How to Restore CTRL+F in Word 2010

When you click that key combination in Word 2010 it no longer opens up the Find and Replace dialog box. Instead a pane will appear on the left-hand side of your screen that will allow you to search.

Personally, I feel as if I have been cheated. Nice new software and the fine folks at Microsoft seem to have taken a step backwards with this feature! You can click on CTRL + H | Find but it would be so much nicer to have it as it once was – simple and efficient, which is probably why you’re here!

Follow the steps below to bring back CTRL+F:

1. Click on the File tab of your Ribbon.
2. Click Options to display the Word options dialog box.
3. On the left-hand side of your dialog box, click Customize Ribbon.
4. On the lower left-hand corner of your dialog box, click Customize. The dialog box will display.
5. Click on the Home tab of the Categories list.
6. In the Commands list, click once on EditFind to select it.
7. Be certain your cursor is in the Press New Shortcut Key box.
8. Click CTRL + F. Just under the Current Keys box, Word will inform you that this shortcut key is current assigned to the NavPaneSearch command.

9. Click the Assign button.
10. Click Close to close the Customize Keyboard dialog box.
11. Click OK to close the word Options dialog box.

Now then, when you click CTRL + F, you will see the familiar Find tab of the Find and Replace dialog box that you were used to.