Begin by mastering the MS Access shortcut keys, then delve into additional learning resources to enhance your Access skills further. Working with data in MS Access will constantly involve using the shortcut keys, and streamlining the management, analysis, and reporting processes.
Similar to other Microsoft Office applications, MS Access is equipped with shortcut keys tailored to enhance productivity. These shortcuts minimize manual searching and operational time. Below, you’ll find the comprehensive list of MS Access shortcut keys available for download in PDF format.
Manage Database Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Open and Create a new database
Ctrl + N
Open existing database
Ctrl + O
Quit and Exit Access
Alt + F4
Print the selected object
Ctrl + P
Save a database object
Ctrl + S
Open the save as dialog box
F12
MS Access Menu Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Show shortcut menu
Shift + F10
Show the access keys
Alt
Show the program icon menu
Alt + Spacebar
Select the next command in the menu
Down Arrow key
Select the previous command in the menu
Up Arrow key
Select the menu to the left
Left Arrow key
Select the menu to the right
Right Arrow key
Select the first command in the menu
Home
Select the last command in the menu
End
Form Controls Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Copy
Ctrl + C
Paste
Ctrl + V
Cut
Ctrl + X
Move the selected control up
Up Arrow key
Move the selected control down
Down Arrow key
Move the selected control left
Left Arrow key
Move selected control Right
Right Arrow key
Increase the height of the selected control
Shift + Down Arrow key
Decrease the height of the selected control
Shift + Up Arrow key
Increase the width of the selected control
Shift + Right Arrow key
Decrease the width of the selected control
Shift + Left Arrow key
Find & Replace Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Find and Replace dialog box
Ctrl + F
Replace dialog box
Ctrl + H
Find next
Shift + F4
Go to the navigation pane search box
Ctrl + Alt + F
Wizards Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Toggle the focus forward between controls in the wizard
Tab
Move to the next page of the wizard
Alt + N
Move to the previous page of the wizard
Alt + B
Complete the wizard
Alt + F
Dialog Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Switch to the next tab in a dialog box
Ctrl + Tab
Switch to the previous tab in a dialog box
Ctrl + Shift + Tab
Move to the next option or option group
Tab
Move to the previous option or option group
Shift + Tab
Select current button
Spacebar
Open the selected drop-down list box
Alt + Down Arrow key
Close the selected drop-down list box
Esc
Cancel the command and close the dialog box
Esc
Close a dialog box
Alt + F4
Text Boxes Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Move the beginning of an entry
Home
Move to the end of an entry
End
Move one word to the left
Ctrl + Left Arrow key
Move one word to the right
Ctrl + Right Arrow key
Select from cursor to end
Shift + Home
Select from the cursor to the beginning
Shift + End
Extend the selection of one character to the left
Shift + Left Arrow key
Extend the selection of one character to the right
Shift + Right Arrow key
Insert Data Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Insert the current date
Ctrl + ;
Insert the current time
Ctrl + :
Insert the default value for a field
Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar
Insert the value from the same field in the previous record
Ctrl + ‘
Add a new record
Ctrl + +
In a datasheet, delete the current record
Ctrl + –
Save changes to the current record
Shift + Enter
Insert a new line
Ctrl + Enter
Recalculate the fields in the window
F9
Requery the underlying tables
Shift + F9
Select and Move Fields Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Select next field
Tab
Select the previous field
Shift + Tab
Switch between selecting the current record and the first field of the current record
Shift + Spacebar
Extend selection to the previous record
Shift + Up Arrow key
Extend selection to next record
Shift + Down Arrow key
Select all records
Ctrl + A
Turn on Extend mode
F8
Undo the previous extension
Shift + F8
Cancel Extend mode
Esc
Select the current column
Ctrl + Spacebar
Turn on Move mode
Ctrl + Shift + F8
Manage Window Shortcuts
Action
MS Access Shortcut keys
Toggle the Navigation Pane
F11
Cycle between open windows
Ctrl + F6
Restore the selected minimized window
Enter
Turn on Resize mode for the active window when it is not maximized
Ctrl + F8
Display the control menu
Alt + Spacebar
Display the shortcut menu
Shift + F10
Close the active window
Ctrl + F4
Switch between the Visual Basic Editor
Alt + F11
Print Preview Shortcuts
Action
Microsoft Access Shortcuts
Open the Print dialog box
Ctrl + P
Open the page setup dialog box
S
Cancel print or layout preview
C
Design View Shortcuts
Action
Microsoft Access Shortcuts
Switch between Edit and Navigation mode
F2
Toggle the property sheet
F4
Switch to Form view from Form Design view
F5
Switch between the windows
F6
Open the Visual Basic Editor from a selected property
F7
Invokes the Field List pane in a form, report, or data access page
Alt + F8
Switch to Form or Report Design View
Shift + F7
Display a property sheet
Alt + Enter
Increase the height of the selected control
Shift + Down Arrow key
Decrease the height of the selected control
Shift + Up Arrow key
Increase the width of the selected control
Shift + Right Arrow key
Decrease the width of the selected control
Shift + Left Arrow key
Navigation Shortcuts for Datasheet, Subdatasheet, etc.
