Quickly Select Text in Word Documents Using a Mouse or Keyboard Shortcuts
by Avantix Learning Team | Updated February 14, 2021
Applies to: Microsoft® Word® 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 or 365 (Windows)
In Microsoft Word, you can save lots of time if you can quickly select characters, words, lines, paragraphs and blocks of text in your documents. You can use keyboard shortcuts or mouse shortcuts to select text.
Recommended article: 10 Microsoft Word Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for Selecting in Tables
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1. Select an entire document
Click in the document and then press Ctrl + A to select the entire document.
2. Select a word
Double-click a word.
3. Select a sentence
Ctrl + click in the sentence,
4. Select a line using the invisible selection bar
Move the pointer into the invisible selection bar to the left of the line and click (the pointer should turn into a right-pointing arrow).
5. Select a paragraph
Triple-click in a paragraph
6. Select a paragraph using the invisible selection bar
Move the pointer into the invisible selection bar to the left of the paragraph and double-click (the pointer should turn into a right-pointing arrow).
7. Select from the cursor to the end of the line or document
Position the cursor where you want to start the selection and then press Ctrl + Shift + End to select to the end of the document. Press Shift + End to select from the cursor to the end of the line (if you press Shift + Home, Word will select from the cursor to the beginning of the line).
8. Select by word using arrow keys
Position the cursor where you want to start the selection and then press Ctrl + Shift + right arrow or Ctrl + Shift + left arrow.
9. Select by line using arrow keys
Position the cursor where you want to start the selection and then press Shift + down arrow or Shift + up arrow.
10. Select by paragraph using arrow keys
Position the cursor where you want to start the selection and then press Ctrl + Shift + down arrow or Ctrl + Shift + up arrow.
11. Select by character using arrow keys
Position the cursor where you want to start the selection and then press Shift + right arrow or Shift + left arrow.
12. Select blocks of text by Shift-clicking
Position the cursor where you want to start the selection and then move or scroll to the location where you want to end the selection Shift-click.
13. Select by screen
Position the cursor where you want to start the selection and then press Ctrl + Shift + PgUp or Ctrl + Shift + PgDown.
14. Select vertically
To select vertically in a document, press Alt and drag up or down.
You can save lots of time in Word using shortcuts for selecting text.
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More resources
10+ Great Microsoft Word Navigation Shortcuts for Moving Around Quickly in Your Documents
How to Keep Text Together in Microsoft Word (Words, Lines or Paragraphs)
How to Create, Save, Use and Edit Templates in Microsoft Word
Related courses
Microsoft Word: Intermediate / Advanced
Microsoft Word: Designing Dynamic Word Documents Using Fields
Microsoft Word: Long Documents Master Class
Microsoft Excel: Intermediate / Advanced
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