Resetting All Shortcut Keys

Word allows you to customize its interface to your heart's content. (If you are using Word 2007, such a statement isn't as true as it once was—Word 2007 only allows you to change very limited portions of the interface.) Regardless of your version of Word, one of the things you can customize is the assignment of shortcut keys. Word comes with a pre-defined set of shortcut key assignments that you can use to accomplish specific tasks or to apply different editing and formatting features. You can customize these shortcut keys, as desired.

At some point you may want to reset the formatting of your shortcut keys. To do this, follow these steps if you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007:

1. Choose Customize from the Tools menu. Word displays the Customize dialog box.
2. Click on the Keyboard button. Word displays the Customize Keyboard dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click on the Reset All button. Word displays a dialog box asking if you want to remove all your shortcut key definitions.
4. Click on Yes. Word removes all the user-defined shortcut keys, returning the shortcut keys to their default condition.
5. Click on OK to dismiss the Customize Keyboard dialog box.
6. Click on OK to dismiss the Customize dialog box.

If you are using Word 2007 you should follow these steps instead:

1. Click the Office button and then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. At the left of the dialog box click Customize.
3. Click the Customize button. Word displays the Customize Keyboard dialog box.
4. Click on the Reset All button. (This button is only available if you've previously made customizations to the keyboard shortcuts.) Word displays a dialog box asking if you want to remove all your shortcut key definitions.
5. Click on Yes. Word removes all the user-defined shortcut keys, returning them to their default condition.
6. Click on Close to dismiss the Customize Keyboard dialog box.
7. Click on Cancel to dismiss the Word Options dialog box.