Keyboard Shortcuts#
Most features in novelWriter are available as keyboard shortcuts. This is a reference list if these shortcuts. Most of them are also listed in the application.
Main Shortcuts#
The main shorcuts are as follows:
Shortcut |
Description |
---|---|
F1 |
Open the online user manual. |
F2 |
If in the project tree, edit an item’s label. |
F3 |
Find next occurrence of search word in current document. |
F5 |
Open the Build Novel Project dialog. |
F6 |
Open the Writing Statistics dialog. |
F7 |
Re-run spell checker. |
F8 |
Toggle Focus Mode. |
F9 |
Re-build the project index. |
F11 |
Toggle full screen mode. |
Return |
If in the project tree, open a document for editing. |
Alt1 |
Switch focus to the project tree. On Windows, use CtrlAlt1. |
Alt2 |
Switch focus to document editor. On Windows, use CtrlAlt2. |
Alt3 |
Switch focus to document viewer. On Windows, use CtrlAlt3. |
Alt4 |
Switch focus to outline view. On Windows, use CtrlAlt4. |
AltLeft |
Move backward in the view history of the document viewer. |
AltRight |
Move forward in the view history of the document viewer. |
Ctrl. |
Open the context menu in the project tree or the document editor. |
Ctrl, |
Open the Preferences dialog. |
Ctrl/ |
Toggle block format as comment. |
Ctrl0 |
Remove block formatting for block under cursor. |
Ctrl1 |
Change block format to header level 1. |
Ctrl2 |
Change block format to header level 2. |
Ctrl3 |
Change block format to header level 3. |
Ctrl4 |
Change block format to header level 4. |
Ctrl5 |
Change block alignment to left-aligned. |
Ctrl6 |
Change block alignment to centred. |
Ctrl7 |
Change block alignment to right-aligned. |
Ctrl8 |
Add a left margin to the block. |
Ctrl9 |
Add a right margin to the block. |
CtrlA |
Select all text in the document. |
CtrlB |
Format selected text, or word under cursor, with strong emphasis (bold). |
CtrlC |
Copy selected text to clipboard. |
CtrlD |
Strikethrough selected text, or word under cursor. |
CtrlF |
Open the search bar and search for the selected word, if any is selected. |
CtrlG |
Find next occurrence of search word in current document. |
CtrlH |
Open the search and replace tool and search for the selected word, if any is selected. (On Mac, this is Cmd=.) |
CtrlI |
Format selected text, or word under cursor, with emphasis (italic). |
CtrlK |
Activate the insert commands. The commands are listed in Insert Shortcuts. |
CtrlL |
Open the Quick Links menu in the Project Tree. |
CtrlN |
Open the Create New Item menu in the Project Tree. |
CtrlO |
Open selected document. |
CtrlQ |
Exit novelWriter. |
CtrlR |
If in the project tree, open a document for viewing. If in the editor, open current document for viewing. |
CtrlS |
Save the current document in the document editor. |
CtrlV |
Paste text from clipboard to cursor position. |
CtrlW |
Close the current document in the document editor. |
CtrlX |
Cut selected text to clipboard. |
CtrlY |
Redo latest undo. |
CtrlZ |
Undo latest changes. |
CtrlF7 |
Toggle spell checking. |
CtrlUp |
Move item one step up in the project tree. |
CtrlDown |
Move item one step down in the project tree. |
CtrlDel |
Delete next word in editor. |
CtrlBackspace |
Delete previous word in editor. |
Ctrl' |
Wrap selected text, or word under cursor, in single quotes. |
Ctrl" |
Wrap selected text, or word under cursor, in double quotes. |
CtrlReturn |
Open the tag or reference under the cursor in the Viewer. |
CtrlShift, |
Open the Project Settings dialog. |
CtrlShift/ |
Remove block formatting for block under cursor. |
CtrlShift1 |
Replace occurrence of search word in current document, and search for next occurrence. |
CtrlShiftA |
Select all text in current paragraph. |
CtrlShiftG |
Find previous occurrence of search word in current document. |
CtrlShiftI |
Import text to the current document from a text file. |
CtrlShiftO |
Open a project. |
CtrlShiftR |
Close the document viewer. |
CtrlShiftS |
Save the current project. |
CtrlShiftW |
Close the current project. |
CtrlShiftZ |
Undo move of project tree item. |
CtrlShiftDel |
If in the project tree, move an item to Trash. |
ShiftF1 |
Open the local user manual (PDF) if it is available. |
ShiftF3 |
Find previous occurrence of search word in current document. |
ShiftF6 |
Open the Project Details dialog. |
Note
On macOS, replace Ctrl with Cmd.
Insert Shortcuts#
A set of insert features are also available through shortcuts, but they require a double combination of key sequences. The insert feature is activated with CtrlK, followed by a key or key combination for the inserted content.
Shortcut |
Description |
---|---|
CtrlK, − |
Insert a short dash (en dash). |
CtrlK, _ |
Insert a long dash (em dash). |
CtrlK, Ctrl_ |
Insert a horizontal bar (quotation dash). |
CtrlK, ~ |
Insert a figure dash (same width as a number). |
CtrlK, 1 |
Insert a left single quote. |
CtrlK, 2 |
Insert a right single quote. |
CtrlK, 3 |
Insert a left double quote. |
CtrlK, 4 |
Insert a right double quote. |
CtrlK, ' |
Insert a modifier apostrophe. |
CtrlK, . |
Insert an ellipsis. |
CtrlK, Ctrl' |
Insert a prime. |
CtrlK, Ctrl" |
Insert a double prime. |
CtrlK, Space |
Insert a non-breaking space. |
CtrlK, ShiftSpace |
Insert a thin space. |
CtrlK, CtrlSpace |
Insert a thin non-breaking space. |
CtrlK, * |
Insert a list bullet. |
CtrlK, Ctrl− |
Insert a hyphen bullet (alternative bullet). |
CtrlK, Ctrl* |
Insert a flower mark (alternative bullet). |
CtrlK, % |
Insert a per mille symbol. |
CtrlK, CtrlO |
Insert a degree symbol. |
CtrlK, CtrlX |
Insert a times sign. |
CtrlK, CtrlD |
Insert a division sign. |
CtrlK, G |
Insert a |
CtrlK, V |
Insert a |
CtrlK, F |
Insert a |
CtrlK, C |
Insert a |
CtrlK, P |
Insert a |
CtrlK, S |
Insert a synopsis comment. |
CtrlK, T |
Insert a |
CtrlK, L |
Insert a |
CtrlK, O |
Insert an |
CtrlK, E |
Insert an |
CtrlK, X |
Insert a |