Keyboard shortcuts

The keyboard shortcuts that are described here refer to the U.S. keyboard layout.

Common tasks

Navigate the project

Work with text

Select text

Work with hierarchy charts

Work with maps

Analysis tasks

Common tasks

To do this Press

Undo previous action.

⌘+Z
Select all—for example, all items in a list, all text in a file, or an entire image.  

⌘+A
Copy selected text or project item.

⌘+C
Paste text or project item.

⌘+V

Cut selected text or project item.

⌘+X

Delete selected text or project item.

DELETE or BACKSPACE

Open a project.

⌘+O

Print project item.

⌘+P

Export project item.

⌘+SHIFT+E

Save the project.

⌘+S

Create a new project.

⌘+N

Switch between edit mode and read-only mode

FUNCTION+F2

Get Help.

⌘+ QUESTION MARK (?)

Refresh the NVivo work area (Navigation View, List View and Detail View).

⌘+R

Import a new Internal file (document, PDF, audio, video or picture).

⌘+SHIFT+I

Show the activity pane so that you can cancel a process such as a query

⌘+ Period (.)

Include child levels in action—for example, when expanding the hierarchy using the disclosure triangle or when selecting a code to select it and all its descendants.

Press the OPTION key when performing the action.

Navigate the project

To do this Press

Open Project Properties

⌘+SHIFT+COMMA(,)
Open the Files folder. ⌘+1
Open the codes folder. ⌘+2
Open the Cases folder. ⌘+3
Open the Memos folder. ⌘+4
Open the Queries folder. ⌘+5

Expand Detail View to full screen.

CONTROL+SHIFT+⌘+F

Open the selected project item.

⌘+SHIFT+O

Display the properties of the selected project item.

⌘+OPTION+I

Open the memo that is linked to the selected project item.

⌘+SHIFT+M

Move to Navigation View

⌘+CONTROL+7

Move to List View

⌘+CONTROL+8

Move to Detail View

⌘+CONTROL+9

Scroll to the currently selected content

⌘+J

Work with text

Many of these shortcuts are only available when a file is open in edit mode.

To do this Press

Apply bold to selected text.

⌘+B

Apply italics to selected text.

⌘+I

Apply an underline to selected text.

⌘+U

Insert date and time (uses the format set in the operating system).

 ⌘+SHIFT+T

Indent text to the left

⌘+ LEFT BRACKET([)

Indent text to the right

⌘+ RIGHT BRACKET(])

Align text flush left

⌘+OPTION+ LEFT BRACKET([)

Align text flush right

⌘+OPTION+ RIGHT BRACKET(])

Select text

To do this Press

Extend or decrease a text selection by one or more characters.

 Hold down SHIFT and then press the RIGHT or LEFT arrow to extend or decrease your selection by one or more characters (not available in PDF files).

Select a single word.

 Double-click anywhere in the word.

Select a whole paragraph.

 Triple-click anywhere in the paragraph (not available in PDF files).

Select a single line of text.

 In PDF files, triple-click anywhere in the line.

In other file types, click in the line, then press ⌘+LEFT ARROW to move to the start of the line, and then hold down ⌘+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW.

Select multiple lines of text.

 Select the first line, and then hold down SHIFT and use the DOWN and UP arrows to extend the selection to one or more lines immediately below or above (not available in PDF files).

Extend a text selection to the beginning of:

  • A paragraph in documents, memos or externals

 OPTION+SHIFT+UP ARROW

Extend a text selection to the end of:

  • A paragraph in documents, memos or externals

OPTION+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW

Extend a text selection to the beginning of:

  • A document, memo or external

⌘+SHIFT+UP ARROW

Extend a text selection to the end of:

  • A document, memo or external

 ⌘+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW

Work with hierarchy charts

To do this Press

Move forward in a hierarchy chart

TAB

Move backward in a hierarchy chart

SHIFT+ TAB

Drill down in a hierarchy chart (if there are child rectangles or circle paths)

ENTER

Reverse drill down in a hierarchy chart (if there is a parent for the rectangle or circle path)

BACKSPACE or DELETE

Work with maps

To do this Press
In mind maps, add a sibling idea to the selected idea.

OPTION+S (Version 12.1 and later)

⌘+SHIFT+I (Version 12.0)
In mind maps, add a child idea to the selected idea.

OPTION+C (Version 12.1 and later)

OPTION+⌘+SHIFT+I (Version 12.0)

In mind maps, add a floating idea

OPTION+F
In concept maps, add the selected shape from the shapes pane to the canvas.

OPTION+S to display the shape popover, then TAB to move between the shapes. SPACEBAR to add the shape to the canvas.

In concept maps, add project item(s) to the canvas.

OPTION+P
Edit the label of a shape or idea.

ENTER

Save a text edit. ENTER
Delete the selected shape, item or connector.

DELETE

In concept maps, move between the canvas and the panel.

CONTROL+TAB
Move selection to next shape or item on the canvas. TAB
Move selection to previous shape or item on the canvas. SHIFT+TAB
Move the selected shape or item on the canvas. ARROW KEYS (LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN)
Resize the selected shape - increase the width. OPTION+RIGHT ARROW
Resize the selected shape - reduce the width. OPTION+LEFT ARROW
Resize the selected shape - increase the height. OPTION+UP ARROW
Resize the selected shape - reduce the height. OPTION+DOWN ARROW

Analysis tasks

To do this Press
Link selected item to a new memo. ⌘+SHIFT+K
Open the memo that is linked to the selected project item. ⌘+SHIFT+M
Create a new annotation for selected content. ⌘+SHIFT+A

Show next annotation

⌘+OPTION+K

Show previous annotation

⌘+OPTION+SHIFT+K

Show/hide region coordinates

⌘+OPTION+C

Code using the coding panel

⌘+/

Code selection at existing code.

OPTION+⌘+2

Code selection at new code.

OPTION+⌘+3

Code files at existing code.

OPTION+⌘+5

Code files at new code.

OPTION+⌘+6

Make a code from selected text (In Vivo coding).

OPTION+⌘+9

Uncode selection at existing codes.

⌘+SHIFT+2

Uncode selection at this code.

⌘+SHIFT+3

Uncode files at existing codes.

⌘+SHIFT+5