Learn keyboard shortcuts for doing things more efficiently in QuickBooks Desktop for Windows and Mac.
You can use keyboard shortcuts to do all kinds of things in QuickBooks Desktop. Instead of using the menus, you can create invoices and move between windows with just a few keystrokes.
Note: You'll see underlined letters on some forms and buttons. These are shortcut labels. To use the shortcut, hold Alt and press the underlined letter.
QuickBooks for Windows (Pro, Premier, Enterprise)
Navigate around QuickBooks
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Open the Help window | F1 |
| Close current window | Esc |
| Open the Product Information window (Product and License number, company file location, etc) | F2 or Ctrl + 1 |
| Open the Find Transaction window (Transactions, invoices, etc) | Ctrl + F |
| Open the Search window (Customers, accounts, transactions, etc) | F3 or Ctrl + 2 |
| Open Tech Help / Technical Info window (System info) | F2 to open the Product Info window, then press F3 |
Data fields on forms
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Increase or decrease the amount | + or - |
| Go to the next data field | Tab |
| Go to the previous data field | Shift + Tab |
| Copy, paste, undo, cut | Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Z, Ctrl + X |
Date fields on forms
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Open calendar to select a date | Alt + ↓ |
| Advance a day | + |
| Back a day | - |
| Go to today | T |
| Go to the first day of the week | W |
| Go to the last day of the week | K |
| Go to the same day next week | ] |
| Go to the same day last week | [ |
| Go to the first day of the month | M |
| Go to the last day of the month | H |
| Go to the same day of the month next month | ; |
| Go to the same day of the month last month | ' (apostrophe) |
| Go to the first day of the year (Jan 1) | Y |
Forms and transactions (invoices, expenses, etc)
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Record or save a transaction | Enter |
| Add a new transaction line | Ctrl + Ins |
| Delete selected transaction line | Ctrl + Del |
| Copy a transaction line | Highlight a transaction line, then press Ctrl + Alt + Y. *Only available in QuickBooks 2018 and later. |
| Paste a transaction line | Highlight a blank transaction line, then press Ctrl + Alt + V. *Only available in QuickBooks 2018 and later. |
| Go to the next or previous transaction line | ↑ or ↓ |
| Open the full list for the selected dropdown menu (product, service, customer, etc) | Highlight the ▼ dropdown menu, then press Ctrl + L. Press Ctrl + U to add a selected item from the list to your open form. |
| Move between pages on forms and reports | Page Up or Page Down |
| Save and close the current form | Alt + S |
| Go to your last open form of the same type | Alt + P |
| Save and go to the next form of the same type | Alt + N |
| Print form (or list) | CTRL + P |
| Memorize current form and its transactions | Ctrl + M |
| Open Memorized Transaction List | Ctrl + T |
| Open transaction history (for current form) | Ctrl + H |
| Open transaction journal (for current form) | Ctrl + Y |
Lists (Customer Center, Account Register, Item List, etc)
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Go to the first item or last item on a list or register | Ctrl + Page Up or Ctrl + Page Down |
| Create a new item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc) | Ctrl + N |
| Edit an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc) | Ctrl + E |
| Delete an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc) | Ctrl + D |
| Run a Quick Report for an item on a list | Ctrl + F6 |
| Refresh list (You only see this if you are in the multi-user mode. This is useful if multiple users are editing the same list.) | F5 |
Start a new task anywhere in QuickBooks
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Create a new invoice | Ctrl + I |
| Create a new check | Ctrl + W |
| Open the Customer Center | Ctrl + J |
| Open the Chart of Accounts | Ctrl + A |
| Open an Account Register | Ctrl + R, then select an account. If you are in an account register, select a transaction and press Ctrl+G. This opens the register for the associated "transfer" account. |
Open, set up, and close QuickBooks
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Open your company file with no open windows or menus | Hold Alt after you open your company file on the Open Company window |
| Close QuickBooks | Alt + F4 |
| Open QuickBooks Service Keys (Payroll only) | Ctrl + K |
| Set up YTD Amounts for Payroll (Payroll only) | Select the Help menu and then About QuickBooks. When the product screen appears, Ctrl + Alt + Y. |
QuickBooks for Mac
Navigate around QuickBooks
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Open the Help window | Command + ? |
| Minimize current window | Command + M |
| Open Preferences | Command + , (comma) |
| Open the Product Information window (Product and License number, company file location, etc) | Command + 1 |
| Open the Find Transaction window (Transactions, invoices, etc) | Command + F |
| Hide QuickBooks | Command + H |
Data fields on forms
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Go to the next data field | Tab |
| Go to the previous data field | Shift + Tab |
| Copy, paste, undo, cut | Command + C, Command + V, Command + Z, Command + X |
| Increase or decrease the check or form number by one | + or - |
| Delete the character to the left | Delete |
Date fields on forms
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Advance a day | + |
| Back a day | - |
| Go to today | T |
| Go to the first day of the week | W |
| Go to the last day of the week | K |
| Go to the first day of the month | M |
| Go to the last day of the month | H |
| Go to the first day of the year (Jan 1) | Y |
| Go to the last day of the year (Dec 31) | R |
Forms and transactions (invoices, expenses, etc)
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Add a new transaction line | Command + Y |
| Delete selected transaction line | Command + B |
| Open the full list for the selected dropdown menu (product, service, customer, etc) | Highlight the ▼ dropdown menu, then press Command + L |
| Move between pages on forms and reports | FN + ↑ or ↓ |
| Print form (or list) | Command + P |
| Memorize current form and its transactions | Command and + (plus) |
| Open transaction history (for current form) | Command + U |
Lists (Customer Center, Account Register, Item List, etc)
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Create a new item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc) | Command + N |
| Edit an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc) | Command + E |
| Delete an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc) | Command + D |
| Open an Account Register | Command + R, then select an account |
Start a new task anywhere in QuickBooks
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Create a new invoice | Command + I |
| Create a new check | Command + K |
| Open the transaction journal | Command + T |
| Open the Chart of Accounts | Shift + Command + A |
| Open the Customer Center | Shift + Command + J |
| Open the Employee Center | Shift + Command + E |
| Open the Item list | Shift + Command + I |
| Open the Memorized Transactions list | Shift + Command + M |
| Open the Vendor Center | Shift + Command + V |
Move to QuickBooks Online
| Action | Keyboard Shortcut |
| Export to QuickBooks Online | Shift + Command + D |
Open, set up, and close QuickBooks
| Action | Keyboard shortcut |
| Open a company file | Command + O |