Microsoft Access Hotkeys - Keyboard Shortcuts
General shortcut keys
Global Access shortcut keys
Opening databases
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To open a new database |
CTRL+N |
To open an existing database |
CTRL+O |
To quit Microsoft Access |
ALT+F4 |
Printing and saving
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To print the current or selected object |
CTRL+P |
To open the Print dialog box |
P or CTRL+P |
To open the Page Setup dialog box |
S |
To cancel Print Preview or Layout Preview |
C or ESC |
To save a database object |
CTRL+S or SHIFT+F12 or ALT+SHIFT+F2 |
To open the Save As dialog box |
F12 or ALT+F2 |
Using a combo box or list box
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To open a combo box |
F4 or ALT+DOWN ARROW |
To refresh the contents of a Lookup field (Lookup field: A field, used on a form or report in an Access database, that either displays a list of values retrieved from a table or query, or stores a static set of values.) list box or combo box |
F9 |
To move down one line |
DOWN ARROW |
To move down one page |
PAGE DOWN |
To move up one line |
UP ARROW |
To move up one page |
PAGE UP |
To exit the combo box or list box |
TAB |
Finding and replacing text or data
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To open the Find tab in the Find and Replace dialog box (Datasheet view and Form view only) |
CTRL+F |
To open the Replace tab in the Find and Replace dialog box (Datasheet view and Form view only) |
CTRL+H |
To find the next occurrence of the text specified in the Find and Replace dialog box when the dialog box is closed (Datasheet view and Form view only) |
SHIFT+F4 |
Working in Design view
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To switch between Edit mode (with insertion point displayed) and Navigation mode |
F2 |
To switch to the property sheet (Design view in forms and reports in databases and Access projects) |
F4 |
To switch to Form view from form Design view |
F5 |
To switch between the upper and lower portions of a window (Design view of tables, macros, and queries and the Advanced Filter/Sort window only) |
F6 |
To switch to the Code Builder from form or report Design view (Design view window or property sheet) |
F7 |
To switch from the Visual Basic Editor to form or report Design view |
SHIFT+F7 |
To open property sheet for a selected object |
ALT+V+P |
Editing controls in form and report Design view
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To add a control to a section |
SHIFT+ENTER |
To copy the selected control to the Clipboard |
CTRL+C |
To cut the selected control and copy it to the Clipboard |
CTRL+X |
To paste the contents of the Clipboard in the upper-left corner of the selected section |
CTRL+V |
To move the selected control to the right |
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW |
To move the selected control to the left |
CTRL+LEFT ARROW |
To move the selected control up |
CTRL+UP ARROW |
To move the selected control down |
CTRL+DOWN ARROW |
To increase the height of the selected control |
SHIFT+DOWN ARROW |
To increase the width of the selected control |
SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
To reduce the height of the selected control |
SHIFT+UP ARROW |
To reduce the width of the selected control |
SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
Window operations
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To bring the Database window to the front |
F11 |
To cycle between open windows |
CTRL+F6 |
To restore the selected minimized window when all windows are minimized |
ENTER |
To turn on Resize mode for the active window when it’s not maximized; press the arrow keys to resize the window |
CTRL+F8 |
To display the Control menu |
ALT+SPACEBAR |
To display the shortcut menu |
SHIFT+F10 |
To close the active window |
CTRL+W or CTRL+F4 |
To switch between the Visual Basic Editor and the previous active window |
ALT+F11 |
To switch to the Microsoft Script Editor from the previous active window |
ALT+SHIFT+F11 |
Working with Wizards
To do this | Press |
---|---|
Move to the Help button in the wizard |
TAB |
To move to the next window in the wizard |
ALT+N |
To move to the previous window in the wizard |
ALT+B |
To close the wizard window |
ALT+F |
Note You can not use CTRL+TAB to navigate from one wizard window to another. CTRL+TAB will move the cursor between dialog boxes and controls on the wizard window.
