Notepad Shortcut Keys for Windows (and WordPad)

Q: What is the shortcut to open Notepad?

Win + R, type notepad, press Enter.

Q: How do I go to a line number in Notepad?

Press Ctrl + G and type the number.

Notepad shortcut keys are simple but save real time. Open Notepad by pressing Win + R, typing notepad and pressing Enter. Inside, Ctrl + S saves, Ctrl + H replaces text, Ctrl + G jumps to a line number, and F5 inserts the current date and time.

Notepad in Windows 11 also has tabs, opened with Ctrl + T. WordPad, the older word processor, has been removed from newer Windows 11 updates, but its keys are listed at the end for computers that still have it.

Quick facts

Open
Win + R, notepad
Save and Save As
Ctrl + S, Ctrl + Shift + S
Find, Replace
Ctrl + F, Ctrl + H
Date and time
F5
Go to line
Ctrl + G
New tab (Windows 11)
Ctrl + T

Notepad shortcut keys list

Keys inside Notepad
Keys	Action
`Ctrl` + `N`	New file (new window in Windows 10)
`Ctrl` + `T`	New tab (Windows 11)
`Ctrl` + `O`	Open
`Ctrl` + `S`	Save
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `S`	Save As
`Ctrl` + `P`	Print
`Ctrl` + `W`	Close tab or window
`Ctrl` + `Z`	Undo
`Ctrl` + `A`	Select all
`Ctrl` + `F`	Find
`F3`	Find next
`Ctrl` + `H`	Replace
`Ctrl` + `G`	Go to line
`F5`	Insert time and date
`Ctrl` + `Plus`	Make text bigger
`Ctrl` + `0`	Reset text size

Notepad open shortcut key

Press Win + R.
Type notepad.
Press Enter. Notepad opens with a blank page.

For a one press shortcut, pin Notepad to the taskbar; its slot number with Win then opens it, for example Win + 2 for the second icon. Typing notepad in Start search works too, and the Run shortcut page lists more quick commands.

Make a simple log with F5

Notepad has a hidden trick: if the very first line of a file is .LOG in capitals, Notepad adds the date and time at the end every time you open the file. Combined with F5, it makes a quick daily diary or call log without any special software. Save the file somewhere you will find it, such as Documents.

Turn on Word Wrap from the View menu so long lines fit the window instead of scrolling sideways.

Why use Notepad

Notepad saves plain text only: no fonts, colours or hidden formatting. That makes it the safest place to paste text from a web page before copying it into a form, to keep a list of commands, or to edit settings files. For letters and formatted documents, Word is the better tool. Programmers often move on to a code editor, which adds colours and line numbers, but Notepad remains the quickest scratch pad on any Windows computer.

WordPad shortcut keys

WordPad, where still installed
Keys	Action
`Ctrl` + `B`	Bold
`Ctrl` + `I`	Italic
`Ctrl` + `U`	Underline
`Ctrl` + `E`	Centre
`Ctrl` + `L`	Align left
`Ctrl` + `R`	Align right
`Ctrl` + `S`	Save
`F12`	Save As

If WordPad is missing on your computer, it was removed in a Windows 11 update; Notepad or Word can replace it.

Problems and related guides

Problems and fixes
Problem	Fix
Ctrl + T does nothing	Your Notepad version has no tabs; update Windows
Saved file will not open in Word properly	It is plain text; formatting must be added in Word
Hindi text shows as boxes	Save with UTF-8 encoding and use a Unicode font

A support executive keeps a notes.txt file for each shift. Every new call gets a line starting with F5, so the times are exact without looking at the clock.

Copying and pasting tips are in paste shortcut key, and Office keys in MS Office shortcut keys.

This site is not affiliated with Microsoft or Apple; this is an independent explanation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut to open Notepad?

Win + R, type notepad, press Enter.

What does F5 do in Notepad?

It inserts the current time and date.

How do I replace text in Notepad?

Press Ctrl + H.

How do I go to a line number in Notepad?

Press Ctrl + G and type the number.

Does Notepad have tabs?

Yes, in Windows 11. Press Ctrl + T for a new tab.

Where is WordPad in Windows 11?

It has been removed in newer updates; use Notepad or Word.