All keyboard shortcuts for AI text processing

Keyboard Shortcuts for AI Word Processing

With keyboard shortcuts for Notion AI, Microsoft Copilot in Word, and Gemini in Google Docs, you can access AI assistance, give writing prompts, and edit drafts faster. This reference guide contains 100 numbered entries, clearly distinguishing between AI controls and the standard editing features you use to refine generated text.

What keyboard shortcuts do you use for AI-powered word processing?

When using AI text processing, you’ll use two types of keys: keys that control the AI function and combinations that let you edit the text yourself. The first group helps you start a writing task or navigate through an AI panel. You use the second group to select passages, make corrections, and add headings or lists.

There is no comprehensive list of one hundred individual AI commands for these three applications. The one hundred entries below therefore also include Windows and Mac variants as well as standard text-editing functions. The latter are always indicated separately.

The function of a key depends on your active window. The Enter key can add a paragraph in a document or send a command in an AI input field. Therefore, first check where the cursor is located.

Main Topic	Related keywords	Usage while writing
Notion AI	Notion AI shortcuts, AI writing, text blocks	Open AI and structure the generated page content
Copilot in Word	Copilot keyboard shortcuts, AI documents, draft text	Start a writing assignment and edit drafts
Gemini in Google Docs	Gemini shortcuts, Google Docs AI, text rewriting	Cite sources, send prompts, and finalize texts
Edited after AI generation	Correct text, heading styles, comments, suggestions	Converting a first draft into a usable document

Here’s how to read the combinations

A plus sign means you press the keys at the same time. For Ctrl+Shift+J, hold down Ctrl and Shift while briefly pressing J. Do not type the plus sign itself.

• Ctrl: the Control key on Windows.
• Cmd: the Command key on a Mac, identified by ⌘.
• Control on Mac: a separate key, next to Command.
• Option: the Mac key with the ⌥ symbol, sometimes referred to as Alt.
• Return: the key that is usually called “Enter” on Windows .
• One after another: perform one action first, then the next.

The tables follow the genuine standard key assignments. A different keyboard layout, language setting, or custom shortcut key may affect functionality. In case of discrepancies, the key assignment in your application takes precedence.

An AI shortcut and a text command are two different things. “Make this text shorter” is an instruction you enter. It doesn’t automatically come with its own key combination.

1–40. Keyboard shortcuts for Notion AI and text editing in Notion

Notion works with blocks. A paragraph, heading, or list item can be a separate block. You’ll notice this when selecting, duplicating, and formatting. So make sure to check whether you’re editing text within a block or have selected the entire block.

1–4. Open Notion AI

No.	Windows	No.	Mac	What does this do?
1	Ctrl+Shift+J	2	Cmd+Shift+J	Launch Notion AI via the installed desktop app.
3	Space on a brand new line	4	Space on a brand new line	Start AI input on the page for a writing assignment.

You can customize the keyboard shortcut for the desktop app in Notion’s preferences. The spacebar shortcut works when you start a brand new line on the page; in the middle of a sentence, a space remains part of your text.

If you’d like to improve existing content, select the relevant passage and choose the available AI editing option. Then clearly specify what needs to be changed: the length, the tone, the structure, or just the wording.

5–20. Selecting, Duplicating, and Highlighting Text

Standard Notion editing: These combinations do not trigger an AI command. You use them to edit text or blocks before or after using Notion AI.

No.	Windows	No.	Mac	Feature
5	Ctrl+A	6	Cmd+A	Selects the block you’re working on within the block context.
7	Ctrl+D	8	Cmd+D	Duplicates selected blocks.
9	Ctrl+Shift+M	10	Cmd+Shift+M	Add a comment.
11	Ctrl+B	12	Cmd+B	Makes the selected text bold.
13	Ctrl+I	14	Cmd+I	Makes the selected text italic.
15	Ctrl+U	16	Cmd+U	Underlined selected text.
17	Ctrl+Shift+S	18	Cmd+Shift+S	Strikes through selected text.
19	Ctrl+K	20	Cmd+K	Adds a link to selected text.

