LibreOffice Writer is the free Word alternative, and its shortcut map goes deep: F-keys for Navigator and spellcheck, Ctrl+number keys that apply heading styles, and Ctrl+Enter page breaks. This complete list of LibreOffice Writer keyboard shortcut keys explains editing, styles and navigation shortcuts in plain words.
Editing and Formatting Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + B / Ctrl + I / Ctrl + U | Bold / italic / underline |
| Ctrl + Shift + D | Double underline |
| Ctrl + Shift + P | Superscript |
| Ctrl + Shift + B | Subscript |
| Ctrl + E / Ctrl + L / Ctrl + R / Ctrl + J | Align center / left / right / justified |
| Ctrl + M | Clear direct formatting from the selection |
| Ctrl + 0 | Apply the Text Body paragraph style |
| Ctrl + 1 – 5 | Apply Heading 1 – Heading 5 paragraph styles |
| Ctrl + Enter | Insert a page break |
| Ctrl + Shift + Enter | Insert a column break (in multi-column sections) |
| Ctrl + K | Insert/edit a hyperlink |
| Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste Special (choose the format) |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + V | Paste as unformatted text |
| Ctrl + X / Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V | Cut / copy / paste |
| Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y | Undo / redo |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Shift + F12 | Toggle bullets/list on the current paragraphs |
| Ctrl + Spacebar | Insert a non-breaking space |
Tools, Navigation and View Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| F5 | Open/close the Navigator (jump by headings, tables, images) |
| F7 | Spellcheck the document |
| Ctrl + F7 | Thesaurus for the selected word |
| F11 | Open/close the Styles sidebar |
| Ctrl + F5 | Show/hide the Sidebar |
| F4 | Open the Data Sources view |
| Ctrl + F2 | Open the Fields dialog |
| F9 | Update fields (page numbers, dates, references) |
| Ctrl + Shift + F9 | Update all fields and indexes |
| Ctrl + F10 | Show/hide formatting marks (spaces, paragraph marks) |
| Ctrl + F | Find (Find toolbar) |
| Ctrl + H | Find and Replace |
| Ctrl + G | Go to Page |
| Ctrl + Home / Ctrl + End | Go to the document start / end |
| Ctrl + PageUp / PageDown | Jump between document objects per the Navigator order |
| Ctrl + Shift + J | Toggle full-screen view |
| Ctrl + mouse wheel | Zoom in/out |
Tables and File Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + F12 | Insert a table |
| Tab / Shift + Tab (in a table) | Move to the next / previous cell |
| Ctrl + N | New document |
| Ctrl + O | Open a document |
| Ctrl + S | Save |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Save As |
| Ctrl + P | |
| Ctrl + W | Close the document |
| Ctrl + Q | Quit LibreOffice |
Tips for LibreOffice Writer Users
Ctrl + 1–5 applying Heading styles is the fastest way to structure a long document — and those headings instantly feed the Navigator (F5) and any table of contents. Ctrl + M is the rescue key: it strips messy pasted formatting back to the paragraph style. Before printing, hit F9/Ctrl + Shift + F9 so page numbers and cross-references are current.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I insert a page break in LibreOffice Writer?
Press Ctrl + Enter. For a column break inside columns, use Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
How do I apply headings quickly in LibreOffice Writer?
Put the cursor in the paragraph and press Ctrl + 1 for Heading 1, Ctrl + 2 for Heading 2, up to Ctrl + 5; Ctrl + 0 returns to Text Body style.
How do I remove formatting in LibreOffice Writer?
Select the text and press Ctrl + M — all direct formatting clears, leaving the clean paragraph style.
How do I check spelling in LibreOffice Writer?
Press F7 for a full spellcheck; Ctrl + F7 opens the thesaurus for the word at the cursor.
By Umar Farooq, Tech Know.
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