The redo shortcut key lets you restore an action you just reversed with Undo. On Windows, Ctrl+Y is the common redo shortcut, while Mac commonly uses Shift+Command+Z. However, the exact shortcut can change depending on the application.
For example, Microsoft Word and Excel use Ctrl+Y on Windows, while Google Docs and Adobe Photoshop use Ctrl+Shift+Z. Even on a Mac, Microsoft Office uses Command+Y instead of the usual Mac shortcut. Knowing these differences saves time when the shortcut you normally use suddenly does nothing.
What Is the Redo Shortcut Key?
Redo reverses your most recent Undo. If you press Ctrl+Z and remove text, formatting, an image, or another change by mistake, Redo brings that change back without making you recreate it.
The two most common redo shortcuts are:
- Windows: Ctrl + Y
- Mac: Shift + Command + Z
These shortcuts are widely supported, but they are not universal. Each application can set its own keyboard shortcuts, which is why Ctrl+Y works in Microsoft Word while Google Docs expects Ctrl+Shift+Z.
What Is Ctrl+Y?
Ctrl+Y is the standard Windows key combination for redo. Microsoft describes it as the shortcut to “redo typing that was undone with Ctrl+Z.” In Microsoft Office apps, Ctrl+Y can also repeat your last action. For example, if you just applied bold to one word, Ctrl+Y can apply bold to the next word you select.
Redo and Undo Shortcuts: Quick Reference Table
Here are the main redo and undo keys for every platform and popular app in one place.
| Platform or App | Undo | Redo |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (general) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y |
| Mac (general) | Command + Z | Shift + Command + Z |
| Chromebook | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Shift + Z |
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint (Windows) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y or F4 |
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint (Mac) | Command + Z | Command + Y |
| Google Docs (Windows, ChromeOS) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Shift + Z |
| Google Docs (Mac) | Command + Z | Command + Shift + Z |
| Google Sheets (PC) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y, Ctrl + Shift + Z, or F4 |
| Google Sheets (Mac) | Command + Z | Command + Y, Command + Shift + Z, or Fn + F4 |
| Adobe Photoshop (Windows) | Ctrl + Z | Shift + Ctrl + Z |
| Adobe Photoshop (Mac) | Command + Z | Shift + Command + Z |
| VS Code and Cursor (Windows, Linux) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y or Ctrl + Shift + Z |
| VS Code and Cursor (Mac) | Command + Z | Shift + Command + Z |
| Canva (Windows) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y |
| Canva (Mac) | Command + Z | Command + Y |
| LibreOffice | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y |
| GNOME and KDE apps (Linux) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Shift + Z |
| JetBrains IDEs (Windows, Linux) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Shift + Z |
| Vim | u | Ctrl + R |
| Nano | Alt + U | Alt + E |
The key point: an application’s own shortcuts can differ from the general shortcut used by the operating system.
Redo Shortcut on Windows
The standard redo hotkey on Windows is Ctrl+Y. Microsoft’s official Windows keyboard shortcuts list Ctrl+Y for redoing typing that was undone with Ctrl+Z.
To use it, first undo an action with Ctrl+Z. If you want the change back, hold Ctrl and press Y. Press it again to move forward through more undone steps, if the app saved them.
Ctrl+Y vs Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows
Many Microsoft apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, use Ctrl+Y. So do Canva and LibreOffice. Other Windows programs, such as Google Docs in your browser and Adobe Photoshop, use Ctrl+Shift+Z instead.
Some apps accept both. VS Code uses Ctrl+Y as its main redo key on Windows but also accepts Ctrl+Shift+Z, and Google Sheets accepts Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z, and F4.
When Ctrl+Y Does Something Else
In some apps, Ctrl+Y is assigned to a completely different command, so pressing it to redo can cause a surprise:
- Adobe Illustrator: Ctrl+Y (Command+Y on Mac) can switch your artwork to Outline view, which hides colors and fills. Press it again to switch back.
- Google Chrome on Mac: Command+Y opens your browsing History. On Windows, Chrome uses Ctrl+H for History instead.
If Ctrl+Y gives you an unexpected result, press it again to reverse it, then use the app’s Edit menu to find the right redo command.
Redo Shortcut on Mac
The standard Mac redo shortcut is Shift+Command+Z.
Mac users press Command+Z to undo and then Shift+Command+Z to reverse that undo. Apple’s official Mac keyboard shortcuts confirm this pair and note that some apps let you undo and redo multiple commands.
