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V25.1
  • Keyboard Shortcuts in Rich Text Editor

    • 6 minutes to read

    The following table lists default keyboard shortcuts and corresponding commands in Rich Text Editor.

    To change default shortcuts, use the RichEditControl.RemoveShortcutKey and RichEditControl.AssignShortcutKeyToCommand methods. Refer to the following project for a complete code sample:

    File Operations

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+N Creates an empty document. CreateEmptyDocumentCommand
    CTRL+O Invokes the Open dialog box to open a new file. LoadDocumentCommand
    CTRL+S Saves changes in the current document. SaveDocumentCommand
    F12 Invokes the Save as dialog box to save a document in the specified file format to a new location. SaveDocumentAsCommand
    CTRL+P Invokes the Print dialog box. PrintCommand
    Shortcut Description Command
    LEFT ARROW Moves the cursor one character to the left. PreviousCharacterCommand
    CTRL+LEFT ARROW Moves the cursor one word to the left. PreviousWordCommand
    RIGHT ARROW Moves the cursor one character to the right. NextCharacterCommand
    CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Moves the cursor one word to the right. NextWordCommand
    DOWN ARROW Moves the cursor down by one line. NextLineCommand
    CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move the cursor down by one paragraph. NextParagraphCommand
    UP ARROW Moves the cursor up by one line. PreviousLineCommand
    CTRL+UP ARROW Moves the cursor up by one paragraph. PreviousParagraphCommand
    END Moves the cursor to the end of the current line. EndOfLineCommand
    CTRL+END Moves the cursor to the end of the current document. EndOfDocumentCommand
    HOME Moves the cursor to the start of the current line. StartOfLineCommand
    CTRL+HOME Moves the cursor to the start of the document. StartOfDocumentCommand
    PAGE DOWN Moves the cursor by scrolling the document view down by one screen. NextScreenCommand
    CTRL+PAGE DOWN Moves the cursor to the top of the next page. NextPageCommand
    PAGE UP Move the cursor by scrolling the document view up by one screen. PreviousScreenCommand
    CTRL+PAGE UP Moves the cursor to the top of the previous page. PreviousPageCommand

    Select Document Content

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+A
    CTRL+CLEAR
    CTRL+NUM 5
    Selects all content. SelectAllCommand
    SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW Selects one character to the right. ExtendNextCharacterCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW Selects one word to the right. ExtendNextWordCommand
    SHIFT+LEFT ARROW Selects one character to the left. ExtendPreviousCharacterCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW Selects one word to the left. ExtendPreviousWordCommand
    SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Extends the selection one line down. ExtendNextLineCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Selects content from the current position to the paragraph end. ExtendNextParagraphCommand
    SHIFT+UP ARROW Extends the selection one line up. ExtendPreviousLineCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+UP ARROW Selects content from the current position to the paragraph start. ExtendPreviousParagraphCommand
    SHIFT+END Selects content from the current position to the line end. ExtendEndOfLineCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+END Selects content from the current position to the document end. ExtendEndOfDocumentCommand
    SHIFT+HOME Selects content from the current position to the line start. ExtendStartOfLineCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+HOME Selects content from the current position to the document start. ExtendStartOfDocumentCommand
    SHIFT+PAGE DOWN Selects content from the current position to the bottom of the screen. ExtendNextScreenCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN Selects content from the current position to the bottom of the page. ExtendNextPageCommand
    SHIFT+PAGE UP Selects content from the current position to the top of the screen. ExtendPreviousScreenCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE UP Selects content from the current position to the top of the page. ExtendPreviousPageCommand

    Edit Document Content

    Shortcut Description Command
    INSERT Turns overtype on and off. ToggleOvertypeCommand
    BACKSPACE Deletes one character to the left. BackSpaceKeyCommand
    CTRL+BACKSPACE Deletes one word to the left. DeleteWordBackCommand
    DELETE Deletes one character to the right. DeleteCommand
    CTRL+DELETE Deletes one word to the right. DeleteWordCommand
    CTRL+Z
    ALT+BACKSPACE
    Undo the previous action. UndoCommand
    CTRL+Y
    ALT+SHIFT+BACKSPACE
    Redo the previous action. RedoCommand

    Clipboard Operations

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+X
    SHIFT+DELETE
    Cuts the selected content to the clipboard. CutSelectionCommand
    CTRL+C
    CTRL+INSERT
    Copies the selected content to the clipboard. CopySelectionCommand
    CTRL+V
    SHIFT+INSERT
    Pastes the selected content to the clipboard. PasteSelectionCommand
    CTRL+ALT+V Shows the Paste Special dialog. ShowPasteSpecialFormCommand

