, or Word.
- Open the "File" menu and select "Options" (ALT + F, T).
- Select the "Accessibility" category.
- Select "Provide feedback with sound" check box (ALT + S).
- TAB to and select a sound scheme. You can choose between two different sound schemes: Modern and Classic.
- Select the "OK" button.
Hotkey conflicts
You may experience a hotkey conflict with some of the stated keyboard commands. If you are unfamiliar with resolving hotkey conflicts, please visit Resolving Hotkey Conflicts with Apps (opens in new tab).
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Pass next key to application | LEFT CONTROL + 7 | CAPS LOCK + 3 |
| Toggle hotkeys on / off | LEFT CONTROL + 8 | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + 3 |
Navigating elements including Ribbon, Task Pane, and Status Bar
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Move focus to next main element | F6 |
| Move focus to previous main element | SHIFT + 6 |
| Move focus to the Ribbon tab | ALT or F10 |
| Move focus to a specific Ribbon tab | ALT + Ribbon tab key (for example ALT + H to move to the Home tab, ALT + N to move to the Insert tab, etc.) |
| Open the context menu | SHIFT + F10 or APPLICATION KEY |
| Move focus to the previous group in the Ribbon | CONTROL + LEFT ARROW |
| Move focus to the next group in the Ribbon | CONTROL + RIGHT ARROW |
| Explore commands | Arrow Keys or TAB / SHIFT + TAB |
| Close Task Pane | Press F6 to move focus to the Task Pane, then CONTROL + SPACEBAR to open the task pane menu, and select "Close" |
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands when navigating the Ribbon, Task Pane, and Status Bar
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Speak focus | NUMPAD 0 | CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak additional focus information, describes help text and shortcut key for current Ribbon command | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD 0 | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak shortcut key | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD PERIOD | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + LEFT ARROW |
| Speak status bar information | NUMPAD 2 | CAPS LOCK + PAGE DOWN |
| List commands in the Quick Access Toolbar | CAPS LOCK + Q | CAPS LOCK + Q |
Tip: The shortcut key for a Ribbon tab, and the descriptive text for Ribbon commands, are automatically announced when using a High Verbosity Scheme. You can adjust your Speech Verbosity Scheme by pressing CAPS LOCK + EQUALS or, if you are using the Laptop Universal hotkey set, press CAPS LOCK + V.
To change your Braille Verbosity Scheme, press LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + EQUALS or, if you are using the Laptop universal Hotkey Set, press LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + V.
Go to, open, create, search, and close commands in Outlook
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Go to Inbox | CONTROL + SHIFT + I |
| Go to Outbox | CONTROL + SHIFT + O |
| Go to Mail folder | CONTROL + 1 |
| Go to Calendar folder | CONTROL + 2 |
| Go to Contacts folder | CONTROL + 3 |
| Go to Tasks folder | CONTROL + 4 |
| Open "Go to folder" dialog box | CONTROL + Y |
| Go back to previous visited folder | ALT + LEFT ARROW |
| Go forward to next visited folder | ALT + RIGHT ARROW |
| Create a new item based on current Outlook folder type | CONTROL + N |
| Create a new mail message from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + M |
| Create a new appointment from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + A |
| Create a new meeting from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + Q |
| Create a new task from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + K |
| Create a new task request from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + ALT + U |
| Create a new note from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + N |
| Create a new contact from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + C |
| Create a new contact group from any folder in Outlook | CONTROL + SHIFT + L |
| Save changes to the current item | CONTROL + S |
| Post current item | ALT + S |
