CommonLook PDF Keyboard Shortcuts (Desktop and Advanced Editor)

Modified on Sat, 14 Jun, 2025 at 10:46 AM

Note:  The keyboard functionality below applies to both the desktop and web-based versions of CommonLook PDF unless otherwise specified. 

Tag Creation and Conversion Shortcuts

TAGCREATE (Insert tag)                    CONVERT (Convert tag)
Toggle Sticky buttonsDesktop: Alt + i +s
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based:  Use the Tab key for navigation 
N/A
Toggle Individual ParentsDesktop: Alt + i + v
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
N/A

 

P

 

Ctrl+7Ctrl+Shift+7

 

Hn (1-6)

 

Ctrl+(1-6)Ctrl+Shift+(1-6)
H (non-numbered Heading)Desktop: Alt + i + 7
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + 7
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Figure

 

Ctrl+gCtrl+Shift+g

 

Caption

 

Ctrl+qCtrl+Shift+q
TableDesktop: Alt + i + b
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + b
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
TRDesktop: Alt + i + r
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + r
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
THDesktop: Alt + i + h
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Tab for navigation
Use the Tab key for navigation 
Desktop: Alt + c + h
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

TD

 

Ctrl+dCtrl+Shift+d
LDesktop: Alt + i + l
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + l
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

LI

 

Ctrl+iCtrl+Shift+i

 

Lbl

 

Ctrl+lCtrl+Shift+l

 

LBody

 

Ctrl+bCtrl+Shift+b

 

Span

 

Desktop: Ctrl+w
Web-based:   Ctrl+Alt+w
Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+w
Web-based:  Ctrl+Alt+Shift+w

 

Link

 

Ctrl+kCtrl+Shift+k

 

Form

 

Ctrl+8Ctrl+Shift+8
TOCDesktop: Alt + i + z
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + o3 (letter "o," not zero)
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

TOCI

 

Ctrl+o (Tagged panel only)Ctrl+Shift+o

 

Note

 

Desktop: Ctrl+n
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+n
Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+n
Web-based: Ctrl+Shift+Alt+n

 

Reference

 

Ctrl+rCtrl+Shift+r
ReversedCharsDesktop: Alt + i + o7 (letter "o," not zero)
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + o7 (letter "o," not zero)
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

Standard Tags

(dropdown menu)

Desktop: Alt + i + o8 (letter "o," not zero)
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + o8 (letter "o," not zero)
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 Role Map tags

(dropdown menu)

Desktop: Alt + i + o9 (letter "o," not zero)
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
Desktop: Alt + c + o9 (letter "o," not zero)
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Generate Table

 

Desktop: Ctrl+t
Web-Based: Ctrl+Alt+t
N/A

 

Generate List

 

Desktop: Ctrl+9
Web-Based:  Ctrl+Alt+9
N/A

 

Generate TOC

 

Desktop: Ctrl+0 (zero)
Web-Based:  Ctrl+Alt+0 (zero)
N/A
 PaginationDesktop: Alt + i + w
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation
N/A
 User TagsDesktop: Alt + i + u1
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation Tab for navigation (if they have been added in the ribbon)
Desktop: Alt + c + u1
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation (if they have been added in the ribbon)

 Tag Annotations

 

Ctrl+o (Untagged Content panel only)

N/A
 Tag 

 

Desktop: Ctrl+t (Untagged Content panel only)

Web-Based:  Ctrl+[

N/A

Convert to TH and set the scope to Column 

 

N/A

 

Ctrl+c (With focus on a cell, or cells, in the Table Editor)
Convert to TH and set the scope to Row 

 

N/A

 

Ctrl+r (With focus on a cell, or cells, in the Table Editor)

 

Quick Access Toolbar Shortcuts

OPERATIONSHORTCUT

Quick Save (Desktop)

Save (Web-based)

 

Ctrl+s

Save and Close (Desktop only)

 

Ctrl+Shift+c

Close (without saving)

 

Desktop: Alt+F4
Web-based: "Exit" (button) Use the Tab key for navigation 

Undo

 

Ctrl+z

Redo

 

Ctrl+y

 

