Microsoft Outlook is packed with hundreds of keyboard shortcuts that can transform you from a good Outlook user into an Outlook power user. The right shortcuts eliminate repetitive mouse movements, let you process emails faster, navigate your calendar more efficiently, and compose messages without taking your hands off the keyboard. This guide covers the most valuable Outlook keyboard shortcuts that will immediately save you time every single day.
Why Learn Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts?
The average professional sends and receives dozens of emails daily. If each email interaction takes just 5 extra seconds when using a mouse versus keyboard shortcuts, that’s 2-4 minutes lost per day — over an hour each month, every month. The shortcuts in this guide focus on the highest-frequency actions: creating, sending, replying, navigating, and searching. Master these and Outlook becomes significantly less time-consuming.
Essential Email Shortcuts
- Ctrl + N — New email (when in Mail view)
- Ctrl + R — Reply to selected email
- Ctrl + Shift + R — Reply All
- Ctrl + F — Forward selected email
- Ctrl + Enter — Send email (when composing)
- Ctrl + S — Save draft
- Delete — Delete selected email (move to Deleted Items)
- Shift + Delete — Permanently delete (skip Deleted Items)
- Ctrl + Z — Undo (in compose window)
Navigation Shortcuts
- Ctrl + 1 — Switch to Mail view
- Ctrl + 2 — Switch to Calendar view
- Ctrl + 3 — Switch to People/Contacts view
- Ctrl + 4 — Switch to Tasks view
- Ctrl + Y — Go to specific folder
- Ctrl + E or F3 — Focus the search box
- F6 — Move between Outlook panes
- Ctrl + . (period) — Move to next open message
- Ctrl + , (comma) — Move to previous open message
Calendar Shortcuts
- Ctrl + N (in Calendar) — New meeting or appointment
- Ctrl + Shift + Q — New meeting request
- Ctrl + Shift + A — New appointment
- Alt + = — Jump to today’s date
- Ctrl + G — Go to a specific date
- Alt + 1 through Alt + 9 — Show 1 to 9 day view
- Ctrl + Right/Left Arrow — Navigate to next/previous week or month
Task and Flagging Shortcuts
- Insert — Flag selected email for follow-up
- Ctrl + Shift + G — Set flag with custom date and reminder
- Ctrl + Shift + K — New task
- Ctrl + Shift + N — New note
Formatting Shortcuts (When Composing)
- Ctrl + B — Bold selected text
- Ctrl + I — Italic selected text
- Ctrl + U — Underline selected text
- Ctrl + L — Left align text
- Ctrl + E — Center align text
- Ctrl + K — Insert hyperlink
- Ctrl + Shift + S — Open Style selector
Top 5 Power User Shortcuts to Memorize First
If you only memorize five shortcuts, make them these: Ctrl + R (reply), Ctrl + Enter (send), Ctrl + 1/2 (switch between mail and calendar), Ctrl + E (search), and Ctrl + Shift + G (flag with date). These five alone will save you dozens of mouse clicks every day and make you noticeably faster at processing email.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I see all Outlook keyboard shortcuts?
In Outlook, press Shift + ? (Shift + Forward Slash) to open the full keyboard shortcut reference for the current view. This shows shortcuts organized by category — Mail, Calendar, Contacts, etc. Alternatively, search “Outlook keyboard shortcuts” in Microsoft’s official support documentation for a complete, current list by Outlook version.
Do these shortcuts work in the new Outlook for Windows?
Most shortcuts work in both classic Outlook and the new Outlook for Windows, though some differences exist. The new Outlook is more aligned with Outlook Web shortcuts. If a shortcut doesn’t work in the new Outlook, check Microsoft’s documentation for the new Outlook-specific shortcut list — some keyboard shortcuts have been updated as the interface modernized.
Is there a specific Outlook task you wish you could do faster? Leave a comment and our team will tell you whether there’s a keyboard shortcut for it.