Create Keyboard Shortcut To "Replace All"

Question

Is there a way I can create a keyboard shortcut in WORD to invoke "Replace All" in the "Find And Replace" box?  I can open the box with a shortcut, but after I type my replacement text I have to either slide the cursor across the page and click the button, or tab three times and click the button ... A shortcut key would be much faster, but I can't find "Replace All" in the list of commands under "Customize The Ribbon"

Thanks!

Answer 1

When the Replace dialog has the focus, using ALT+a executes the Replace All.

Answer 2

Thanks!  Is there a way to change from Alt key to Control key?  Perhaps a macro?  It's hard to retrain sixty-eight year old fingers!

Answer 3

Hi Fred,

Thank you for posting your query to Microsoft Community.

Customizing keyboard shortcuts is one of the best features that our Microsoft Word has to offer. It also lets us to use our preferred type of command that makes it more convenient and easy for us to use the application program.

With regard to your concern, you may refer to the article found on this link to show you the steps in changing alt key to control key using macro.

Let us know if you need further assistance.

Answer 4

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Customizing keyboard shortcuts is one of the best features that our Microsoft Word has to offer. It also lets us to use our preferred type of command that makes it more convenient and easy for us to use the application program.

With regard to your concern, you may refer to the article found on this link to show you the steps in changing alt key to control key using macro.

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With respect, I disagree. I do not believe this is an apt command for modification of keyboard shortcuts. This is a shortcut built into a dialog. The behavior of dialog boxes and their shortcuts has been pretty constant (and not subject to customization) at least since Word 97. Changing this shortcut from Alt to Ctrl would be a major undertaking, if it could be done at all.

I expect that one could recreate the dialog box as a userform and make changes in the shortcuts. It isn't an undertaking I would care for, though.

When in this dialog, Alt+d switches to the legacy Find box, Alt+p returns to the Replace dialog, and Alt+G changes to the GoTo tab of the dialog. Within the dialog Alt+m triggers the More menu, Alt+R activates a single replace, jumping to the next found instance, Alt+a does Replace All, Alt+F jumps to the next found instance without replacing, and Esc closes the dialog.

I love Word's ability to assign and modify shortcut keys and have used it for years, but the method in the link is for shortcut keys to be used at times other than when one is in a dialog box. When in the document, Ctrl+A is Select All, an extremely valuable shortcut. If the poster even attempts what was suggested, that command is likely to be lost. Avoiding that would involve rather complex programming.

My advice would be to learn the built-in shortcuts if you need a shortcut. As you can see, they are underlined on the dialog box so no memorization is required.

Answer 5

I agree that Jhessica Sur's answer was off the mark ... I actually went through every command in each category in customize, as I pointed out, (perhaps  I was too subtle) in my original question.  No category relates to the dialog box ... Doug Robbins response was correct, using the ALT+A key does what I want.  My only problem is it is pretty awkward using the ALT+A key while touch typing ... Taking eyes off the screen and finding the ALT+A, pressing them and looking back at the screen is not faster than dragging the cursor into the box to hit return ... I'm trying to train my thumb to scooch on to the ALT key, but it's hard with the space bar being so wide ... Still, if I can do it, I'll be miles ahead. 

Thanks for dumbing this down for me, lots of solutions go right over my head! 

CHEERS!