Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Assigning a Shortcut Key to Styles.
In other issues of WordTips you learn how to add styles to your document. Word also allows you to assign shortcut keys to styles. These shortcut keys can then be used to quickly apply styles to various paragraphs in your document. To define a shortcut key, do this:
Figure 1. The Modify Style dialog box.
Figure 2. The Customize Keyboard dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (5948) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Assigning a Shortcut Key to Styles.
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2020-06-23 12:12:29
Side note to Phillip on his comment: took me a few rereads as well. You go to the "Format" dropdown in the lower left corner of the modify style screen, where you would choose Font, Paragraph, etc. Shortcut Key is the second last in my version (Word 2010).
2018-11-29 05:45:33
B W Officer
I get stuck on step 6. I can't find a combination that's not already used. I don't want to overwrite any current shortcut assignments just in case I might regret it in the future.
2018-11-12 08:34:54
pascal lessard
Hello Allen,
Why is it that evertime I open my custom styles file .dotm to modify the content I have to redo always my shotcut keys ?
This is not in the normal. dotm but a custom file called devispra2019.dotm
Thanks
2016-06-07 12:07:49
Tom Peers
Is this just for this doc or global?
2016-06-06 11:31:01
Moray
Point of interest, I've found that if you delete a style which had a shortcut, the shortcut is *not* deleted - so that if when you try to use that shortcut for another style, Word is confused may not react to the shortcut at all.
2016-06-06 09:20:38
Philip Ulanowsky
Allen,
I can not figure out how you got from modifying Normal to creating a shortcut key for Strikethrough from the All Commands list. I am familiar with styles and shortcuts. What am I missing here?
There is also the ability, as you surely know, to create a style shortcut by using a comma and letter(s) after the style name, e.g., Exhibit_title,et, which is then activated from the style box, [Ctrl+Shift+S].
2016-06-06 06:02:50
Ann Seri
Thank you for the tip on shortcuts for styles!! Great.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
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