Google Drive and Docs in 30 Minutes (2nd Edition) – The unofficial guide to the new Google Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides (2015)

Glossary

Keyboard shortcuts for Google Drive

Here is a list of basic shortcut keys for Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings. All you need to do is type the keys in the list below to activate the corresponding commands. There are shortcut keys for both Windows PCs and Macs.

Why go through the trouble of remembering these shortcuts? You’ll find typing them on your PC or laptop will save time compared to activating the same commands with a mouse.

Note that while all of the listed shortcuts work in the Google Chrome browser, a few may not work in other browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.).

Google Drive home screen

The following keyboard shortcuts work on Windows and Mac desktops and laptops.

c — Create new file

u — Upload new file

o — Open file

d — Information about file

j or down arrow — Advance to next file

k or up arrow — Go back to previous file

x — Select file

t — Open settings pane

n — Rename selected file

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings

Some of the keyboard shortcuts in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings, including commands used for copying and pasting text, are identical to those in Microsoft Office and other programs. Windows shortcuts are listed first, followed by their Mac equivalents.

Windows

Control + / — Show all keyboard shortcuts

Control + ‘ — Go to next misspelling (Docs only)

Control + Shift + c — Word count (Docs only)

Control + o — Open file

Control + p — Print file

Control + f — Find text

Control + z — Undo

Control + y — Redo

Control + b — Bold text

Control + i — Italicize text

Control + u — Underline text

Control + a — Select all

Control + x — Cut selected text

Control + c — Copy selected text

Control + v — Paste

Control + k — Create link to Web address

Alt + Shift + f — Open file menu

Alt + Shift + e — Open edit menu

Alt + Shift + v — Open view menu

Alt + Shift + i — Open insert menu

Alt + Shift + t — Open tools menu

Mac

Command + / — Show all keyboard shortcuts

Command + ‘ — Go to next misspelling (Docs only)

Command + Shift + c — Word count (Docs only)

Command + o — Open file

Command + p — Print file

Command + f — Find text

Command + z — Undo

Command + y — Redo

Command + b — Bold text

Command + i — Italicize text

Command + u — Underline text

Command + a — Select all

Command + x — Cut selected text

Command + c — Copy selected text

Command + v — Paste

Command + k — Create link to Web address

Control + Option + f — Open file menu

Control + Option + e — Open edit menu

Control + Option + v — Open view menu

Control + Option + i — Open insert menu

Control + Option + t — Open tools menu