Keep a useful starting point

When working on an important passage, it can be helpful to save a copy first. You can then compare the genuine wording with the rewritten version. Pay attention not only to how smoothly the text reads, but also to what has changed in terms of content.

A qualifier like “usually” can, for example, slip away unnoticed. As a result, the brand new sentence sounds more definitive than the genuine text. Choose wording that matches what you can actually substantiate.

21–40. Structuring AI concepts with blocks

Standard Notion formatting: The buttons below change the appearance of your page. They do not generate or rewrite the content.

No.	Windows	No.	Mac	Feature
21	Ctrl+Shift+1	22	Cmd+Option+1	Creates a Level 1 heading.
23	Ctrl+Shift+2	24	Cmd+Option+2	Creates a Level 2 heading.
25	Ctrl+Shift+5	26	Cmd+Option+5	Creates a bulleted list.
27	Ctrl+Shift+6	28	Cmd+Option+6	Creates a numbered list.
29	Shift+Enter	30	Shift+Return	Inserts a line break within the same text block.
31	Ctrl+E	32	Cmd+E	Applies inline code formatting to selected text.
33	Ctrl+Shift+3	34	Cmd+Option+3	Creates a Level 3 heading.
35	Ctrl+Shift+0	36	Cmd+Option+0	Convert the block to plain text.
37	Tab	38	Tab	Indent the following block below the previous one.
39	Shift+Tab	40	Shift+Tab	Indents a block by one level.

Use numbered lists when the order is important, such as in a set of work instructions. Bullets are better suited for items of equal importance or points to note.

An AI-generated draft sometimes contains many subheadings. First, check whether each heading actually introduces a brand new topic. Two short paragraphs with virtually the same message can often be combined. This makes your document more cohesive.

41–60. Microsoft Copilot in Word

The numbered Word combinations below apply to Word for Microsoft 365 at Windows. Copilot must be available for your account. Additionally, brand new access keys are being rolled out on a per-application and per-language basis.

On a Mac, the newer Copilot shortcut uses Cmd+Control+I, among others. Therefore, don’t automatically use Windows shortcuts with Alt on macos.

41–50. Opening Copilot and Controlling It with the Keyboard

No.	Windows	Function and context
41	Alt+C	Shifts the focus to the Copilot interface; when a chat panel is open, the focus can move to the input field.
42	Alt+I on a blank line	Opens Draft with Copilot, where this dialog and keyboard controls are available.
43	F6	Shifts the focus between sections, including “Document” and “Copilot.”
44	Shift+F6	Shift the focus in the opposite direction.
45	Tab	Goes to the next controllable element in the Copilot panel.
46	Shift+Tab	Goes to the previous controllable element in the Copilot panel.
47	Enter	Sends a prompt from the active Copilot input field.
48	Esc	Stops generating in the documented "Draft with Copilot" dialog.
49	Alt+C, then Up Arrow	Access the featured Copilot prompts via the brand new link.
50	/ type in the prompt	Opens available links to, for example, files, people, or meetings.

The older “Draft with Copilot” dialog box and the newer access via the dynamic action button may appear side by side in documentation and different installations. Follow the instructions provided by your version of Word.

A blank line is important at number 42. Pressing the same key in the middle of a sentence does not trigger the text input feature. Also, the Enter key only functions as a submit button when the correct AI input field is active.

Submit a specific order

Give Copilot a clear goal, a target audience, and the key content. For example: “Create a business invitation for existing customers. The meeting will last one hour. Include the date and location from my notes, and keep the text under 150 words.”

Next, check the practical details. A friendly invitation isn’t complete if the date, registration method, or location is missing. Evaluate the result from the reader’s perspective: does the reader know what to do?

51–60. Editing a Copilot concept in the document

Standard Word editing: Apply these combinations to text within the document. They do not issue a brand new command to Copilot.

No.	Windows	Feature
51	Ctrl+C	Copies the selected passage.
52	Ctrl+V	Pastes the clipboard contents at the cursor.
53	Ctrl+Shift+V	In supported, current versions of Word, only the text is pasted.
54	Ctrl+A	Selects the document content when the document is active.
55	Ctrl+Z	Undoes a recent document edit.
56	Ctrl+Y	Re-executes an undone action, if possible.
57	Ctrl+B	Makes the selected text bold.
58	Ctrl+I	Makes the selected text italic.
59	Ctrl+Alt+1	Apply the "Header 1" style.
60	Ctrl+Alt+2	Apply the "Header 2" style.