The pattern is easy to remember:
Undo: Command+Z → Redo: Shift+Command+Z
Microsoft Office for Mac Uses Command+Y
This is the most common Mac surprise. In Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac, Microsoft lists Command+Y for redo, not Shift+Command+Z. If the usual Mac shortcut doesn’t work in Office, try Command+Y. Canva follows the same pattern and uses Command+Y on Mac.
Redo From the Mac Edit Menu
You can always redo without a shortcut. Click Edit in the menu bar at the top of the screen and choose Redo. In many Apple apps, the menu item names the action, such as “Redo Typing,” so you can see exactly what will come back before you click it.
Redo Shortcut on Chromebook
Chromebooks use Ctrl+Shift+Z to redo and Ctrl+Z to undo. Google lists these in its official Chromebook shortcuts.
This matters if you switch between Word on Windows and Google Docs on ChromeOS. If you’re used to Ctrl+Y, you may press it out of habit and wonder why nothing happens.
Pro tip: Press Ctrl+Search+S on a Chromebook to see every keyboard shortcut available.
Redo Shortcut on Linux
Linux has no single redo key combination that every app must follow. The right key combination depends on the app and the toolkit it was built with.
GNOME vs KDE
Both major Linux desktops use the same standard:
| Desktop Environment | Undo | Redo |
|---|---|---|
| GNOME apps (such as GNOME Text Editor) | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Shift + Z |
| KDE apps | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Shift + Z |
KDE’s own standard shortcut list sets Redo to Ctrl+Shift+Z, and GNOME Text Editor’s help pages list the same combination.
Popular Linux Apps
- LibreOffice: Redo is Ctrl+Y, and the Redo icon on the toolbar has a dropdown that lets you pick how many steps to redo.
- VS Code: Redo is Ctrl+Y, with Ctrl+Shift+Z as a backup.
- JetBrains IDEs (such as IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm): Redo is Ctrl+Shift+Z in the default keymap.
Terminal Editors: Vim and Nano
Terminal editors use their own keys:
- Vim: Press u to undo and Ctrl+R to redo. Vim’s help describes Ctrl+R as redoing changes that were undone.
- Nano: Press Alt+U to undo and Alt+E to redo. If your terminal captures the Alt key, press Esc and then the letter instead.
Redo Shortcut in Popular Apps
Microsoft Word
In Word for Windows, use Ctrl+Y to redo. F4 also repeats your last command or action when possible, although some keyboards require you to hold Fn or turn on F-Lock for F4 to work.
Word keeps a history of your recent actions, so you can undo several edits in a row and redo them in sequence. By default, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint keep up to 100 undoable actions, according to Microsoft’s undo, redo, and repeat guide. Microsoft also notes that the Redo button appears only after you have undone something.
On a Mac, use Command+Y.
Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
The Excel redo hotkey is also Ctrl+Y on Windows, and the same goes for PowerPoint. Microsoft describes Ctrl+Y in Excel as repeating the last command or action, if possible, which is why it sometimes seems to behave differently depending on what you did last.
F4 works in Excel too, with one twist. When you are editing a formula and a cell reference is selected, F4 cycles that reference through absolute and relative versions, such as A1, $A$1, A$1, and $A1, instead of redoing.
Not every Excel action can be undone or redone. Saving a file, for example, cannot be undone.
Google Docs
Google Docs uses:
- Windows and ChromeOS: Ctrl + Shift + Z
- Mac: Command + Shift + Z
This is the most common exception to the Windows Ctrl+Y habit. Google’s official Docs shortcut list shows Ctrl+Shift+Z for redo on both Windows and ChromeOS. The Undo and Redo arrows also appear on the Docs toolbar.
Google Sheets
Google Sheets is more flexible than Docs. On a PC, Google lists three redo shortcuts: Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z, and F4. On a Mac, you can use Command+Y, Command+Shift+Z, or Fn+F4.
That means you can redo in Sheets whichever habit you bring from Word or Docs.
Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop uses:
- Windows: Shift + Ctrl + Z
- Mac: Shift + Command + Z
Ctrl+Z (Command+Z on Mac) undoes one step at a time, and adding Shift moves forward again. For bigger jumps, open the History panel and click any earlier state to go straight back to it.
If Ctrl+Z only toggles between two states in your copy of Photoshop, the older undo behavior may be turned on. Check Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts for the “Use Legacy Undo Shortcuts” option.
In Illustrator, use Edit > Undo and Edit > Redo if you’re unsure of the shortcut, and avoid Ctrl+Y, which can switch your view to Outline mode.