Miscellaneous
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To display the complete hyperlink address for a selected hyperlink |
F2 |
To check spelling |
F7 |
To open the Zoom box to conveniently enter expressions and other text in small input areas |
SHIFT+F2 |
To display a property sheet in Design view |
ALT+ENTER |
To quit Microsoft Access, close a dialog box, or close a property sheet |
ALT+F4 |
To invoke a Builder |
CTRL+F2 |
To toggle between a custom menu bar and a built-in menu bar |
CTRL+F11 |
To toggle forward between views when in a table, query, form, report, page, view , PivotTable list, PivotChart report, stored procedure, or Access project (.adp) function. If there are additional views available, successive keystrokes will move to the next available view. |
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW or CRTL+COMMA (,) |
To toggle back between views when in a table, query, form, report, page, view, PivotTable list, PivotChart report, stored procedure, or .adp function. If there are additional views available, successive keystrokes will move to the previous view |
CTRL+LEFT ARROW or CRTL+PERIOD (.) |
Database window shortcut keys
Editing and navigating the Object list
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To rename a selected object |
F2 |
To move down one line |
DOWN ARROW |
To move down one window |
PAGE DOWN |
To move to the last object |
END |
To move up one line |
UP ARROW |
To move up one window |
PAGE UP |
To move to the first object |
HOME |
Navigating and opening objects
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To cycle through the Objects bar top to bottom |
CTRL+TAB |
To cycle through the Objects bar bottom to top |
SHIFT+CTRL+TAB |
To open the selected table or query in Datasheet view, or form in Form view |
ENTER or ALT+O |
To open the selected report in Print Preview |
ENTER |
To open the selected data access page in Page view |
ENTER |
To run the selected macro |
ENTER |
To open the selected table, query, form, report, data access page, macro, or module in Design view |
CTRL+ENTER or ALT+D |
To create a new table, query, form, report, data access page, macro, or module |
ALT+N |
To refresh the Database window |
F5 |
To display the Immediate window in the Visual Basic Editor |
CTRL+G |
Work with menus
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To show the shortcut menu |
SHIFT+F10 |
To make the menu bar active |
F10 |
To show the program icon menu (on the program title bar) |
ALT+SPACEBAR |
With the menu or submenu is visible, to select the next or previous command |
DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW |
To select the menu to the left or right; or, when a submenu is visible, to switch between the main menu and the submenu |
LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW |
To select the first or last command on the menu or submenu |
HOME or END |
To close the visible menu and submenu at the same time |
ALT |
To close the visible menu; or, with a submenu visible, to close the submenu only |
ESC |
Work with toolbars
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To select the next or previous toolbar |
CTRL+TAB or CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
When a toolbar is active, to select the next or previous button or menu on the toolbar |
TAB or SHIFT+TAB |
When a menu on a toolbar is selected, to open the menu |
ENTER |
When a button is selected, to perform the action assigned to a button |
ENTER |
Work in windows and dialog boxes
Using a program window
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To switch to the next program |
ALT+TAB |
To switch to the previous program |
ALT+SHIFT+TAB |
To show the Windows Start menu |
CTRL+ESC |
To close the active database window |
CTRL+W |
To switch to the next database window |
CTRL+F6 |
To switch to the previous database window |
CTRL+SHIFT+F6 |
To restore the selected minimized window when all windows are minimized |
ENTER |
Using a dialog box
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To switch to the next tab in a dialog box |
CTRL+TAB or CTRL+PAGE DOWN |
To switch to the previous tab in a dialog box |
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB or CTRL+PAGE UP |
To move to the next option or option group |
TAB |
To move to the previous option or option group |
SHIFT+TAB |
To move between options in the selected drop-down list box, or to move between some options in a group of options |
Arrow keys |
To perform the action assigned to the selected button; select or clear the check box |
SPACEBAR |
To move to the option by the first letter in the option name in a drop-down list box |
Letter key for the first letter in the option name you want (when a drop-down list box is selected) |
To select the option, or to select or clear the check box by the letter underlined in the option name |
ALT+letter key |
To open the selected drop-down list box |
ALT+DOWN ARROW |
To close the selected drop-down list box |
ESC |
To perform the action assigned to the default button in the dialog box |
ENTER |
To cancel the command and close the dialog box |
ESC |
To close a dialog box |
ALT+F4 |
Editing in a text box
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To move to the beginning of the entry |
HOME |
To move to the end of the entry |
END |
To move one character to the left or right |
LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW |
To move one word to the left or right |
CTRL+LEFT ARROW or CTRL+RIGHT ARROW |
To select from the insertion point to the beginning of the entry |
SHIFT+HOME |
To select from the insertion point to the end of the entry |
SHIFT+END |
To select one character to the left |
SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
To select one character to the right |
SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
To select one word to the left |
CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
To select one word to the right |
CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
Work with the Open, File New Database, and Save dialog boxes
To do this | Press |
---|---|
Go to the previous folder () |
ALT+1 |
Open the folder up one level from the open folder (Up One Level button ) |
ALT+2 |
Close the dialog box, and open your World Wide WebWorld Wide Web search page (Search the Web button ) |
ALT+3 |
Delete the selected folder or file (Delete button ) |
ALT+4 |
Create a new subfolder in the open folder (Create New Folder button ) |
ALT+5 |
Switch between List, Details, Properties, and Preview views |
ALT+6 |
Show the Tools menu (Tools button) |
ALT+7 |
Work with task panes
To do this | Press |
---|---|
Move to a task pane (task pane: A window within an Office application that provides commonly used commands. Its location and small size allow you to use these commands while still working on your files.) from another pane in the program window. (You may need to press F6 more than once.) | F6
Note If pressing F6 doesn't display the task pane you want, try pressing ALT to place focus on the menu bar, and then pressing CTRL+TAB to move to the task pane. |
When a menu or toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.) is active, move to a task pane. (You may need to press CTRL+TAB more than once.) |
CTRL+TAB |
When a task pane is active, select the next or previous option in the task pane |
TAB or SHIFT+TAB |
Display the full set of commands on the task pane menu |
CTRL+DOWN ARROW |
Move among choices in a selected submenu; move among certain options in a group of options |
DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW |
Open the selected menu, or perform the action assigned to the selected button |
SPACEBAR or ENTER |
Open a shortcut menu (shortcut menu: A menu that shows a list of commands relevant to a particular item. To display a shortcut menu, right-click an item or press SHIFT+F10.); open a drop-down menu for the selected gallery item |
SHIFT+F10 |
When a menu or submenu is visible, select the first or last command on the menu or submenu |
HOME or END |
Scroll up or down in the selected gallery list |
PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN |
Move to the top or bottom of the selected gallery list |
CTRL+HOME or CTRL+END |
Keyboard shortcuts for using the Help task pane and Help window
The Help Pane is a task pane that provides access to all Office Help content. As a task pane, the Help Pane appears as part of the active application. The Help window displays topics and other Help content and appears as a window next to, but separate from, the active application.
In the Help task pane
To do this | Press |
---|---|
Display the Help task pane. |
F1 |
Switch between the Help task pane and the active application. |
F6 |
Select the next item in the Help task pane. |
TAB |
Select the previous item in the Help task pane. |
SHIFT+TAB |
Perform the action for the selected item. |
ENTER |
In a Table of Contents, select the next and previous item, respectively. |
DOWN ARROW and UP ARROW |
In a Table of Contents, expand and collapse the selected item, respectively. |
RIGHT ARROW and LEFT ARROW |
Move back to the previous task Pane. |
ALT+LEFT ARROW |
Move forward to the next task Pane. |
ALT+RIGHT ARROW |
Open the menu of Pane options. |
CTRL+SPACEBAR |
Close and reopen the current task pane. |
CTRL+F1 |
Expand a +/- list. |
RIGHT ARROW |
Collapse a +/- list. |
LEFT ARROW |
In the Help window
To do this | Press |
---|---|
Select the next hidden text or hyperlink, or Show All or Hide All at the top of a topic |
TAB |
Select the previous hidden text or hyperlink, or the Browser View button at the top of a Microsoft Office Web site article |
SHIFT+TAB |
Perform the action for the selected Show All, Hide All, hidden text, or hyperlink |
ENTER |
Move back to the previous Help topic. |
ALT+LEFT ARROW |
Move forward to the next Help topic. |
ALT+RIGHT ARROW |
Print the current Help topic. |
CTRL+P |
Scroll small amounts up and down, respectively, within the currently-displayed Help topic. |
UP ARROW AND DOWN ARROW |
Scroll larger amounts up and down, respectively, within the currently-displayed Help topic. |
PAGE UP AND PAGE DOWN |
Change whether the Help window appears connected to (tiled) or separate from (untiled) the active application. |
ALT+U |
Display a menu of commands for the Help window; requires that the Help window have active focus (click an item in the Help window). |
SHIFT+F10 |
Send e-mail messages
To do this | Press |
---|---|
Send the active database object as an e-mail message |
ALT+F+D+A |
Open the Address Book |
CTRL+SHIFT+B |
Check the names in the To, Cc, and Bcc boxes against the Address Book |
ALT+K |
Select the next box in the e-mail header or the body of the message when the last box in the e-mail header is active |
TAB |
Select the previous field or button in the e-mail header |
SHIFT+TAB |
Keys for working with text and data
Select text and data
Selecting text in a field
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To extend one character to the right |
SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
To extend one word to the right |
CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
To extend one character to the left |
SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
To extend one word to the left |
CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
Selecting a field or record
Note To cancel a selection, use the opposite arrow key.
