Why can’t I assign a keyboard shortcut to Alt+R?

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Why can’t I assign a keyboard shortcut to Alt+R?

Anonymous

Many years/versions ago, I had a few custom styles assigned to keyboard shortcuts. My equivalent to Heading 1 was assigned to Alt+R. Some time ago (some very long time ago, this is not recent whatsoever) the Alt+R shortcut stopped working -- nothing happens when I enter the key-combination and it does not appear when the “press new keyboard shortcut” box is active.

Shortcuts assigned to custom Heading 2 (Alt+F) and ‘normal’ text (Alt+G) both work fine. Similarly, shortcuts assigned to similar built-in combinations (Alt+R normally opens the review tab) still work. My Alt+S (which normally opens the references tab) instead runs a custom macro. My Alt+W (which normally opens the view tab) instead shows all characters. These and many keyboard customizations work fine.

I have assigned many keyboard shortcuts to macros, styles and other commands (before and after this anomaly), so I’m very familiar with the file>options>customize ribbon>keyboard shortcuts>customize interface. I’m familiar with Word’s “currently assigned to” notice when I put in a key-combination I’ve already assigned or is ‘stock’ to Word.

When I try to assign a keyboard shortcut in the “press new keyboard shortcut” box, Alt+R does not appear/show up. I can get other keyboard combinations to appear, and the “currently assigned to” text accurately tells me if it’s assigned to a stock command or my own command. But the “press new” box simply won’t accept (and won’t show an error) when I try to put in Alt+R.

I’d normally find a workaround (and have for a long time), but muscle memory and the frequency of using this style keeps me coming back to searching for a solution or a viable explanation as to what’s going on.

Again, this seems to affect ONLY Alt+R. I can assign different key combos to the heading, but muscle memory years to take it back to Alt+R.

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7 additional answers

Answer 1

There are some keyboard shortcuts that are simply not available.

I know of no list or documentation on this.

See my note about reserved key combinations. Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word 2007-2019 (365) Two that I ran into include the F1 key and for whatever reason, Ctrl+Shift+Alt+D! My system shows Alt+R as unassigned, even though it will trigger the Reviewing Tab.

I generally avoid assigning anything to simple Alt key shortcuts because of the ribbon shortcuts that pop up with Alt.

Consider using a trigger or prefix in your shortcuts so as to make them more memorable and so you have more available. That is discussed in my article.

Ctrl+Alt+2 is the default shortcut for Heading 2. While I realize you are used to your custom styles, there are real advantages to the built-in heading styles. You may want to simply modify their appearance and add alias names to them. Why Use Word's Built-In Heading Styles? by Shauna Kelly

Also, keep in mind that you can assign your own order to styles, including the built-in ones by changing their priorities. The Manage Styles Dialog by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP Those settings change the order of appearance of any in the Quick Styles Gallery and will change the order in the Styles Pane when you choose "as recommended" for the order. (I always use alphabetical, myself, though.)

Long term, consider saving your shortcuts in a template (other than the Normal template) that you use as a *Global Template*. This makes them much more portable and means that if something goes wrong with the Normal template, you do not lose them. You can use *Chris Woodman's Keyboard Shortcut Organizer* to copy shortcuts in Windows systems.

I admire you and your wife for your use of styles. It puts you in the ranks of those who are really using Word rather than let it push them around.

Answer 2

Not an answer to your question, but note that Word does have built-in shortcuts for Headings 1, 2, and 2 (Alt+Ctrl+1, 2, 3), but I understand your desire to return to muscle memory. Years ago, I assigned Ctrl+M to the em dash and Ctrl+Shift+N to the en dash (as well as Alt+Ctrl+M and Alt+Ctrl+N for em and en spaces). I would have used Ctrl+Shift+M for the em dash, but it was already assigned to the After Dark screen saver (remember that?), and I couldn't find any way to disable it. All these years later, I could certainly make that shortcut consistent (and restore the ability to use Ctrl+M for Indent, not that I would ever use it), but it would trip me up so many times a day that it's not worth it!

Answer 3

Thanks!

I actually have a whole suite of styles that replace the stock ones. 'Replace' because prefacing them with aa_ keeps them all grouped together when I want to access them via the style pane. The set includes everything from plain text to various heading levels, captions, quote blocks, and table, figure, box titles and text; my wife did the layout and so I grew adept at meticulously styling 100 to 200 page non-fiction works.

I use a 'gaming' mouse with 12 programmable side thumb buttons with three sets of commands for each, so one set has basic functions, one has a bunch of macros and one has styles. Makes reviewing (when my hand is on the mouse) much, much easier. But writing/editing is mostly keyboard-driven, hence my craving to get back to years and years of formatting. These particular customizations may not be as old as flying toasters, but definitely hearken back tot he turn of the century!

Answer 4

Again, thanks. There's a lot to go through if the obvious culprit doesn't show up right away. Will go through the process of checking out programs and if necessary turning everything off and on one at a time, so it'll be a while to go through it all (lots of restarts in there). Hopefully this is the right track to go on!

Answer 5

Great question, thanks for the new direction.

In Excel, Alt+R does nothing. Alt (pause) R goes to the review tab.

It's doubtful that it's a keyboard issue: this problem has lasted through three different keyboards (the original I had, a replacement, and then a warranty replacement for that keyboard). These are all MS Natural 4000 keyboards (warranty replacement was for cosmetics only (letters rubbing off), nothing electronic.

Here's an oddity. The same issue described above occurs when I set one of my mouse's extra buttons to Alt+R via the Logitech Gaming Software. I rely on a lot of macros on this mouse and it has never given me any problems. If I set one button to Alt+[random letter] one to Alt+R, the Alt+[random letter] shows up in the “press new keyboard shortcut” box, but Alt+R does not. I tried with several different letters; only R gives this issue. If I change the mouse command to Alt (pause) R, then running it in a Word window brings up the review tab (or does nothing if it's already there.

Oh, and now it gets interesting. I tried testing it by changing VLC's hotkeys via the mouse. Same problem! Regardless of chaning things via keyboard or mouse, I can't get a hotkey set to Alt+R! Your "a utility that hijacks the Alt+R combination" is on the right track!

I can post in a different forum, but do you have an idea of what I'd do to track this down? Logitech's Gaming Software accepts and recognizes the Alt+R combination, but I'm having the same issue when the Gaming Sofwtare is shut down. Is there a ascii/unicode like string I can search in my registry? Some other approach?

(ETA: This isssue has been going on for a very long time; there is no way to tell what I

'recently' installed that could be hijacking the combo.)

Thanks!!!!!

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Why can’t I assign a keyboard shortcut to Alt+R?

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