10 Ways to Select Text in Microsoft Word [MS Word Tips]

As most most formatting and editing actions in a document require that text is selected first before applying a change such as adding bold or copying a paragraph, knowing easy ways to select text in Microsoft Word is key to simplifying and making your work more easier.

Editing & Formatting Shortcuts

Here are cool shortcuts you can try to quickly select text in Microsoft Word with your mouse and keyboard.

Selecting Any Text:

Point to beginning, click-and-drag.

Or, click at beginning of text, then press and hold down [Shift] and click at end of text.

Or, move to the beginning of text, press and hold down [Shift] and press directional keys to move to the end of text.

Or, click at the beginning of text, press [F8] (Extend Selection), move the mouse pointer to the end of the desired selection, and click the mouse.

Word: Double-click anywhere in the word.

Sentence: Hold down [Ctrl] + click anywhere in the sentence.

Beginning of line: From current position, hold down [Shift] and click at the beginning of the line or press [Home]to move to the beginning of the line.

End of line: From current position, hold down [Shift] and click at the end of the line.

Non-contiguous blocks of text: Hold down [Ctrl] and drag to select each section of text.

Line: Click once in selection bar.*

Multiple lines: Click and drag in the selection bar to the left of the lines.*

Paragraph: Double-click in selection bar * or triple-click anywhere in the paragraph.

Entire document: Triple-click in the selection bar * or press [Ctrl] and click in selection bar.*

* The selection bar in the left margin is the area at the left edge of the screen where the pointer changes to an arrow pointing up and to the right.

I hope this quick tip was helpful, please drop any other method you know and it shall be added to this post. Thanks

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