Styles help keep the look of your document consistent, and save many keystrokes when multiple formatting options must be applied to a page element. If you use styles in your Microsoft Word documents, you are already saving yourself a lot of time, effort and keystrokes. But is it possible to be even more efficient when applying styles in a Microsoft Word document? You bet there is!

The easiest way to apply a style is to use the mouse to select from your list of styles in the toolbar menu. Easy: yes, efficient: no! Switching between keyboard and mouse will really slow down your typing efficiency.

How to Link a Style to a Keyboard Short Cut

You can apply styles and stay entirely on the keyboard by linking a one- or two-key sequence to a particular style.

Instructions:

1. Click Format >> Style on the toolbar. The Style window opens.
2. Select the style to which you want to attach a keyboard shortcut.
3. Click the Modify button. The Modify Style window opens.
4. Click the Shortcut Key button. The Customize Keyboard window opens.
5. Click in the Press new shortcut key field.
6. Type a one- or two- key sequence. The first key must be an extended key sequence. The second key can be any single key or extended key sequence.
7. Click the Assign button. The shortcut key sequence appears in the Current Keys field, and is attached to the style.
8. Click the Close button.
9. Click the OK button in the Modify Style window.
10. Click the Cancel button to continue without applying the style, or the Apply button to apply the style and continue.

Extended Key Sequence: A combination of two keys together: hold down Alt, Ctrl, Alt-Shift, Ctrl-Shift or Ctrl-Alt-Shift, then press any number, letter or navigation key (arrows, up, end etc,)

HINT: Group similar styles together by using two-key sequences that start with the same key. For example, Alt-B 0 for a bullet, Alt-B 1 for a bullet indented by one level etc.