Scrivener keyboard shortcuts
Scrivener is a writing app for long projects like novels and theses, where you write in small pieces and arrange them in a binder. The keys below handle projects, editing and formatting text, moving documents around the binder, and zoom.
Windows, macOS · 47 shortcutsProjects and files
Create, open, save, print, compile, and close Scrivener projects with the current Windows and macOS menu defaults.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Create a new project | WindowsCtrl + Shift + N macOSShift + Cmd + N |
| Open a project | WindowsCtrl + O macOSCmd + O |
| Close the current project | WindowsAlt + F4 macOSShift + Cmd + W |
| Close the current window | WindowsCtrl + F4 macOSCmd + W |
| Save | WindowsCtrl + S macOSCmd + S |
| Save as | WindowsCtrl + Shift + S macOSShift + Cmd + S |
| Open page setup | WindowsCtrl + Shift + P macOSShift + Cmd + P |
| Print the current document | WindowsCtrl + P macOSCmd + P |
| Compile the draft | WindowsCtrl + Shift + E macOSOption + Cmd + E |
| Open application options | WindowsCtrl + , macOSCmd + , |
| Exit Scrivener | WindowsCtrl + Alt + F4 macOSCmd + Q |
Text editing
Edit text, search the active document, and move through matching results with Scrivener's standard editor commands.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Undo | WindowsCtrl + Z macOSCmd + Z |
| Redo | WindowsCtrl + Y macOSShift + Cmd + Z |
| Cut | WindowsCtrl + X macOSCmd + X |
| Copy | WindowsCtrl + C macOSCmd + C |
| Paste | WindowsCtrl + V macOSCmd + V |
| Paste and match style | WindowsCtrl + Shift + V macOSOption + Shift + Cmd + V |
| Select all text | WindowsCtrl + A macOSCmd + A |
| Open Find | WindowsCtrl + F macOSCmd + F |
| Find the next match | WindowsF3 macOSCmd + G |
| Find the previous match | WindowsShift + F3 macOSShift + Cmd + G |
| Replace and find next | WindowsCtrl + H macOSOption + Cmd + F |
Text formatting
Apply common text formatting and paragraph alignment while the Scrivener editor has focus.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Bold | WindowsCtrl + B macOSCmd + B |
| Italic | WindowsCtrl + I macOSCmd + I |
| Underline | WindowsCtrl + U macOSCmd + U |
| Align left | WindowsCtrl + L macOSCmd + L |
| Align center | WindowsCtrl + E macOSCmd + E |
| Align right | WindowsCtrl + R macOSCmd + R |
| Justify text | WindowsCtrl + J macOSCmd + J |
| Increase font size | WindowsCtrl + > macOSCmd + > |
| Decrease font size | WindowsCtrl + < macOSCmd + < |
| Insert an annotation | WindowsCtrl + Shift + A macOSShift + Cmd + A |
| Insert a footnote | WindowsCtrl + Shift + F macOSShift + Cmd + F |
Documents and binder
Reorder, split, group, merge, duplicate, and snapshot selected Scrivener documents from the binder or editor.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Move the selected item up | WindowsCtrl + Up Arrow macOSCmd + Up Arrow |
| Move the selected item down | WindowsCtrl + Down Arrow macOSCmd + Down Arrow |
| Move the selected item left | WindowsCtrl + Left Arrow macOSCmd + Left Arrow |
| Move the selected item right | WindowsCtrl + Right Arrow macOSCmd + Right Arrow |
| Split at the selection | WindowsCtrl + K macOSCmd + K |
| Duplicate the selected item | WindowsCtrl + D macOSCmd + D |
| Take a snapshot | WindowsCtrl + 5 macOSCmd + 5 |
| Group the selection | WindowsCtrl + G macOSCmd + G |
| Ungroup the selection | WindowsCtrl + Shift + U macOSShift + Cmd + U |
| Merge documents | WindowsCtrl + M macOSCmd + M |
Source
official Scrivener 3 user manuals · Checked
Scrivener 3 User Manual for Windows and macOS checked September 1, 2026. The manuals document default menu assignments and explain that users can change many commands in the Keyboard options. The two platform tables use different modifier conventions.