Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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: Applying Numbers from the Keyboard.

Applying Numbers from the Keyboard

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 28, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365


2

Word makes it just as easy to create and destroy numbered lists as it does to work with bulleted lists. All you need to do is click on the Numbering tool to convert a paragraph to a numbered item, and click on it again to remove the number. There is no keyboard equivalent for this tool, but you can create one. This involves the use of the Customize Keyboard dialog box:

  1. Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 and later versions display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
  2. At the left of the dialog box click Customize (Word 2007) or Customize Ribbon (Word 2010 and later).
  3. Click the Customize button, near the bottom of the dialog box. Word displays the Customize Keyboard dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Customize Keyboard dialog box.

  5. In the Categories list, choose Formatting (Word 2007) or All Commands (Word 2010 and later).
  6. In the Commands list, choose FormatNumberDefault.
  7. Click in the Press New Shortcut Key box.
  8. Press the keystroke you want to use to apply numbers. Alt+N is a good choice, since it is not in use on a default Word system.
  9. Click on Assign.
  10. Click on Close to dismiss the Customize Keyboard dialog box.
  11. Click on Cancel to close the Word Options dialog box.

Now, whenever you press the keystroke you chose in step 7, it is the same as clicking on the Numbering tool. Press the keystroke again, and the numbers are gone. You can also press Ctrl+Q to remove any paragraph numbering.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11970) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Applying Numbers from the Keyboard.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Determining If a Date and Time is within Working Hours

Excel is great at working with times and dates. Sometimes, though, it can be a bit tricky to figure out how to work with ...

Discover More

Vertical Alignment of an Inline Graphic

Word allows you to insert graphics in two ways: either inline or floating. If you use inline graphics, you may want to ...

Discover More

Restoring AutoText Entries via Macro

AutoText has been a powerful feature in Word for decades. If you've spent countless hours developing your AutoText ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2019. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2019 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Skipping Numbering

Got a numbered list, but you want to add other types of non-numbered paragraphs in the middle of the list? It's easy to ...

Discover More

Turning Off Automatic Numbered Lists

Type what Word thinks is a numbered list, and it will helpfully format the text to match what it thinks your numbered ...

Discover More

Changing the Types of Numbers in a Numbered List

Ever want to change the types of numbers that Word displays when you create a numbered list? There are several numbering ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven less than 8?

2023-10-29 23:34:00

Tomek

@Ron S:
When you attach screenshot images in you comments, make sure to snip only the necessary part and/or edit/crop them. Images wider than 600 px or higher than 1000 will get reduced and may become unreadable.


2023-10-28 19:44:34

Ron S

If you cannot find the command in that dialog there are a few options.
First is look elsewhere:
#1 At the bottom of the "Categories > Tabs" list is item "All Commands". Pretty obvious, it shows all commands. Try to find your command in that list.
#2 Still looking in the ALL COMMANDS list some of the commands still have the old menu system menu name as a prefix. In this capture see all of the old File Menu commands

(see Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. 


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.