Alternatively called Control+U and C-u, ^u, Ctrl+U is a keyboard shortcut often used to underline text.
How to use the Ctrl+U keyboard shortcut
To use this keyboard shortcut, press and hold either Ctrl key, and while continuing to hold, press U.
On Apple computers, the shortcut for underline Command+U.
- How to use the Ctrl+U keyboard shortcut.
- Ctrl+U in an Internet browser.
- Ctrl+U with word processors and text.
- Ctrl+U in Excel and other spreadsheet programs.
- Ctrl+U in Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Ctrl+U in Outlook.
- Related keyboard shortcuts and keys.
- Related information.
- Computer keyboard shortcuts.
Ctrl+U in an Internet browser
In Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera, pressing Ctrl+U opens the current page’s source code in a new browser tab. For example, you could press Ctrl+U to view the source code of this page.
- Firefox shortcuts
- Google Chrome shortcuts
In Internet Explorer, Ctrl+U opens the Debugger tool, that also lets you view the page’s source code.
- Internet Explorer shortcuts
Ctrl+U with word processors and text
With word processors and text editors, Ctrl+U performs different functions based on highlighting. If no text is highlighted, pressing this keyboard shortcut turns the underline feature on or off at the cursor’s location. If text is highlighted, pressing Ctrl+U changes that content’s appearance between underlined and not underlined.
Ctrl+U in Excel and other spreadsheet programs
For Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet programs, Ctrl+U performs different functions based on highlighting. If you’re working within a cell and no text is highlighted, pressing this keyboard shortcut turns the underline feature on or off at the cursor’s location. If text is highlighted, pressing Ctrl+U changes that content’s appearance between underlined and not underlined.
- Full list of Excel shortcuts.
- Google Sheets shortcuts.
Ctrl+U in Microsoft PowerPoint
In Microsoft PowerPoint, Ctrl+U performs different functions based on highlighting. If no text is highlighted, pressing this keyboard shortcut turns the underline feature on or off at the cursor’s location. If text is highlighted, pressing Ctrl+U changes that content’s appearance between underlined and not underlined.
- Full list of PowerPoint shortcuts.
Ctrl+U in Outlook
In Microsoft Outlook, pressing Ctrl+U marks a selected read e-mail as un-read.
- Full list of Outlook shortcuts.
Related keyboard shortcuts and keys
Below are links to related keyboard shortcuts and individual key pages.
Use the shortcut Ctrl+Q to mark a selected e-mail as read.
- Alt+U
- Ctrl+4
- Ctrl
Ctrl, Keyboard shortcut, Keyboard terms, U, Underline
Related information
- How to view the HTML source code of a web page.
- Computer keyboard shortcuts.
- Top 10 keyboard shortcuts everyone should know.
- Keyboard help and support.