| Open "Address Book" dialog box | CONTROL + SHIFT + B |
| Open the "Save As" dialog box | F12 |
| Open the "Print" options | CONTROL + P |
| Search in Outlook | ALT + Q |
| Search in current folder | CONTROL + ALT + K |
| Search in current folder and subfolders | CONTROL + ALT + Z |
| Search in all folders | CONTROL + ALT + A |
| Open "Advanced Search" dialog box | CONTROL + SHIFT + F |
| Close Outlook | ALT + F4 |
Working with mail
The following table provides Outlook hotkeys for navigating mail folders and opening messages. The hotkeys presume you are using the default mail folder view. If you have customised your view, then certain hotkeys may not be applicable.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Navigate messages in mail folder | UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW |
| Navigate messages in mail folder including group headings | ALT + UP ARROW and ALT + DOWN ARROW |
| Collapse and expand group headings in mail folder | Move focus to group heading and press ENTER |
| Mark messages as read in mail folder | CONTROL + Q |
| Mark messages as unread in mail folder | CONTROL + U |
| Set follow-up flag for message in mail folder | CONTROL + SHIFT + G |
| Mark the message as not junk in mail folder | CONTROL + ALT + J |
| Open a mail message | ENTER or CONTROL + O |
| Open next message when viewing a current message | CONTROL + COMMA |
| Open previous message when viewing a current message | CONTROL + FULL STOP |
| Delete currently opened message | CONTROL + D |
| Forward message | CONTROL + F |
| Forward message as an attachment | CONTROL + ALT + F |
| Reply to sender | CONTROL + R |
| Reply to all recipients of the mail message | CONTROL + SHIFT + R or ALT + L |
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands when reading received messages
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Speak message header including recipients and notifications | CAPS LOCK + H | CAPS LOCK + H |
| Speak date from message header | CAPS LOCK + D | CAPS LOCK + D |
| Move Dolphin Cursor to notification area | NUMPAD SLASH (repeat until area reached) | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + Z (repeat until area reached) |
| Simulate Left Click with Dolphin Cursor | INSERT | CAPS LOCK + 8 |
| Simulate Right Click with Dolphin Cursor | DELETE | CAPS LOCK + 9 |
| Activate links in the body of a message using the Dolphin Cursor | ENTER | ENTER |
| Read mail message using Read from here | NUMPAD PLUS | CAPS LOCK + DOWN ARROW |
| When using Read from here, pause / restart reading | SPACEBAR | SPACEBAR |
| Exit Read from here | ESCAPE | ESCAPE |
Tip: Outlook defaults to opening links in Microsoft Edge. If you prefer to open links in your default browser, go to "Outlook Options" (ALT + F, T), select the "Advanced" category, and set "Open hyperlinks from Outlook in" setting to "Default browser".
Navigating and selecting text commands
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Move focus to previous / next character | LEFT / RIGHT ARROW |
| Move focus to previous / next word | CONTROL + LEFT / RIGHT ARROW |
| Move focus to previous / next line | UP / DOWN ARROW |
| Move focus to previous / next paragraph | CONTROL + UP / DOWN ARROW |
| Move focus to start of line | HOME |
| Move focus to end of line | END |
| Select a character | Position the focus to the left of the character and press SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW |
| Select a word | Position the focus to the left of the word and press CONTROL + RIGHT ARROW |
| Select a line | Position the focus at the start of the line and press SHIFT + DOWN ARROW |
| Select a paragraph | Position the focus at the start of the paragraph and press SHIFT + CONTROL + DOWN ARROW |
| Select all | CONTROL + A |
| Enable Selection Mode | F8 |
| Extend selection when using Selection Mode | Arrow Keys |
| Extend unit selection such as word, sentence, and paragraph when using Section Mode | F8 multiple times |
| Cancel Selection Mode | ESCAPE |
Working with text when composing messages
