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:

Keyboard Shortcuts#

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.

Keyboard Shortcuts#

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 @tag keyword.

CtrlK, V

Insert a @pov keyword.

CtrlK, F

Insert a @focus keyword.

CtrlK, C

Insert a @char keyword.

CtrlK, P

Insert a @plot keyword.

CtrlK, S

Insert a synopsis comment.

CtrlK, T

Insert a @time keyword.

CtrlK, L

Insert a @location keyword.

CtrlK, O

Insert an @object keyword.

CtrlK, E

Insert an @entity keyword.

CtrlK, X

Insert a @custom keyword.