QuickBooks Online Keyboard Shortcuts: Full List + PDF (2026)
QuickBooks Online keyboard shortcuts are activated with Ctrl + Alt (Windows) or Ctrl + Option (Mac), followed by a single letter for example, Ctrl + Alt + I opens a new invoice. QBO also supports single-key date shortcuts and in-field math. This guide lists every working shortcut for PC and Mac, explains browser differences, and includes a free downloadable PDF cheat sheet.
What are QuickBooks Online keyboard shortcuts?
QuickBooks Online keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that let you create transactions, open lists, enter dates, and save forms without reaching for the mouse. Because QBO runs in a web browser, its shortcuts are built around the Ctrl + Alt modifier on Windows and Ctrl + Option on Mac, which avoids clashing with your browser’s own shortcuts. Learning even five or six of them noticeably cuts the clicking that slows down data entry.
How to open the built-in QBO shortcut list
You don’t have to memorize anything QuickBooks Online has a built-in cheat sheet:
- Sign in to QuickBooks Online in your browser.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + ? on Windows, or Ctrl + Option + ? on Mac.
- A window opens with the full shortcut list and your Company ID handy when you call Intuit support.
To use any shortcut below, hold Ctrl + Alt (Windows) or Ctrl + Option (Mac) and then press the letter.
Core QuickBooks Online keyboard shortcuts (Windows)
These work from main pages such as the Dashboard, Customers, or Vendors screens.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New invoice | Ctrl + Alt + I |
| Write check | Ctrl + Alt + W |
| New estimate | Ctrl + Alt + E |
| New expense | Ctrl + Alt + X |
| Receive payment | Ctrl + Alt + R |
| New journal entry | Ctrl + Alt + J |
| Open Customers | Ctrl + Alt + C |
| Open Vendors | Ctrl + Alt + V |
| Open Chart of Accounts | Ctrl + Alt + A |
| Open Lists | Ctrl + Alt + L |
| Run payroll | Ctrl + Alt + U |
| Open Help | Ctrl + Alt + H |
| Global search | Ctrl + Alt + F |
| Focus the left menu | Ctrl + Alt + D |
| Open shortcut cheat sheet (shows Company ID) | Ctrl + Alt + ? |
QuickBooks Online shortcuts on an open transaction
Once you’re inside an invoice, expense, or other transaction, these save and manage the form:
| Action | Shortcut (Windows) |
|---|---|
| Save and new | Ctrl + Alt + S |
| Save and close | Ctrl + Alt + D |
| Save and send | Ctrl + Alt + M |
| Ctrl + Alt + P | |
| Cancel | Ctrl + Alt + C |
| Exit transaction view (or press Esc) | Ctrl + Alt + X |
Browser note: Intuit’s official guide also lists Alt + S to save a form, but in Chrome and Firefox you must use Alt + Shift + S, and on Mac it’s Option + Control + S. If a save shortcut doesn’t respond, switch to the Shift variant for your browser.
QuickBooks Online shortcuts for Mac
Mac users substitute Option for Alt and can use Control + Option as the modifier:
| Action | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New invoice | Ctrl + Option + I |
| New expense | Ctrl + Option + X |
| Write check | Ctrl + Option + W |
| Run payroll | Ctrl + Option + U |
| Open shortcut cheat sheet | Ctrl + Option + ? |
| Save a form | Option + Control + S |
| Toggle full screen / Zen Mode | Cmd + . (period) |
Date entry shortcuts in QuickBooks Online
Click into any date field, then press a single key. The trick to remembering them: the first letter marks the beginning of a period, the last letter marks the end so W/K for the week, M/H for the month, Y/R for the year.
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Today | T |
| First day of week | W |
| Last day of week | K |
| First day of month | M |
| Last day of month | H |
| First day of year | Y |
| Last day of year | R |
| Next / previous day | + / – |
| Up / down one week | [ / ] |
| Up / down one month | ; / ‘ |
| Open pop-up calendar | Alt + ↓ |
Typing tip: You don’t need slashes or a four-digit year. Type 101525 and Tab to enter October 15, 2025 and for the current year you can skip it entirely and just type 1015.
