Apply bold, italic and underline in Word for Mac
In Word for Mac, Command-B applies bold, Command-I italic and Command-U underline. Select the intended text first, or a formatting toggle may affect what you type next rather than existing words.
Microsoft Word · Reviewed 2026-11-05 · Review method
Platform, keyboard and verification notes
- Scope
- Microsoft Word · Microsoft Word desktop for Mac; Mac section of Microsoft documentation checked 5 November 2026. Not Word for the web.
- Keyboard and customization
- English documentation and US-style key names. Punctuation and function keys can differ on other layouts.. These are documentation-backed defaults, not a hands-on test. App settings, operating-system shortcuts, extensions and keyboard layout can change what happens. Check focus and the current app menu or shortcut settings when a binding differs.
- Review basis
- Documentation reviewed 2026-11-05 by Codex — source and editorial review; no runtime test. These bindings were not tested in a running app for this guide.
Mac shortcuts for this workflow
| Action | Keys | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Command-B | Apply or toggle bold for the intended selection. Source ↗ |
| Italic | Command-I | Apply italic emphasis to selected text. Source ↗ |
| Underline | Command-U | Underline the selected text. Source ↗ |
| Undo | Command-Z | Reverse an unintended formatting action. Source ↗ |
| Paste text only | Command-Shift-V | Bring in wording without its original formatting. Source ↗ |
Choose a short, meaningful selection
Use emphasis to distinguish a label, term or phrase that readers need to notice. Select the exact words before applying the shortcut and inspect whether trailing spaces or adjacent punctuation joined the selection. Formatting an entire paragraph can be appropriate, but it should be a deliberate editorial choice rather than an accidental large selection.
Check whether you are styling text or future typing
With no text selected, an emphasis toggle can become a typing state. Read the active formatting controls and type a small test only in a disposable document. If new words unexpectedly remain bold or italic, switch the state off or correct the selection rather than repeatedly reformatting the whole passage.
Keep emphasis separate from document structure
Bold-looking text is not automatically a semantic heading or part of an outline. Use Word’s styles when the passage represents a real section heading. For a practice check, format one phrase in a sample paragraph, paste a second sentence as text only and compare the results. Inspect the document in its reading context before sending it to someone else.
Sources and corrections
- Keyboard shortcuts in Word — Microsoft Support, Mac section — checked 2026-11-05
Found a mismatch? Email pashaseenainc@gmail.com with your app version, macOS version, keyboard layout and the command. Please leave personal document names out.
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