How do I find the keyboard shortcut for a command in a desktop app?

Start in the app itself. Open the menu where the command would normally appear—often a menu such as File or Edit—and look beside the command for a shortcut. On macOS, Apple’s guidance specifically recommends checking app menus; it also notes that apps may have their own shortcuts. [S1]

If no shortcut is shown, open the app’s Help menu or search its official help for the exact command name and “keyboard shortcuts.” Match the documentation to the app you are using rather than relying on a general shortcut list. Microsoft cautions that common Windows app shortcuts may not work in every app. [S2]

For example, if you need the shortcut for “Export,” first find Export in the app’s menus. If a combination is displayed, note it down; if not, search the app’s official documentation for “Export shortcut.”

Check the platform label on the reference before trying the keys. Look for headings such as Windows or macOS, and make sure the page is about the app you are using. A shortcut list for one platform is not evidence that the same combination works on another.

Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 shortcut references are organized by platform and include separate guidance for individual apps such as Word and Excel. That supports checking both the app and platform for those products; it does not establish how shortcuts work in other software. [S3]

A useful note to keep is: “App: [name]; platform: [Windows/macOS/other]; command: [name]; shortcut shown in: [menu or official reference].”

Treat a general list as a clue, not confirmation. Microsoft describes some combinations as common app shortcuts but warns that they may not work in every app, and directs readers to check the app’s documentation. [S2] Find the same command in your app’s menu or its official, app-specific shortcut reference.

Also check what platform the reference covers. Even when a shortcut looks familiar, a page for another operating system or product does not confirm it for your setup. Microsoft’s platform-organized references illustrate why it helps to check both details. [S3]

If the shortcut is not clearly documented for your app and platform, use the command through the menu. That lets you complete the task without guessing; this guidance does not establish that any particular shortcut exists or will work in every version.

Use this sequence:

1. Write down the exact command name and the app that contains it.
2. Open the relevant app menu and look beside the command for a displayed shortcut. [S1]
3. If no shortcut appears, check the app’s Help section or official shortcut documentation.
4. Confirm that the reference covers your operating system and, when shown, your app or version. Platform-specific lists are not automatically interchangeable. [S3]
5. If you still cannot verify it, use the menu command rather than relying on a general shortcut list. [S2]

Copyable note: App: [name] | Platform: [OS] | Command: [exact wording] | Shortcut: [as shown, or not listed] | Reference: [menu/help page]

This process can help you find and record a documented shortcut. It cannot confirm shortcuts that the app does not document or guarantee that a shortcut behaves identically across different apps or operating systems.