Use heading styles for actual chapters and paragraphs. A bolded sentence may look like a heading, but it doesn’t necessarily have the same document structure.

Be careful when selecting everything and then pasting. Doing so may replace more than you intended. Check your selection first, especially if the document contains tables or other elements in addition to text.

61–100. Gemini in Google Docs

Gemini in Google Docs is the AI feature within your document environment. This is different from the standalone Gemini website or Gemini in Chrome. The instructions below apply to Google Docs on a computer.

Open Gemini using the “Ask Gemini” button. The genuine documentation does not specify a single universal combination for accessing this feature that works across all account and browser configurations. The availability of AI features depends, among other things, on your account and subscription.

61–64. Sending a prompt and including files

No.	Windows	No.	Mac	Role at Gemini
61	@ types	62	@ types	Searches for available files to select as a source at the prompt.
63	Enter	64	Return	Sends the command from the active prompt field in the Gemini sidebar.

Simply mentioning a filename in your sentence isn’t the same as selecting the correct source. Choose the intended file from the available options and verify that you’re using the correct version.

When summarizing meeting notes, for example, you can ask to have decisions and action items listed separately. Then, check to make sure that a possibility discussed isn’t accidentally described as a final decision.

65–76. Copy text and restore corrections

Standard Google Docs editing: These keys apply to the selected text or the active document content. They are not separate Gemini commands.

No.	Windows	No.	Mac	Feature
65	Ctrl+C	66	Cmd+C	Copies selected text.
67	Ctrl+X	68	Cmd+X	Cuts selected text from the document.
69	Ctrl+V	70	Cmd+V	Paste the clipboard contents.
71	Ctrl+Shift+V	72	Cmd+Shift+V	Pastes text without the genuine formatting.
73	Ctrl+Z	74	Cmd+Z	Undoes a recent action.
75	Ctrl+Shift+Z	76	Cmd+Shift+Z	Undoes a previous action.

Pasting without formatting is useful when you’re copying a passage from another source and want it to fit seamlessly into your existing document. Be sure to check afterward that the content’s structure has been preserved.

Undo restores document edits. Don’t expect this to automatically reverse the entire AI exchange. A chat response, inserted text, and a subsequent manual correction are different parts of your workflow.

77–100. Draft a Gemini concept and have it reviewed

Standard Google Docs editing: The features listed below support text editing and collaboration. Suggest mode is an editing mode, not an AI writing feature.

No.	Windows	No.	Mac	Feature
77	Ctrl+B	78	Cmd+B	Makes text bold.
79	Ctrl+I	80	Cmd+I	Makes text italic.
81	Ctrl+U	82	Cmd+U	Underlined text.
83	Ctrl+Alt+1	84	Cmd+Option+1	Applies Section 1.
85	Ctrl+Alt+2	86	Cmd+Option+2	Applies Section 2.
87	Ctrl+Alt+M	88	Cmd+Option+M	Add a comment.
89	Ctrl+Alt+Shift+X	90	Cmd+Option+Shift+X	Switches to suggestion mode, if your permissions allow it.
91	Ctrl+H	92	Cmd+Shift+H	Opens Search and Replace.
93	Alt+Shift+5	94	Cmd+Shift+X	Strikes through selected text.
95	Ctrl+Shift+L	96	Cmd+Shift+L	Align the paragraph to the left.
97	Ctrl+Shift+8	98	Cmd+Shift+8	Creates a bulleted list.
99	Ctrl+Shift+7	100	Cmd+Shift+7	Creates a numbered list.

A comment is appropriate for a substantive question, such as “Is this deadline still valid?” A text suggestion is more suitable when you already have a specific alternative phrasing in mind.

When using the search and replace function, it’s wise to review a few results first. A word can have multiple meanings. An automatic replacement throughout the entire document can then cause unintended changes.

How to Combine AI Control and Text Editing

Creating a first draft

Start by defining the purpose of the text. Should the reader understand something, make a decision, or take action? Then add the target audience, the most important information, and the desired length.

