How to Print Word Keyboard Shortcut Sheet for Onboarding New Users

When you onboard new users to Word, they need to learn essential keyboard shortcuts to work faster. Creating a printed shortcut sheet gives them a quick reference without switching away from their document. Word does not include a built-in command to print a complete shortcut list, but you can generate one using the Customize Keyboard dialog and a macro. This article explains how to extract all assigned shortcuts and print them as a clean reference sheet.

How Word Stores Keyboard Shortcuts and What You Need Before You Start

Word stores keyboard shortcut assignments in the Normal.dotm template. Each command in Word can have up to two shortcut keys. The Customize Keyboard dialog shows all currently assigned shortcuts, but it does not have an export or print button. To create a printed sheet, you must run a macro that reads the shortcut data and writes it into a new document. You do not need any third-party software. The macro runs inside Word and works in Word 2016, Word 2019, and Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. Before you begin, make sure macros are enabled in the Trust Center.

Steps to Generate and Print a Keyboard Shortcut Sheet

Follow these steps to extract every assigned shortcut from the current Normal.dotm template and print the resulting list.

Step 1: Open the Visual Basic Editor and Insert a Macro

1. Open the Visual Basic Editor
   Press Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic for Applications editor.
2. Insert a new module
   In the menu bar, click Insert > Module. A blank code window appears.
3. Paste the macro code
   Copy and paste the following macro into the module window:

   Sub ListAllShortcuts()
       Dim cmd As CommandBarControl
       Dim kb As KeyBinding
       Dim doc As Document
       Dim rng As Range
       Set doc = Documents.Add
       Set rng = doc.Range
       rng.InsertAfter "Command" & vbTab & "Shortcut" & vbCr
       For Each kb In KeyBindings
           rng.InsertAfter kb.Command & vbTab & kb.KeyString & vbCr
       Next kb
       rng.ConvertToTable Separator:=vbTab
       rng.Tables(1).Style = "Table Grid"
       rng.Tables(1).AutoFitBehavior wdAutoFitWindow
       MsgBox "Shortcut list created in a new document."
   End Sub
   

4. Run the macro
   Press F5 or click the green Run button. A new document opens with a table listing every command and its assigned shortcut.

Step 2: Format the Shortcut Table for Printing

1. Sort the table alphabetically
   Click anywhere inside the table. Go to the Table Layout tab and click Sort. Set Sort by to Column 1 (Command) and click OK.
2. Remove duplicate rows
   Some commands appear twice if they have two shortcuts. Select all rows, go to Data tab (or use the Remove Duplicates command in Excel-like tools), but in Word you must manually delete duplicate rows. Scroll through the table and delete any row where the Command name repeats.
3. Adjust column widths
   Drag the column border between Command and Shortcut so the Shortcut column is narrow. Set the table font to a readable size like 9 or 10 pt.
4. Add a title
   Place your cursor above the table and type Word Keyboard Shortcuts. Format it as a heading.

Step 3: Print the Shortcut Sheet

1. Open Print settings
   Press Ctrl+P to open the Print dialog.
2. Choose a compact layout
   In Settings, select 2 Pages Per Sheet to fit more shortcuts on one page. If your printer supports duplex printing, select Print on Both Sides.
3. Set margins to Narrow
   Click Page Setup and set Margins to Narrow (0.5 inch on all sides). This gives more room for the table.
4. Print the document
   Click Print. The result is a compact reference sheet your new users can keep at their desk.

Common Issues When Creating the Shortcut Sheet

The macro does not run — macros are disabled

Word blocks macros by default. Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings. Select Enable all macros and click OK. After you finish, return to this setting and change it back to Disable all macros with notification.

The table contains many blank rows or missing shortcuts

The macro lists every key binding, including those assigned to built-in menu commands that may not have a shortcut. Blank rows appear when the KeyString property is empty. To remove them, click the table, go to Table Layout, and use the Delete > Delete Row command for each blank row.

The printed sheet is too long to be useful

A full list of all Word shortcuts can exceed 20 pages. To shorten it, delete rows for commands that new users rarely use, such as InsertAutoText or special field codes. Keep only the most common shortcuts: Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+P, Ctrl+F, Ctrl+H, and navigation keys like Ctrl+Arrow keys.

Printed Shortcut Sheet vs Digital Reference: Pros and Cons

Item	Printed Shortcut Sheet	Digital Reference
Access speed	Glance at paper without switching windows	Must Alt+Tab or open a browser tab
Customization	You manually edit the table before printing	User can search online for updated lists
Durability	Laminate for long-term use at a desk	Screen may go to sleep or require login
Update frequency	Must re-run macro and reprint after any shortcut change	Always current if linked to Microsoft support page

Now you can generate a complete list of Word keyboard shortcuts and print a custom reference sheet for new users. Run the macro again whenever you add or change shortcuts in the Customize Keyboard dialog. For a more polished sheet, consider grouping shortcuts by category such as Editing, Navigation, and Formatting before printing. An advanced tip: save the macro in your Normal.dotm template so it is always available under the Macros button on the View tab.