Google Docs Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac

Google Docs on Mac runs in the browser, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. There is no separate native Mac app. The shortcut set uses Command (⌘) as its primary modifier, consistent with macOS conventions. One of the most useful shortcuts to know before anything else: Cmd+/ opens a full, searchable shortcut reference panel inside Google Docs itself.

Built-in shortcut list. Cmd+/ opens Google Docs' own keyboard shortcut panel without leaving the document. It's searchable and organized by category, a faster reference than this page for finding a specific shortcut you've forgotten.

Heading styles. Applying paragraph heading styles is one of the highest-value shortcuts in any document editor:

• Cmd+Option+1 applies Heading 1
• Cmd+Option+2 applies Heading 2
• Cmd+Option+3 applies Heading 3

These are the Mac equivalents of Ctrl+Alt+1/2/3 on Windows. The same action, different modifier combination.

Text formatting. Bold (Cmd+B), italic (Cmd+I), underline (Cmd+U), and other standard formatting shortcuts work exactly as expected in any Mac application.

Suggesting mode. The keyboard shortcut to switch between Editing and Suggesting modes is covered in the table above. When Suggesting mode is active, edits appear as attributed suggestions rather than direct changes, Google Docs' version of Track Changes.

Comments. Inserting a new comment and navigating between existing comment threads have dedicated shortcuts on Mac.

Browser shortcut conflicts. A small number of Command combinations may be captured by the browser before Docs receives them. The table above notes the most relevant cases.