An example of a useful prompt is: “Write a brief explanation for customers who can’t find their order. Use simple language. Have them check their order confirmation and spam folder first. Conclude by listing the information customer service will need.”

Next, review the draft for content. Are the steps in a logical order? Does it promise anything your organization cannot deliver? Revise that first before focusing on bolded words or subheadings.

Rewrite an existing text

Select only the part that needs to be changed. Then describe the desired change. “Shorten the second paragraph and keep all the terms and conditions” is more specific than “improve this text.”

Compare the rewritten version with your genuine text. Pay special attention to exceptions, numbers, and time references. A small change in a word can result in a significant change in meaning.

If you find the result too impersonal, specify what you’re missing. For example, ask for a more direct tone or less formal language. This way, you’re aiming for a concrete result rather than a vague feeling.

Summarizing a long text

First, determine the purpose of the summary. A brief introduction for a reader serves a different function than a list of action items for colleagues.

Indicate which information should remain in the summary. This includes decisions, deadlines, responsible parties, and open questions. After summarizing, check to make sure those details are still accurately reflected.

A summary can be easy to read yet still omit an important caveat. Therefore, compare the summary with the genuine passage when the exact meaning matters.

Finalizing the final version

Do not finalize the formatting until after the content has been reviewed. Use headings to organize the structure and lists for information that should appear side by side or in a specific order.

Also pay attention to the transitions between paragraphs. When combining different AI versions, terminology or forms of address may vary. For example, consistently use either “you” or “you (formal)” and check that the same product is referred to by the same name throughout.

Finally, read the text from the recipient’s perspective. Do they have enough background information? Is it clear what the next step is? A well-written final version helps the reader move forward without needing additional explanation from the writer.

Why does an AI shortcut sometimes not work?

First, check your active environment. A desktop version of Notion does not automatically work in a browser tab. Additionally, the Copilot experience in Word may vary by version and language.

• Check the focus: Is the cursor in the document, a prompt field, or a menu?
• Check availability: Is the AI feature visible and accessible for your account?
• Note: On a Mac, the Command and Control keys are different keys.
• Check the keyboard layout: combinations with numbers and punctuation marks may behave differently on AZERTY keyboards.
• Check your settings: a custom keyboard shortcut or extension may be overriding the combination.

On a laptop, you sometimes have to hold down the Fn key to use F6. If the key only controls the volume or another device function, the intended function key won’t reach the application.

Frequently Asked Questions About Keyboard Shortcuts for AI Text Processing

Are these 100 unique AI tasks?

No. There are one hundred numbered entries, including platform variants and editing functions. The keys that control AI are separate from the combinations you use to format the document text.

Which keyboard shortcut opens Notion AI?

Use the standard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+J on Windows or Cmd+Shift+J on a Mac with the Notion desktop app. On a brand new line within a page, you can also use the Spacebar to start AI input.

What keyboard shortcut do you use for Copilot in Word?

The newer Windows shortcut uses Alt+C. On a Mac, the dynamic Copilot shortcut uses Cmd+Control+I. The exact functionality and availability depend on the version of Word you’re using.

Can you open Gemini in Google Docs with a single universal shortcut?

The genuine documentation consulted does not provide a universally applicable combination for this. Open Gemini using the available button, and then use the command prompt. Keyboard shortcuts for the standalone Gemini app do not automatically apply to Google Docs.

Can you undo every AI-generated change?

That depends on the action. An inserted or modified section of a document is different from a response in an AI panel. Check what the application reverts and, for important edits, save a usable starting point.

Which keys should you learn first?

Start by accessing the AI features of your own application—copy, paste, and undo. Then add comments, heading styles, and lists. That small selection is often enough for everyday writing.

Key Insights

• Distinguish between AI commands and editing: standard formatting keys do not issue commands to the AI.
• Please note the active environment: desktop apps, documents, and AI panels process keys differently.
• Provide specific writing instructions: condition the purpose, target audience, content, and desired changes.
• Check the meaning: a smooth rewriting may alter conditions or nuances.
• Finish the content first; then use headings, lists, and comments to finalize the text.