VS Code and Cursor
Visual Studio Code uses:
| Platform | Undo | Redo |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y (or Ctrl + Shift + Z) |
| Linux | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y (or Ctrl + Shift + Z) |
| Mac | Command + Z | Shift + Command + Z |
Cursor, the AI code editor, shares the same default shortcuts as VS Code, so the same keys work there.
You can reassign redo in either editor by opening Keyboard Shortcuts from the settings menu and searching for “redo.”
Canva
Canva uses Ctrl+Z to undo and Ctrl+Y to redo on Windows, and Command+Z and Command+Y on Mac. The Undo and Redo buttons also sit in the editor toolbar, next to the Resize option.
Figma
Figma lists all of its shortcuts in a built-in panel. Press Ctrl+Shift+? on Windows or Control+Shift+? on Mac, or open Help and resources in the bottom-right corner and choose Keyboard shortcuts, then look for Redo.
Undo Shortcut Key: How to Undo on Any Device
Redo only works after an undo, so it helps to know the undo shortcut everywhere too. Undo is far more consistent than redo.
How to Undo on Windows, a Laptop, or a PC
The undo shortcut on Windows is Ctrl+Z. Microsoft describes it as the shortcut to “undo the last typing.” It works the same on any Windows laptop or desktop PC, and in almost every Windows app.
Press Ctrl+Z repeatedly to undo several steps in a row, as long as the app saved them.
How to Undo on a Mac
The undo shortcut on Mac is Command+Z. Apple describes it as the command to “undo the previous command.” It works in Apple apps, Microsoft Office for Mac, Google Docs in a browser, Photoshop, and most other Mac software.
Undo in Popular Apps
| App | Undo Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint | Ctrl + Z (Command + Z on Mac) |
| Google Docs and Sheets | Ctrl + Z (Command + Z on Mac) |
| Chromebook | Ctrl + Z |
| Photoshop | Ctrl + Z (Command + Z on Mac) |
| VS Code and Cursor | Ctrl + Z (Command + Z on Mac) |
| Vim | u |
| Nano | Alt + U |
Undo vs Redo
Undo and redo work as a pair, but they move in opposite directions.
| Undo | Redo | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Reverses your last action | Restores an action you just undid |
| Windows | Ctrl + Z | Ctrl + Y (or Ctrl + Shift + Z) |
| Mac | Command + Z | Shift + Command + Z |
| Available when | You have made a change | You have just undone a change |
Imagine you delete a paragraph and realize you still need it. Ctrl+Z brings it back. If you then decide the deletion was right after all, Redo reapplies it.
How to Redo and Undo on iPhone and Android
Phones don’t have Ctrl keys, so undo and redo work differently.
On iPhone:
- Shake to Undo: In many apps, shaking your iPhone shows an Undo prompt. You can turn this on or off in your iPhone’s touch accessibility settings.
- App buttons: In Apple apps such as Pages, tap the Undo button. To redo, touch and hold the Undo button, then tap Redo.
On Android:
Android has no system-wide undo gesture, so it depends on the app. In Google Docs for Android, the Undo and Redo buttons sit at the top of the screen while you edit.
What Does the Redo Button Look Like?
The redo button is usually a curved arrow pointing to the right, placed next to the undo button, which curves to the left.
- Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint: The buttons are on the Quick Access Toolbar. The redo arrow appears only after you undo something.
- Google Docs and Sheets: The undo and redo arrows sit on the toolbar above your document.
- Canva: The buttons appear in the editor toolbar next to Resize.
- LibreOffice: The redo icon has a small dropdown for redoing several steps at once.
The button is the easiest option when you can’t remember whether an app uses Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z.
Ctrl+Y vs Ctrl+Shift+Z: What’s the Difference?
Both are redo shortcuts. The difference is which apps use them.
| Shortcut | Common in |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Y | Windows, Microsoft Office, Canva, LibreOffice, VS Code |
| Ctrl + Shift + Z | Google Docs, Photoshop, Chromebook, GNOME and KDE apps, JetBrains IDEs |
| Both | Google Sheets, VS Code |
Neither one is wrong. Ctrl+Shift+Z mirrors the undo shortcut by simply adding Shift, which makes it easy to remember. Ctrl+Y remains standard across Microsoft’s own apps. The app you are using decides which one works.
Can You Redo Multiple Actions?
Yes, in most apps. Undo several edits with Ctrl+Z, then press the redo keys again and again. Each press restores one step, in order.
The number of steps depends on the app. Microsoft Office keeps up to 100 undoable actions by default, while LibreOffice lets you choose several steps at once from the Redo dropdown.
