Complete QuickBooks keyboard shortcuts and commands reference — 58 shortcuts across 7 categories. Quick reference cheat sheet for Windows & Mac.
| Command | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Open Help | Opens the QuickBooks Desktop Help window. |
| Esc | Close Current Window | Closes whatever window has focus. |
| F2 or Ctrl + 1 | Product Information | License number, file location, and file size — the first window support asks for. |
| Ctrl + F | Find Transaction | Opens the Find window for transactions and invoices. |
| F3 or Ctrl + 2 | Search | Global search across customers, accounts, and transactions. |
| F2, F3 | Tech Help Window | Open Product Information first, then press F3 for system details. |
| Command | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Tab | Next Field | Moves to the next data field on a form. |
| Shift + Tab | Previous Field | Moves back one field. |
| + / - | Increase / Decrease Amount | Steps a number or check/form number up or down. |
| Ctrl + C | Copy | Copies the selected field text. |
| Ctrl + V | Paste | Pastes into the current field. |
| Ctrl + X | Cut | Cuts the selected field text. |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo | Undoes the last edit in the field. |
| Command | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Alt + Down | Open Calendar | Pops the date picker on any date field. |
| + | Advance a Day | Steps the date forward one day. |
| - | Back a Day | Steps the date back one day. |
| T | Today | Jumps to today's date. |
| W | First Day of Week | W for “week” — jumps to the start of the week. |
| K | Last Day of Week | K is the last letter of “week”. |
| ] | Same Day Next Week | Steps forward exactly seven days. |
| [ | Same Day Last Week | Steps back exactly seven days. |
| M | First Day of Month | M for “month”. |
| H | Last Day of Month | H is the last letter of “month”. |
| ; | Same Day Next Month | Steps forward one calendar month. |
| ' | Same Day Last Month | Apostrophe steps back one calendar month. |
| Y | First Day of Year | Jumps to January 1. |
| Command | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Enter | Record / Save Transaction | Records the transaction on most forms. |
| Ctrl + Ins | New Transaction Line | Inserts a line into the current transaction. |
| Ctrl + Del | Delete Transaction Line | Removes the selected line. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Y | Copy Transaction Line | Copies the highlighted line (QuickBooks 2018+). |
| Ctrl + Alt + V | Paste Transaction Line | Pastes onto a blank line (QuickBooks 2018+). |
| Up / Down | Previous / Next Line | Moves between transaction lines. |
| Ctrl + L | Open Dropdown List | Opens the full list for the highlighted dropdown. |
| Ctrl + U | Use List Item | Adds the item selected via Ctrl + L to the open form. |
| Page Up / Page Down | Move Between Pages | Pages through long forms and reports. |
| Alt + S | Save & Close Form | Saves the current form and closes it. |
| Alt + P | Last Open Form | Jumps to your previous form of the same type. |
| Alt + N | Save & Next Form | Saves and opens a fresh form of the same type. |
| Ctrl + P | Prints the current form or list. | |
| Ctrl + M | Memorize Form | Saves the form as a memorized transaction. |
| Ctrl + T | Memorized Transaction List | Opens the list of memorized transactions. |
| Ctrl + H | Transaction History | History for the current form. |
| Ctrl + Y | Transaction Journal | Debit/credit journal view of the current form. |
| Command | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + Page Up / Page Down | First / Last Item | Jumps to the top or bottom of a list or register. |
| Ctrl + N | New List Item | New account, customer, or item from any list. |
| Ctrl + E | Edit List Item | Edits the selected list entry. |
| Ctrl + D | Delete List Item | Deletes the selected list entry. |
| Ctrl + F6 | Quick Report | Runs a QuickReport for the selected item. |
| F5 | Refresh List | Multi-user mode only — refreshes a list others may be editing. |
| Command | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + I | Create Invoice | New invoice from anywhere in QuickBooks. |
| Ctrl + W | Create Check | Opens the Write Checks window. |
| Ctrl + J | Customer Center | Opens the Customer Center. |
| Ctrl + A | Chart of Accounts | Opens the Chart of Accounts — not select-all here. |
| Ctrl + R | Open Account Register | Pick an account; inside a register, Ctrl + G opens the transfer account's register. |
| Command | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Alt (hold on open) | Open with No Windows | Hold Alt while opening a company file to start without windows. |
| Alt + F4 | Close QuickBooks | Exits the application. |
| Ctrl + K | Service Keys (Payroll) | Opens QuickBooks Service Keys. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Y | YTD Payroll Setup | From Help › About QuickBooks — sets up year-to-date payroll amounts. |
QuickBooks ships as two very different products. QuickBooks Online runs in a browser and leans on Ctrl+Alt combinations (its in-app list opens with Ctrl + Alt + /); QuickBooks Desktop — this page — uses classic Windows-style Ctrl and function-key shortcuts. If a shortcut from a blog post doesn't work, the first thing to check is which product it was written for. Two Desktop traps worth knowing: Ctrl + A opens the Chart of Accounts, not select-all, and Ctrl + W writes a check instead of closing the window.
No other mainstream app has date entry this fast. With the cursor in any date field, single letters jump: T today, W/K first and last day of the week, M/H first and last of the month, Y January 1. The mnemonic is the word's first and last letter — WeeK, MontH. Brackets ]/[ step a week, ;/' step a month, and +/- step a day. Bookkeepers who learn this stop touching the calendar popup entirely.
The form shortcuts are designed for volume. Ctrl + I opens an invoice from anywhere; Alt + N saves it and opens the next blank one — so a stack of invoices becomes a loop of typing and Alt + N, no mouse. Ctrl + M memorizes a recurring transaction and Ctrl + T recalls the whole memorized list. When something looks wrong, Ctrl + H shows the transaction's history and Ctrl + Y its debit/credit journal — the two views accountants ask for first.
QuickBooks predates that convention on Windows accounting screens: Ctrl+A opens the Chart of Accounts. Use the mouse or Shift+arrows for selection inside fields.
Ctrl+F6 on the current official list. Older third-party lists say Ctrl+Q; Intuit's current documentation no longer includes it, which is why this page doesn't either.
Press T with the cursor in the date field. W and K jump to the first and last day of the week, M and H to the first and last day of the month, Y to January 1.
The ideas match but keys differ: Mac uses Command-based combos (Command+I invoice, Shift+Command+A Chart of Accounts) and adds R for December 31 in date fields. This page lists the Windows set; Intuit documents both on the same page.
Highlight the line and press Ctrl+Alt+Y, then paste onto a blank line with Ctrl+Alt+V. Both require QuickBooks 2018 or later.
Alt+N saves the current form and opens a fresh one of the same type — the core of batch entry. Alt+S saves and closes instead.
Open your assistant with this page preloaded as the source — great for follow-up questions like "which of these work in other apps?"