Keyboard Shortcut to Access Header and Footer

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 29, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365

Amol is the type of guy who prefers using the keyboard whenever possible. He's looking for a shortcut to switch between the header (or footer) and the main body of the document, or vice versa. He wonders if such a shortcut actually exists.

You could, if you desire, create your own shortcut to access the header or footer (how you create a shortcut has been discussed in other WordTips), but there is little need to do so. Word includes a very easy-to-use shortcut that allows you to jump right to the header: Alt+V, H. (Press the Alt and V key at the same time, then press H. You can continue holding down the Alt key as you press H or not, it is up to you.) A helpful mnemonic for this shortcut is "Alt View Headers," and it works great.

Once you are in the header area, you can then use the Down Arrow to move to the footer area and use the Up Arrow to move back to the header area.

Getting back to the main document is easy—just press <Sstrong>Esc or Shift+Alt+C. Either action closes the header and footer areas completely and returns you to where you were in the document.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (4630) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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What is nine more than 1?

2024-06-30 08:34:33

John R Hightower

Is there a direct way to use the keyboard to access the footer? Perhaps Alt+V and then F?

2024-06-29 12:48:58

Phillip Holt

This quick move to the Header feature does not function on a Macbook Pro. What it does do is paste in whaterever has most recenvlt been placed in the MAC's copy/paste buffer.

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