Extending a selection
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To turn on Extend mode (EXT appears in the lower-right corner of the window); pressing F8 repeatedly extends the selection to the word, the field, the record (in Datasheet view only), and all records |
F8 |
To extend a selection to adjacent fields in the same row in Datasheet view |
LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW |
To extend a selection to adjacent rows in Datasheet view |
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW |
To undo the previous extension |
SHIFT+F8 |
To cancel Extend mode |
ESC |
Selecting and moving a column in Datasheet view
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To select the current column or cancel the column selection, in Navigation mode only |
CTRL+SPACEBAR |
To select the column to the right, if the current column is selected |
SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW |
To select the column to the left, if the current column is selected |
SHIFT+LEFT ARROW |
To turn on Move mode (Move mode: The mode in which you can move column(s) in Datasheet view by using the left and right arrow keys.); then press the RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW key to move selected column(s) to the right or left |
CTRL+SHIFT+F8 |
Edit text and data
Note If the insertion point isn't visible, press F2 to display it.
Moving the insertion point in a field
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To move it one character to the right |
RIGHT ARROW |
To move it one word to the right |
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW |
To move it one character to the left |
LEFT ARROW |
To move it one word to the left |
CTRL+LEFT ARROW |
To move it to the end of the field, in single-line fields |
END |
To move it to the end of the field, in multiple-line fields |
CTRL+END |
To move it to the beginning of the field, in single-line fields |
HOME |
To move it to the beginning of the field, in multiple-line fields |
CTRL+HOME |
Copying, moving, or deleting text
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To copy the selection to the Clipboard |
CTRL+C |
To cut the selection and copy it to the Clipboard |
CTRL+X |
To paste the contents of the Clipboard at the insertion point |
CTRL+V |
To delete the selection or the character to the left of the insertion point |
BACKSPACE |
To delete the selection or the character to the right of the insertion point |
DELETE |
To delete all characters to the right of the insertion point |
CTRL+DELETE |
Undoing changes
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To undo typing |
CTRL+Z or ALT+BACKSPACE |
To undo changes in the current field or current record; if both have been changed, press ESC twice to undo changes, first in the current field and then in the current record |
ESC |
Entering data in Datasheet or Form view
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To insert the current date |
CTRL+SEMICOLON (;) |
To insert the current time |
CTRL+SHIFT+COLON (:) |
To insert the default value for a field |
CTRL+ALT+SPACEBAR |
To insert the value from the same field in the previous record |
CTRL+APOSTROPHE (') |
To add a new record |
CTRL+PLUS SIGN (+) |
To delete the current record |
CTRL+MINUS SIGN (-) |
To save changes to the current record |
SHIFT+ENTER |
To switch between the values in a check box or option button |
SPACEBAR |
To insert a new line |
CTRL+ENTER |
Refreshing fields with current data
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To recalculate the fields in the window |
F9 |
To requery (requery: To rerun a query underlying the active form or datasheet in order to reflect changes to the records, display newly added records, and eliminate deleted records.) the underlying tables; in a subform, this requeries the underlying table for the subform only |
SHIFT+F9 |
Refresh the contents of a Lookup field (Lookup field: A field, used on a form or report in an Access database, that either displays a list of values retrieved from a table or query, or stores a static set of values.) list box or combo box |
F9 |
Keys for navigating records
Navigate in Design view
To do this | Press |
---|---|
To switch between Edit mode (with insertion point displayed) and Navigation mode |
F2 |
To switch to the property sheet (Design view in forms and reports in databases and Access projects) |
F4 |
To switch to Form view from form Design view |
F5 |
To switch between the upper and lower portions of a window (Design view of the Advanced Filter/Sort window only) |
F6 |
To switch to the Code Builder from form or report Design view (Design view window or property sheet) |
F7 |
Invokes the field list in a form, report , or data access page. If field list is already open, moves focus to field list |
F8 |
To switch from the Visual Basic Editor to form or report Design view |
SHIFT+F7 |
To switch from a control's
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