Redo history doesn’t last forever. If you make a new edit after undoing, many apps clear the redo history, and those undone steps can no longer be restored.
Redo Shortcut Not Working? Fixes
If Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z does nothing, the keyboard is rarely the problem. Here are the usual causes.
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| The app uses a different redo shortcut | Try the other one: Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z |
| Nothing has been undone yet | Redo only works after Undo. Press Ctrl+Z first. |
| You made a new edit after undoing | The redo history was cleared. Redo is no longer possible. |
| Office for Mac ignores Shift+Command+Z | Use Command+Y |
| The shortcut was customized | Check the app’s keyboard shortcut settings |
| Ctrl+Y triggers another command | Use Edit > Redo or the redo button |
| F4 does nothing | Hold Fn or turn on F-Lock |
| A different keyboard layout or language | Check your keyboard settings |
You are using the wrong shortcut. This is the most common cause. Ctrl+Y works in Word, but Google Docs expects Ctrl+Shift+Z. Check the Edit menu, which usually shows the shortcut next to the Redo command.
There is nothing to redo. Redo only becomes available after you undo something. In Office, the Redo button doesn’t even appear until then.
The redo history is gone. Making a new change after undoing, or closing the file, can clear the history in many apps.
The shortcut was changed. Apps like VS Code, Photoshop, and JetBrains IDEs let you reassign shortcuts. If redo used to work and suddenly stopped, check the shortcut settings.
Your keyboard layout is different. Shortcuts can shift with keyboard layouts, languages, and hardware, especially when you switch between Windows and Mac keyboards.
When in doubt, the menu option always works.
Final Thoughts
The redo shortcut depends on your operating system and, even more, on the app you are using. Ctrl+Y is the standard on Windows and in Microsoft Office, Shift+Command+Z is the standard on Mac, and Ctrl+Shift+Z covers Google Docs, Photoshop, Chromebooks, and most Linux apps. Office for Mac and Canva break the pattern with Command+Y.
The simplest rule: use Ctrl+Z and Command+Z to undo everywhere, try Ctrl+Y or Shift+Command+Z to redo, and switch to the other combination or the Edit menu if nothing happens.
Small shortcuts like these add up over a full day of work. If you want more of them, our guide to address bar shortcuts covers the ones that speed up browsing. And when the repetitive work goes beyond a few keystrokes, automating repetitive work can save far more time.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the redo shortcut key?
Ctrl+Y is the standard redo shortcut on Windows, and Shift+Command+Z is the standard on Mac. Some apps, including Google Docs and Photoshop, use Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows instead.
2. What is the opposite of Ctrl+Z?
The opposite of Ctrl+Z (Undo) is Redo. On Windows, that is usually Ctrl+Y, although some apps use Ctrl+Shift+Z. On Mac, the opposite of Command+Z is Shift+Command+Z.
3. What does Ctrl+Y do?
Ctrl+Y redoes an action you just undid with Ctrl+Z. In Microsoft Office, it can also repeat your last action. In a few apps, such as Adobe Illustrator, it is assigned to a different command.
4. Is redo Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z?
Both can be correct. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Canva, and LibreOffice use Ctrl+Y, while Google Docs, Photoshop, and Chromebooks use Ctrl+Shift+Z. Google Sheets and VS Code accept both.
5. What is the redo shortcut on Mac?
The standard Mac redo shortcut is Shift+Command+Z. Microsoft Office for Mac and Canva use Command+Y instead.
6. Why doesn’t Shift+Command+Z work in Word for Mac?
Microsoft lists Command+Y as the redo shortcut in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac. Use Command+Y, or choose Edit > Redo.
7. What is the undo shortcut?
The undo shortcut is Ctrl+Z on Windows and Chromebook, and Command+Z on Mac. It works in almost every app.
8. How do I undo on a laptop?
Press Ctrl+Z on a Windows laptop or Chromebook, or Command+Z on a MacBook. Press it again to undo more steps.
9. How do I redo in VS Code?
Press Ctrl+Y (or Ctrl+Shift+Z) on Windows and Linux, or Shift+Command+Z on Mac. The same keys work in Cursor.
10. How do I redo on a Chromebook?
Press Ctrl+Shift+Z. To see every Chromebook shortcut, press Ctrl+Search+S.
11. How do I redo in Vim?
Press Ctrl+R in normal mode. Press u to undo.
12. Why is Ctrl+Y not working?
The app may use Ctrl+Shift+Z instead, there may be nothing to redo yet, you may have made a new edit after undoing, or the shortcut may have been changed. Check the app’s Edit menu to confirm the right command.