Settings Tab Shortcuts

OPERATIONSHORTCUT
Selection: Exact
Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+e
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+e 
Selection: Text
Ctrl+Shift+x
Selection: Images
Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+s
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+s 
Selection: Annotation
Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+a
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+a 
Selection: Tags
Ctrl+Shift+z
Selection: Artifacts
Ctrl+Shift+Space
Selection: Tagged Elements
Ctrl+Shift+h
Selection: Untagged Elements
Ctrl+Shift+v
Selection Order: Physical Order
Desktop: Alt+s+h (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Tab to the dropdown and then expand it to make the selection.
Selection Order: Logical Order
Desktop: Alt+s+l (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Tab to the dropdown and then expand it to make the selection. 
Text Direction: Left-to-RightDesktop: Alt+s+c0 (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Tab to the dropdown and then expand it to make the selection. 
Text Direction: Right-to-LeftDesktop: Alt+s+c1 (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Tab to the dropdown and then expand it to make the selection. 
Selection Tool: Text SelectionDesktop: Alt+s+j (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Tab to the dropdown and then expand it to make the selection. 
Selection Tool: CommonLook SelectionDesktop: Alt+s+z (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Tab to the dropdown and then expand it to make the selection. 
Highlight Color
Desktop: Alt+s+k (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Tab to the menu and then use Tab and Arrows to change highlight colors. 
User Preferences
Desktop: Alt+s+f (Press sequentially, not in combination)
Then, Tab or Arrow through the options in the dialog box. 
Web-based: Navigate to the "hamburger" menu at the top left of the interface, choose "Settings" and then "Preferences."
Screenshot showing how to get to Preferences in the web-based CommonLook PDF.
Reset Panels Location
Desktop: Alt+s+s (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based:
User TagsDesktop: Alt+s+i (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: Navigate to the "hamburger" menu at the top left of the interface, choose "Settings" and then "Custom Tags."
Screenshot showing how to get to Custom (User) tags in the web-based CommonLook PDF.
AboutDesktop: Alt+s+t (Press sequentially, not in combination) 
Web-based: N/A

Windows Tab Shortcuts

OPERATIONSHORTCUT
Affected Elements

Desktop: Alt + w + e
(Press sequentially, not in combination)

 

Bookmarks

Desktop: Alt + w + b
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Checkpoint Configuration

Desktop: Alt + w + c
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Navigate to the "hamburger" menu at the top left of the interface, open it, and choose Configuration.

Screenshot showing how to get to the Configuration screen from the hamburger menu in web-based CommonLook PDF.

Find And Replace (Find)

Desktop:  Ctrl+f OR
Alt + w + f
(Press sequentially, not in combination)

Web-based:  Ctrl+f  

Find And Replace (Replace)

Desktop: Ctrl+h OR
Alt + w + f
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based:  Ctrl+f (to open Find and Replace, and then navigate to the "Replace Text" tab) 

Metadata

Desktop: Alt + w + m
(Press sequentially, not in combination)

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation 

Properties

Desktop: Alt + w + p
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation 

Results

Desktop: Alt + w + r
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation 

Role Map

Desktop: Alt + w + l
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation 

Search Tags

Desktop: Alt + w + s
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based:  Ctrl+Shift+f

Standards

Desktop: Alt + w + d
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

Table Editor

In addition from getting to the Table Editor from the Context menu on a Table tag or using Ctrl+Shift+F1

Desktop: Alt + w + o
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Navigate to the "hamburger" menu at the top left of the interface, choose Windows and then choose Table Editor.

Screenshot showing how to get to the Table Editor from the hamburger menu in web-based CommonLook PDF.

Tags

Desktop: Alt + w + t
(Press sequentially, not in combination)

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation (Tab to Content to navigate into the Tags tree.) 

Untagged Content

Desktop: Alt + w + u
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation (Tab to Content, navigate through the Tags to then get to the Untagged Content.)

Destinations

Desktop: Alt + w + n
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

Help

Desktop: F1 OR
Alt + w + h
(Press sequentially, not in combination) 

Web-based: Help is available from the Support page in the software. 

 

Operations Tab Shortcuts

These shortcuts are available in the context menus of selected tags, text elements and/or text runs OR in the ribbon of the Operations tab.