Action
MS Access Shortcut Keys
Move to the record number box
F5
Move to the next field in the current record
Tab
Move to the previous field in the current record
Shift + Tab
Move to the first field in the current record
Home
Move to the last field in the current record
End
Move to the next record
Down Arrow key
Move to the previous record
Up Arrow key
Move to the last record
Ctrl + Down Arrow key
Move to the first record
Ctrl + Up Arrow key
Move to the first field in the first record
Ctrl + Home
Move to the last field in the last record
Ctrl + End
Move down one screen
Page Down key
Move up one screen
Page Up key
Move right one screen
Ctrl + Page Down key
Move left one screen
Ctrl + Page Up key
Move from sub datasheet to record number box
Alt + F5
In sub datasheet: Exit to next record
Ctrl + Tab
In sub datasheet: Exit to the previous record
Ctrl + Shift + Tab
Expand sub datasheet
Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow key
Collapse sub datasheet
Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow key
Pivot Table Shortcuts
Action
Microsoft Access Shortcuts
Make text bold
Ctrl + B
Make text underlined
Ctrl + U
Make text italic
Ctrl + I
Move to the right
Tab
Move to the left
Shift + Tab
Move down
Enter
Move up
Shift + Enter
Select the cell above the current cell
Shift + Enter
Select the detail cell for the next item in the row
Ctrl + Enter
Select the detail cell for the previous item in the row
Ctrl + Shift + Enter
Select the entire PivotTable View
Ctrl + A
Display context menu
Shift + F10
Display property dialog box
Alt + Enter
Close the property dialog box
Alt + F4
Cancel refresh operation in progress
Esc
Export contents to Excel
Ctrl + E
Toggle expand indicators
Ctrl + 8
Expand selected item
Ctrl + +
Collapse current item
Ctrl + –
Open list for the currently selected item
Alt + Down Arrow key
Toggle AutoFilter
Ctrl + T
Move selected members up
Alt + Shift + Up Arrow key
Move selected member down
Alt + Shift + Down Arrow key
Move selected member right
Alt + Shift + Right Arrow key
Move selected member left
Alt + Shift + Left Arrow key
Display Field List pane
Ctrl + L
Sort data ascending (A-Z)
Ctrl + Shift + A
Sort data descending (Z-A)
Ctrl + Shift + Z
Add new total field using sum summary
Ctrl + Shift + S
Add a new total field using the count summary
Ctrl + Shift + C
Add new total field using min summary
Ctrl + Shift + M
Add a new total field using the max summary
Ctrl + Shift + X
Add new total field using average summary
Ctrl + Shift + E
Add new total field using standard deviation summary
Ctrl + Shift + D
Add new total field using standard deviation population summary
Ctrl + Shift + T
Turn subtotals and grand totals on or off for selected field
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