Outlook includes a wealth of keyboard commands that make working with text a productive experience when using the keyboard. In most cases, the stated hotkeys require you to select prior to applying the hotkey.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Change the case of the text | SHIFT + F3. Repeated presses of this hot key will cycle through the separate ways the capital letter style can be applied including uppercase, lowercase, and initial case |
| Capitalise all letters | CONTROL + SHIFT + A |
| Insert an optional hyphen | CONTROL + MINUS |
| Insert a non-break hyphen | CONTROL + SHIFT + MINUS |
| Insert a non-break space | CONTROL + SHIFT + SPACEBAR |
| Insert the current date | SHIFT + ALT + D |
| Insert the current time | SHIFT + ALT + T |
| Insert the copyright symbol | CONTROL + ALT + C |
| Insert the registration symbol | CONTROL + ALT + R |
| Insert the trademark symbol | CONTROL + ALT + T |
| Insert a blank equation | ALT + EQUALS |
| Copy text | CONTROL + C |
| Cut text | CONTROL + X |
| Paste text | CONTROL + V |
| Copy text formatting | CONTROL + SHIFT + C |
| Paste text formatting | CONTROL + SHIFT + V |
| Undo | CONTROL + Z |
| Redo | CONTROL + Y |
Formatting text and paragraphs when composing messages
Outlook includes keyboard commands that enable you to change the formatting of text quickly and easily from the keyboard.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Make text bold | CONTROL + B |
| Make text italic | CONTROL + I |
| Make text underlined | CONTROL + U |
| Make text subscript | CONTROL + EQUALS |
| Make text superscript | CONTROL + SHIFT + EQUALS |
| Left align a paragraph | CONTROL + L |
| Centre a paragraph | CONTROL + E |
| Justify a paragraph | CONTROL + J |
| Right align a paragraph | CONTROL + R |
| Single line space a paragraph | CONTROL + 1 |
| One-and-a-half line space a paragraph | CONTROL + 5 |
| Double line space a paragraph | CONTROL + 2 |
| Full left align indentation | CONTROL + M |
| Hanging indentation | CONTROL + T |
| Reset paragraph style back to default values | CONTROL + Q |
| Reset character style back to default values | CONTROL + SPACEBAR |
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands when editing, navigating, and selecting text when composing messages
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle typing modes | CAPS LOCK + SEMI COLON | CAPS LOCK + 2 |
| Speak character | NUMPAD 4 | CAPS LOCK + LEFT ARROW |
| Speak word | NUMPAD 5 | CAPS LOCK + RIGHT ARROW |
| Speak line | NUMPAD 6 | CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak line to focus | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD 1 | CAPS LOCK + HOME |
| Speak line from focus | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD 2 | CAPS LOCK + END |
| Speak sentence | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 4 | LEFT CONTROL + LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + S |
| Speak paragraph | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 5 | LEFT CONTROL + LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + P |
| Speak selection | NUMPAD 1 | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + DOWN ARROW |
| Read message using Read from here | NUMPAD PLUS | CAPS LOCK + DOWN ARROW |
| When using Read from here, pause / restart reading | SPACEBAR | SPACEBAR |
| Exit Read from here | ESCAPE | ESCAPE |
Tip: Speak keys provide additional output when pressed multiple times, for example, pressing the Speak character hotkey twice means the character is spelt phonetically, a third press describes the character’s font attributes, and a fourth press states the character’s Unicode value.
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands for reviewing text formats
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Speak character attributes | NUMPAD 4 (on third press) | CAPS LOCK + LEFT ARROW (on third press) |
| Speak additional focus information about paragraph formatting | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD 0 | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
Tip: You can automate the announcement of style changes through the "Text Style Announcements" dialog box in the SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader Control Panel. You may find this useful when proof-reading a message for formatting changes.
