Before you format or perform other operations on text, you need to select the text—or the text box containing the text—that you want to work with. When selecting text directly, such as a single word, line, or paragraph, you can use several keyboard shortcuts to make it easier.

Here are ways to select text:
  • To select one or more characters, click in front of the first character and drag across the characters you want to select.

  • To select a word, double-click the word.

  • To select a paragraph, triple-click in the paragraph.

  • To select all text in a document, choose Edit > Select All.

  • To select blocks of text, click the start of a text block, and then click the end of another text block while holding down the Shift key.

  • To select from the insertion point to the beginning of the paragraph, press the Up Arrow key while holding down the Shift and Option keys.

  • To select from the insertion point to the end of the paragraph, press the Down Arrow key while holding down the Shift and Option keys.

  • To extend the selection one character at a time, press the Left Arrow or Right Arrow key while holding down the Shift key.

  • To extend the selection one line at a time, press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow key while holding down the Shift key.

  • To select multiple words or blocks of text that aren’t next to each other, select the first block of text you want, and then select additional text while holding down the Command key.

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