 

OPERATIONSHORTCUT

 

Untag

 

Delete

Tag Properties (moves focus to the Properties panel)

 

Desktop: Use Ctrl+Tab to navigate to Properties
Web-based:  Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Merge Tags

 

Ctrl+m

 

Expand all

 

Desktop: Ctrl+Plus
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Plus

 

Collapse all

 

Desktop: Ctrl+Minus
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Minus

 

Expand Tag(s)

 

Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+Plus
Web-based: Alt+Shift+Plus 

 

Cut

 

Ctrl+x

 

Copy

 

Desktop only: Ctrl+c

 

Paste as sibling

 

Ctrl+v

 

Paste as child

 

Ctrl+Shift+v

 

Create tag as parent

 

Desktop: Ctrl+j
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+j

 

Create tag as sibling before

 

Ctrl+F10

 

Create tag as sibling after

 

Ctrl+F11

 

Create tag as child

 

Ctrl+Shift+j

 

Cleanup – Full cleanup

 

Ctrl+u

 

Cleanup – Skip empty cells

 

Ctrl+e

Table full cleanup (from within a table tag) 

Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+t
Web-based: Alt+Shift+t

 

Level up

 

Desktop: Ctrl+p
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+p

 

Level up children of tag

 

Desktop: Ctrl+Shift+p
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+p

 

Change tag order up (Move Up)

 

Ctrl+Shift+Up

 

Change tag order down (Move Down)

 

Ctrl+Shift+Down

 

Tag Similar

 

Ctrl+Shift+F5

 

Copy contents To ActualText

 

Ctrl+Shift+F2

 

Copy contents To Alt text

 

Ctrl+Shift+F3

 

Split textrun

 

Ctrl+Shift+x

 

Calculate bounding box

 

Ctrl+F5

 

Linearize table horizontally

 

Ctrl+Shift+h

 

Linearize table vertically

 

Ctrl+Shift+u

Create linked headers (in Tables)

One level

 

Ctrl+Shift+F10

Create linked headers (in Tables) Recursive

Ctrl+Shift+F11

 

Show table editor

 

Ctrl+Shift+F1
Insert Caption (in Tables)Desktop: Alt + o + 8
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based: Available in the ribbon from the Operations tab (when a Table tag is selected).

 

Insert row before (in Tables)

 

Ctrl+F10

 

Insert row after (in Tables)

 

Ctrl+F11

 

Insert cell after

 

Ctrl+Shift+F4

 

Insert cell before

 

Desktop: Ctrl+Alt+F4
Web-based: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F4
Split to rowsDesktop: Alt + o + 7
(Press sequentially, not in combination)
Web-based:  This function is available from the context menu of a TD or TH.

 

Application Navigation Shortcuts

OPERATIONSHORTCUT

 

Navigate between panels

 

Ctrl+Tab

Navigation toolbar 
(zoom, page navigation/ scrolling, etc.)

 

Desktop: F12
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Help

 

Desktop: F1
Web-based: Navigate to the Support screen

 

Insert tag (Ribbon)

 

Desktop: Alt + I
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Convert tag (Ribbon)

 

Desktop: Alt + c
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Settings (Ribbon)

 

Desktop: Alt + s
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Windows (Ribbon)

 

Desktop: Alt + w
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Operations (Ribbon)

 

Desktop: Alt + o
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Quick Save

 

Desktop: Alt + 1
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Save and Close

 

Desktop: Alt + 2
Web-based: N/A

 

Undo

 

Both: Ctrl+z
Desktop: Alt + 3
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Redo

 

Both: Ctrl+y
Desktop: Alt + 4
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Navigate between panels in a group

 

Desktop: Ctrl + Page Up, Ctrl + Page Down
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

Display Window Options for active panel 

Desktop: Alt + –
Web-based: N/A

 

Recall (on the Insert Tag ribbon)

 

Desktop: Alt + i + 9
Web-based: Use the Tab key for navigation

 

Was this article helpful?

That’s Great!

Thank you for your feedback

Sorry! We couldn't be helpful

Thank you for your feedback

Let us know how can we improve this article!

Select at least one of the reasons
CAPTCHA verification is required.

Feedback sent

We appreciate your effort and will try to fix the article