Applying popular inbuilt styles when composing messages
Outlook includes keyboard commands that enable you to quickly apply its own inbuilt styles to paragraphs. The use of Styles ensures your message has a consistent look and feel when being viewed.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Apply Heading 1 Style to the current paragraph | CONTROL + ALT + 1 |
| Apply Heading 2 Style to the current paragraph | CONTROL + ALT + 2 |
| Apply Heading 3 Style to the current paragraph | CONTROL + ALT + 3 |
| Apply Normal Style to the current paragraph | CONTROL + SHIFT + N |
| Apply List Bullet Style to the current paragraph | CONTROL + SHIFT + L |
Adjusting lists and tables when composing email messages
You can reorder, promote, and demote the order of the bullet and numbered items in a list without the necessity to cut and paste using keyboard commands. You can also use the same keyboard commands to adjust the position of rows in tables.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Move list item or table row up | SHIFT + ALT + UP ARROW |
| Move list item or table row down | SHIFT + ALT + DOWN ARROW |
| Promote list item | SHIFT + ALT + LEFT ARROW |
| Demote list item | SHIFT + ALT + RIGHT ARROW |
Working with tables when composing email messages
As mentioned in the previous section, you can re-order rows in a table by pressing SHIFT + ALT + UP / DOWN ARROW. The following keyboard commands can also be used in tables.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Navigate cell content | Arrow Keys |
| Select content in next cell | TAB |
| Select content in previous cell | SHIFT + TAB |
| Go to first cell in column | ALT + PAGE UP |
| Go to last cell in column | ALT + PAGE DOWN |
| Go to first cell in row | ALT + HOME |
| Go to last cell in row | ALT + END |
| Select entire row | Position focus at start of row and press SHIFT + ALT + END |
| Select entire column | Position focus at start of column and press SHIFT + ALT + PAGE DOWN |
| Delete all content in a table | Select table and press DELETE |
| Delete table | Select table and press BACKSPACE |
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands for reading tables
SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader includes useful Speak keys you can use when creating tables in messages.
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Speak row and column co-ordinates | NUMPAD 3 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + LEFT ARROW |
| Speak column | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 6 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + RIGHT ARROW |
| Speak column from current cell | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD PERIOD | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + PAGE DOWN |
| Speak column to current cell | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 3 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + PAGE UP |
| Speak row | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 0 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak row from current cell | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 2 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + END |
| Speak row to current cell | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 1 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + HOME |
Working using Calendar View
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Go to next event | TAB |
| Go to previous event | SHIFT + TAB |
| Open an event | ENTER or CONTROL + O |
| Display Day View | CONTROL + ALT + 1 |
| Display Work Week View | CONTROL + ALT + 2 |
| Display Week View | CONTROL + ALT + 3 |
| Display Month View | CONTROL + ALT + 4 |
| Display Schedule View | CONTROL + ALT + 5 |
| Go to today | CONTROL + T |
| Go to next day | RIGHT ARROW |
| Go to previous day | LEFT ARROW |
| Open "Go to date" dialog box | CONTROL + G |
| Navigate time slots when using Day View and Week Views | UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW |
| Go to start of day when using Day View and Week Views | CONTROL + HOME |
| Go to end of day when using Day View and Week Views | CONTROL + END |
| Go to start of working day when using Day View and Week Views | HOME |
| Go to end of working day when using Day View and Week Views | END |
| Go to previous week when using Day View and Week Views | ALT + UP ARROW |
| Go to next week when using Day View and Week Views | ALT + DOWN ARROW |
| Go to start of week when using Day View and Week Views | ALT + HOME |
| Go to end of week when using Day View and Week Views | ALT + END |
| Go to previous week when using Month View | UP ARROW |
| Go to next week when using Month View | DOWN ARROW |
| Go to previous month | ALT + PAGE UP |
| Go to next month | ALT + PAGE DOWN |
Other useful SuperNova, Dolphin ScreenReader, and Outlook keyboard commands
Here is a list of assorted commands you may find helpful when working in Outlook.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Spell check a message | F7 |
| Move to next spelling error in message and open context menu | ALT + F7 |
| Look up current word in Thesaurus | SHIFT + F7 |
| Open the "Find" option | CONTROL + F or F4 |
| Continue search within the message body | SHIFT + F4 |
| Open the "Replace" option | CONTROL + H |
| Open the "Go to" option | CONTROL + G or F5 |
| Open SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader Item Finder to view a list of links, headings, tables, etc. in a message | CAPS LOCK + TAB |