    Align and Format Paragraphs

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+E Centers the paragraph. ToggleParagraphAlignmentCenterCommand
    CTRL+J Justifies the paragraph. ToggleParagraphAlignmentJustifyCommand
    CTRL+L Aligns the paragraph to the left. ToggleParagraphAlignmentLeftCommand
    CTRL+R Aligns the paragraph to the right. ToggleParagraphAlignmentRightCommand
    CTRL+1 Applies single spacing to the paragraph. SetSingleParagraphSpacingCommand
    CTRL+2 Applies double spacing to the paragraph. SetDoubleParagraphSpacingCommand
    CTRL+5 Applies the 1.5-line spacing to the paragraph. SetSesquialteralParagraphSpacingCommand
    SHIFT+TAB Decreases the indent by the size of one tab, or inserts the tab. ShiftTabKeyCommand
    TAB Increases the indent by the size of one tab, or inserts the tab. TabKeyCommand

    Format Characters

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+D Displays the Font dialog. ShowFontFormCommand
    CTRL+OEMCLOSEBRACKETS (]) Increases the font size by 1 point. IncrementFontSizeCommand
    CTRL+OEMOPENBRACKETS ([) Decreases the font size by 1 point. DecrementFontSizeCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+OEMPERIOD (>) Increases the font size. IncreaseFontSizeCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+OEMCOMMA (<) Decreases the font size. DecreaseFontSizeCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+H Hides the selected text. ToggleHiddenTextCommand
    CTRL+B Applies bold formatting. ToggleFontBoldCommand
    CTRL+U Applies underline formatting. ToggleFontUnderlineCommand
    CTRL+I Applies italics formatting. ToggleFontItalicCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+D Applies double-underline formatting. ToggleFontDoubleUnderlineCommand
    CTRL+SPACE Removes manual character formatting. ClearFormattingCommand
    CTRL+OEMPLUS (=) Applies subscript formatting. ToggleFontSubscriptCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+OEMPLUS (=) Applies superscript formatting. ToggleFontSuperscriptCommand
    SHIFT+F4 Switches the text between upper case, lower case, and title case. ChangeCaseCommand
    CTRL+K Opens the Hyperlink dialog. ShowHyperlinkFormCommand

    Insert Special Characters

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+SHIFT+8 Shows or hides the hidden formatting symbols. ToggleShowWhitespaceCommand
    ENTER Inserts a paragraph. InsertParagraphCommand
    SHIFT+ENTER Inserts a line break. InsertLineBreakCommand
    CTRL+ENTER Inserts a page break. InsertPageBreakCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER Inserts a column break. InsertColumnBreakCommand
    CTRL+Subtract Inserts an en dash (–). InsertEnDashCommand
    CTRL+ALT+Subtract Inserts an em dash (–). InsertEmDashCommand
    CTRL+ALT+T Insert a trademark symbol (™). InsertTrademarkSymbolCommand
    CTRL+ALT+R Inserts a registered trademark symbol (®). InsertRegisteredTrademarkSymbolCommand
    CTRL+ALT+C Inserts a copyright symbol (©). InsertCopyrightSymbolCommand
    CTRL+ALT+OEMPERIOD (<) Inserts an ellipsis (…) InsertEllipsisCommand
    CTRL+- Insert an optional hyphen. InsertHyphenCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+- Inserts a non-breaking hyphen. InsertNonBreakingHyphenCommand
    Ctrl+ShIFT+SPACE Inserts a non-breaking space. InsertNonBreakingSpaceCommand
    Ctrl+TAB Inserts a tab character. InsertTabCommand.

    Work With Fields

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+F9 Inserts an empty field. CreateFieldCommand
    F9 Updates the selected field. UpdateFieldsCommand
    ALT+F9 Switches between all field codes and their results. ToggleAllFieldsCommand
    CTRL+F11 Locks a field. LockFieldCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+F11 Unlocks a field. UnlockFieldCommand
    CTRL+SHIFT+F9 Replaces a field with its value (unlinks a field). UnlinkFieldsCommand

    Outline a Document

    Shortcut Description Command
    ALT+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW Promotes a paragraph. DecrementParagraphOutlineLevelCommand
    ALT+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW Demotes a paragraph. IncrementParagraphOutlineLevelCommand

    Find and Replace

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL+F Displays the Find dialog. FindCommand
    CTRL+H Displays the Replace dialog. ReplaceCommand
    F3 Moves to the next found entry. FindNextCommand
    SHIFT+F3 Moves to the previous found entry. FindPrevCommand

    List Operations

    Shortcut Description Command
    ALT+I Increments paragraph numeration in a numbering list. IncrementNumerationFromParagraphCommand
    CTRL+ALT+I Decrements paragraph numeration in a numbering list. DecrementNumerationFromParagraphCommand

    Review a Document

    Shortcut Description Command
    CTRL + SHIFT + E Turns Track Changes on or off. ToggleTrackChangesCommand
    See Also