How to Export Word Custom Keyboard Shortcut List to Another PC

You have spent hours customizing keyboard shortcuts in Word to match your workflow. When you switch to a new computer, you do not want to rebuild that list from memory. Word stores custom keyboard shortcut assignments in a file called Normal.dotm. This article explains how to locate, export, and transfer that file to another PC so all your shortcuts arrive intact.

The Normal.dotm template holds default styles, macros, AutoText entries, and all custom keyboard customizations. By copying this single file, you move every shortcut you created or modified. No additional export tool or third-party software is required.

This guide covers the exact file path for Windows 10 and Windows 11, the steps to copy the file, and what to do after you paste it on the destination computer. You will also learn how to confirm the transfer worked and what to avoid during the process.

Why Custom Keyboard Shortcuts Are Stored in Normal.dotm

Word uses a global template called Normal.dotm as the default starting point for every new blank document. This template contains default formatting, styles, and the keyboard shortcut scheme. When you create a custom shortcut using File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Customize, the assignment is saved inside Normal.dotm.

Each Word profile on a given PC has its own Normal.dotm file. The file resides in the user-specific Templates folder. Because Normal.dotm is a macro-enabled template, it can hold VBA macros, custom toolbars, and keyboard assignments all in one place.

The file is not a simple text list. It is a binary template file. You cannot open it in Notepad to read or edit the shortcuts directly. The only reliable way to move shortcuts is to transfer the entire Normal.dotm file from one PC to another.

What Normal.dotm Does Not Include

The Normal.dotm file does not contain shortcuts that are assigned to a specific document or a document-specific template. If you created shortcuts that apply only to a particular .docx or .dotx file, those assignments are stored inside that file, not in Normal.dotm. Only global shortcuts that apply to all documents are in Normal.dotm.

Steps to Export Custom Keyboard Shortcuts via Normal.dotm

1. Close Word on the source PC
   Make sure Word is not running. If Word is open, the file Normal.dotm is locked and cannot be copied. Close all Word windows and check the system tray for any background Word processes.
2. Open the Templates folder on the source PC
   Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and press Enter. This opens the folder that contains Normal.dotm.
3. Copy the Normal.dotm file
   Right-click the file named Normal.dotm and select Copy. Do not rename or move the original file. Keep the original in place as a backup.
4. Transfer the file to the destination PC
   Paste the copied Normal.dotm file into a USB drive, network share, or cloud storage folder. Do not change the file name. The file must remain named Normal.dotm.
5. Close Word on the destination PC
   On the new computer, close all Word windows. Verify no Word processes are running in Task Manager.
6. Open the Templates folder on the destination PC
   Press Win + R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates, and press Enter. This opens the same folder on the new computer.
7. Rename the existing Normal.dotm on the destination PC
   Right-click the existing Normal.dotm file and select Rename. Change the name to Normal.backup.dotm. This preserves your original settings in case you need to revert.
8. Paste the copied Normal.dotm file
   Right-click inside the Templates folder and select Paste. The Normal.dotm file from the source PC now appears in the folder.
9. Start Word on the destination PC
   Open Word. Your custom keyboard shortcuts from the source PC are now active. Press Alt + F8 to open the Macros dialog and verify that any custom macros you created also transferred.

If Word Still Has Issues After the Transfer

Custom Shortcuts Do Not Appear on the Destination PC

Word creates a new Normal.dotm automatically if the existing one is missing or corrupted. If you pasted the file incorrectly or into the wrong folder, Word may have regenerated a default Normal.dotm. Check that the file is located in %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and that it is named exactly Normal.dotm. Do not place it inside a subfolder.

Word Crashes or Displays Errors on Startup

A corrupted Normal.dotm can cause startup failures. If Word crashes after the transfer, close Word, delete the Normal.dotm you pasted, and rename Normal.backup.dotm back to Normal.dotm. This restores your original destination settings. Then try the transfer again with a fresh copy of Normal.dotm from the source PC.

Some Shortcuts Are Missing Because They Were Document-Specific

If you assigned a shortcut to a command only for a specific document, that shortcut is stored inside the document file, not in Normal.dotm. Open that document on the destination PC. The shortcut will be available only while that document is active. To make the shortcut global, open the document on the source PC, go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Customize, select the command, and assign the shortcut to the Normal.dotm template instead of the document.

Item	Normal.dotm (Global)	Document-Specific Template
Shortcut scope	All documents based on Normal.dotm	Only the document or template that contains the assignment
File location	%appdata%\Microsoft\Templates	Same folder as the .docx or .dotx file
Transfer method	Copy Normal.dotm to destination Templates folder	Copy the .docx or .dotx file to the destination PC
Risk of overwriting	Replaces all existing global customizations	Only affects the specific document or template

After transferring Normal.dotm, you can open Word and test a few of your most-used shortcuts. Press Ctrl + Alt + Plus on the numeric keypad to open the Customize Keyboard dialog and browse the current assignments. This confirms the transfer worked correctly. To avoid losing your work in the future, keep a backup copy of Normal.dotm on a USB drive or in cloud storage.