Word for Mac text selection shortcuts follow one simple rule: take a key that moves the cursor and add Shift. ⌥ Option + → jumps one word to the right, so ⇧ Shift + ⌥ Option + → selects that word. This free cheat sheet lists 24 movement and selection shortcuts on one page.
It also covers Find, Go To and switching between open documents, plus the keys to press on a MacBook that has no Home or End key. To select a whole document in one go, see how to select all text in Word.
Download the Free PDF Cheat Sheet
This free cheat sheet puts the 24 shortcuts in three groups: Moving the Cursor, Find & Windows, and Selecting Text, with the MacBook Home and End tip at the top. The ZIP file has a US Letter PDF and an A4 PDF.
MacBook Keys for Home, End, Page Up and Page Down
MacBook keyboards have no Home, End, Page Up or Page Down keys. Microsoft’s own list gives the MacBook version: hold Fn with an arrow key in place of the missing key.
| Action | Full-size keyboard | MacBook |
|---|---|---|
| Start of document | ⌘ Cmd + Home | ⌘ Cmd + Fn + ← |
| End of document | ⌘ Cmd + End | ⌘ Cmd + Fn + → |
| Top of previous page | ⌘ Cmd + Page Up | ⌘ Cmd + Fn + ↑ |
| Top of next page | ⌘ Cmd + Page Down | ⌘ Cmd + Fn + ↓ |
👉 The same swap works for selecting: ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + Fn + → selects to the end of the document on a MacBook.
Shortcuts for Moving the Cursor
On a Mac, Command with an arrow jumps to the start or end of a line, and Option with an arrow moves one word at a time. ⇧ Shift + F5 takes you back to where you were last working.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| One word left | ⌥ Option + ← Left Arrow |
| One word right | ⌥ Option + → Right Arrow |
| Up one paragraph | ⌘ Cmd + ↑ Up Arrow |
| Down one paragraph | ⌘ Cmd + ↓ Down Arrow |
| Start of line | ⌘ Cmd + ← Left Arrow |
| End of line | ⌘ Cmd + → Right Arrow |
| Start of document | ⌘ Cmd + Home |
| End of document | ⌘ Cmd + End |
| Previous insertion point | ⇧ Shift + F5 |
| Go To | ⌘ Cmd + ⌥ Option + G |
Find and Window Shortcuts
Find opens the search box; Find and Replace uses the Control key. Next window and Previous window cycle through your open Word documents.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Find | ⌘ Cmd + F |
| Find and Replace | ⌃ Control + H |
| Next window | ⌘ Cmd + ` |
| Previous window | ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + ` |
Shortcuts for Selecting Text
Every shortcut here is a movement shortcut with Shift added, so once you know how to move, you already know how to select.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select text | ⇧ Shift + Arrow keys |
| Word to the left | ⇧ Shift + ⌥ Option + ← Left Arrow |
| Word to the right | ⇧ Shift + ⌥ Option + → Right Arrow |
| To start of line | ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + ← Left Arrow |
| To end of line | ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + → Right Arrow |
| To start of paragraph | ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + ↑ Up Arrow |
| To end of paragraph | ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + ↓ Down Arrow |
| To start of document | ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + Home |
| To end of document | ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + End |
| Select all | ⌘ Cmd + A |
How Selecting Text Differs from Windows
On Windows, the Home and End keys do most of the line jumps. On a Mac, Command and the arrow keys take over, and Option replaces Ctrl for moving by word. Select all and Find keep their letters:
| Action | Word for Mac | Word for Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Select all | ⌘ Cmd + A | Ctrl + A |
| Find | ⌘ Cmd + F | Ctrl + F |
| Go To | ⌘ Cmd + ⌥ Option + G | Ctrl + G |
👉 The Windows keys come from our Windows keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet.
Pro Tips for Word for Mac Text Selection Shortcuts
- Learn the movement keys first. Each selection key is the same move with Shift added.
- Overshot a selection? Keep holding Shift and press the opposite arrow to shrink it.
- Use Go To, ⌘ Cmd + ⌥ Option + G, to jump to a page number in a long document. See how to select a single page in Word for more.
- If you cannot select anything, the document may be protected or open in a restricted view.
FAQs
What are Word for Mac text selection shortcuts?
They are key combinations that select text in Word on a Mac by character, word, line, paragraph or the whole document. Each one is a cursor movement shortcut with Shift added.
How do I select a whole line in Word for Mac?
Put the cursor at the start of the line and press ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + →. To select back to the start, press ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + ←.
How do I select one word at a time on a Mac?
Press ⇧ Shift + ⌥ Option + → to select the word to the right, or ⇧ Shift + ⌥ Option + ← for the word to the left. Keep pressing to add more words.
My MacBook has no Home or End key. What do I press?
Hold Fn with the Left Arrow for Home and with the Right Arrow for End. For example, ⌘ Cmd + Fn + ← goes to the start of the document.
What is the Go To shortcut in Word for Mac?
Press ⌘ Cmd + ⌥ Option + G. You can also press F5, holding Fn if your Mac needs it for the function keys.
How do I switch between open Word documents on a Mac?
Press ⌘ Cmd + ` for the next window and ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + ` for the previous one. If you cannot select text at all, read how to fix selection is locked in Word.
More Word for Mac Cheat Sheets
The other sheets in the Word for Mac set, each with its own page and free download:
- Word for Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: 26 Essential Keys (Free PDF)
- Word for Mac Formatting Shortcuts: 23 Keys (Free PDF)
- Word for Mac Table Shortcuts: 20 Keys and Mouse Moves (Free PDF)
- Word for Mac Track Changes Shortcuts: 19 Keys (Free PDF)
- Word for Mac Function Keys: 25 F1–F11 Shortcuts (Free PDF)
- Free Word for Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Bundle: 6 Cheat Sheets (PDF): all six sheets in one PDF
Conclusion
Word for Mac text selection shortcuts are the quickest way to grab exactly the text you need. Learn the four movement keys, add Shift, and selecting becomes second nature.
Once your text is selected, the Word for Mac formatting shortcuts cheat sheet helps you format it without the mouse.
Related Tutorials
- How to Select All Text in Word: 3 Easy Methods
- How to Select a Single Page in Word: 3 Easy Methods
- How to Fix Selection Is Locked in Word: 6 Easy Methods
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For Microsoft support documentation, visit the official Microsoft guidance.
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