How to do calculations inside amount fields
One of QBO’s most underused features: in any Amount or Rate field you can type a calculation and QuickBooks resolves it when you press Tab or click out.
| Operation | Example |
|---|---|
| Add | 1256.94 + 356.50 |
| Subtract | 48.95 − 15 |
| Multiply | 108 * 1.085 |
| Divide | 89.95 / .33 |
| Group | 13.95 + (25.95 * .75) |
Three things to know: you don’t start with an “=” sign like in Excel, the formula doesn’t save (only the result does), and it follows PEMDAS order of operations.
Browser shortcuts that pair well with QBO
Because QuickBooks Online lives in your browser, a few native browser shortcuts speed things up:
- Ctrl + F: search for any text on the current screen (great on long reconciliation or report pages).
- Ctrl + N: open a second window. Behavior varies: in Chrome you stay signed in to the same company; in Firefox the second window lets you log in separately.
- Ctrl + + / Ctrl + − :zoom the page in or out for dense registers.
QuickBooks Desktop keyboard shortcuts (separate system)
If you use QuickBooks Desktop (not Online), these single-Ctrl shortcuts apply instead. Don’t use these in QBO they won’t work.
Editing
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy / Paste / Cut | Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V / Ctrl + X |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z |
| Next / previous field | Tab / Shift + Tab |
| Delete line in detail area | Ctrl + Delete |
| Insert line in detail area | Ctrl + Insert |
| Close active window | Esc |
Main functions
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Create invoice | Ctrl + I |
| Write new check | Ctrl + W |
| Use register | Ctrl + R |
| Open Chart of Accounts | Ctrl + A |
| Memorized transaction list | Ctrl + T |
| Transaction journal | Ctrl + Y |
| Find | Ctrl + F |
| Help | F1 |
QuickBooks Online vs Desktop shortcuts: what’s the difference?
| QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Desktop | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in | Web browser | Installed app |
| Modifier key | Ctrl + Alt (Ctrl + Option on Mac) | Single Ctrl |
| New invoice | Ctrl + Alt + I | Ctrl + I |
| Chart of accounts | Ctrl + Alt + A | Ctrl + A |
| Built-in cheat sheet | Ctrl + Alt + ? | Help menu |
| Why they differ | Avoids clashing with browser shortcuts | Full desktop control |
Frequently asked questions
Do QuickBooks Online shortcuts work on Mac?
Yes. Replace Alt with Option and use Ctrl + Option as your modifier for example, Ctrl + Option + I for a new invoice. Saving a form on Mac uses Option + Control + S.
Why don’t QuickBooks Desktop shortcuts work in QuickBooks Online?
Online runs inside a browser, so single-Ctrl shortcuts (like Ctrl + I) would collide with browser commands. QBO uses the Ctrl + Alt modifier instead to keep them separate.
How do I see all shortcuts inside QuickBooks Online?
Press Ctrl + Alt + ? (Windows) or Ctrl + Option + ? (Mac). It opens the full list plus your Company ID.
Can I customize QuickBooks Online keyboard shortcuts?
QBO doesn’t let you remap built-in shortcuts. For expanded and customizable shortcuts, many accountants use the free RightTool browser extension.
What is the shortcut to run payroll in QuickBooks Online?
Press Ctrl + Alt + U (Ctrl + Option + U on Mac) after signing in, provided you have a payroll subscription.
Does the save shortcut work the same in every browser?
No. The base shortcut is Alt + S, but Chrome and Firefox require Alt + Shift + S, and Mac uses Option + Control + S.
Final thoughts
You don’t need to memorize all of these. Start with the handful you use most a new invoice (Ctrl + Alt + I), a new expense (Ctrl + Alt + X), the date keys (T, M, H), and in-field math and the time savings add up fast across a day of data entry. Keep the PDF nearby and the rest will stick with use.
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