SQL Server Management Studio Cheat Sheet

How much time are you losing to your mouse?

Writing SQL isn’t just about knowing the syntax; it’s about the flow. If you’re constantly clicking through menus, you’re breaking your mental model of the data. Here is my ultimate SSMS Shortcut Cheat Sheet: Everything you need to know.

Code Editor

Action	Shortcut
Toggle the full-screen display	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `ENTER`
Scroll text up one line	`CTRL` + `UP ARROW`
Scroll text down one line	`CTRL` + `DOWN ARROW`
Reverse the last editing action	`CTRL` + `Z`
Restore the previously undone edit	`CTRL` + `Y` / `ALT` + `SHIFT` + `BACKSPACE`
Save the selected item	`CTRL` + `S`
Save all	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `S`
Close	`CTRL` + `F4`
Print	`CTRL` + `P`
Exit	`ALT` + `F4`
Delete all text in the current file	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `DEL`
Display the “Go To Line” dialog box	`CTRL` + `G`
Increase line indent	`TAB`
Decrease line indent	`SHIFT` + `TAB`
Make the selected text upper case	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `U`
Make the selected text lower case	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `L`
Make the selected text a comment	`CTRL` + `K`, `CTRL` + `C`
Uncomment the selected text	`CTRL` + `K`, `CTRL` + `U`
Open a new query with current connection	`CTRL` + `N`
Open server in Object Explorer	`ALT` + `F8`
Specify values for template parameters	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `M`
Execute the selected portion of the query editor or everything	`F5` or `CTRL` + `E` or `ALT` + `X`
Parse the selected portion of the query editor or everything	`CTRL` + `F5`
Display the estimated execution plan	`CTRL` + `L`
Cancel the executing query	`ALT` + `BREAK`
Output results in a grid	`CTRL` + `D`
Output results in text format	`CTRL` + `T`
Output results to a file	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `F`
Toggle between query and result pane	`CTRL` + `R`
Auto hide all	`F6`
Windows	`ALT` + `ENTER`
Move to the next active window in Management Studio	`CTRL` + `W`
Include actual execution plan in the query output	`CTRL` + `F6`
Zoom in/out text in query editor	`CTRL` + `MOUSE SCROLL WHEEL`
Column mode edit in query editor	`ALT` + `DRAG MOUSE`
Insert code snippet	`CTRL` + `K`, `CTRL` + `X`
Surround code with snippet	`CTRL` + `K`, `CTRL` + `S`
Open a new query with current connection and using template	Drag template into Query Editor or Double Click on template
Find text	`CTRL` + `F`
Find next	`F3`
Find previous	`SHIFT` + `F3`
Incremental search	`CTRL` + `I`
Back search	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `I`
Find and replace	`CTRL` + `H`

Menu Activation

Action	Shortcut
Move the SQL Server Management Studio menu bar	`ALT`
Activate the menu for a tool component	`ALT` + `-`
Display the context menu	`SHIFT` + `F10`
Display the New Project dialog box to create a new project	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `N`
Display the Open File dialog box to open an existing file	`CTRL` + `O`
Display the Open Project dialog box to open an existing project	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `O`
Display the Add New Item dialog box to add new file to the current project	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `A`
Display the Add Existing Item dialog box to add an existing file to the current project	`ALT` + `SHIFT` + `A`
Display the Query Designer	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `Q`
Close a menu or dialog box, canceling the action	`ESC`

Cursor Movement

Action	Shortcut
Move the cursor left, right, up, down	`Left` / `Right` / `Up` / `Down Arrow`
Move the cursor to the beginning of the line	`HOME`
Move the cursor to the end of the line	`END`
Move the cursor to the beginning of the document	`CTRL` + `HOME`
Move the cursor to the end of the document	`CTRL` + `END`
Move the cursor up one screen	`PAGE UP`
Move the cursor down one screen	`PAGE DOWN`
Moves the cursor one word to the right	`CTRL` + `RIGHT ARROW`
Moves the cursor one word to the left	`CTRL` + `LEFT ARROW`

Windows Management & Toolbars

Action	Shortcut
Close the current MDI child window	`CTRL` + `F4`
Print	`CTRL` + `P`
Exit	`ALT` + `F4`
Toggle full screen mode	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `ENTER`
Close the current tool window	`SHIFT` + `ESC`
Cycle through the next MDI child windows	`CTRL` + `TAB`
Cycle through the previous MDI child windows	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `TAB`
Move to the current tool window toolbar	`SHIFT` + `ALT`
Move to the next tool window	`ALT` + `F6`
Move to the previously selected window	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `F6`
Display Object Explorer	`F8`
Display Registered Servers	`CTRL` + `ALT` + `G`
Display Template Explorer	`CTRL` + `ALT` + `T`
Display Solution Explorer	`CTRL` + `ALT` + `L`
Display Object Explorer Details	`F7`
Display the Properties Window	`F4`
Display the Toolbox	`CTRL` + `ALT` + `X`
Display the Bookmarks Window	`CTRL` + `K`, `CTRL` + `W`
Display the Browser Window	`CTRL` + `ALT` + `R`

Text Selection

Action	Shortcut
Select text from the cursor to the beginning of the document	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `HOME`
Select text from the cursor to the end of the document	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `END`
Select text from the cursor to the start of the current line	`SHIFT` + `HOME`
Select text from the cursor to the end of the current line	`SHIFT` + `END`
Select text down line by line starting from the cursor	`SHIFT` + `DOWN ARROW`
Select text from the cursor to the end of the document	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `END`
Select text up line by line starting from the cursor	`SHIFT` + `UP ARROW`
Move the cursor up one line, extending the selection	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `UP ARROW`
Extend selection up one page	`SHIFT` + `PAGE UP`
Extend selection down one page	`SHIFT` + `PAGE DOWN`
Select the entire current document	`CTRL` + `A`
Select the word containing the cursor, or the closest word	`CTRL` + `W`
Select the current location in the editor, back to the previous location in the editor	`CTRL` + `=`
Extend the selection to the top of the current window	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `PAGE UP`
Move the cursor to the last line in view, extending the selection	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `PAGE DOWN`
Extend the selection one word to the right	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `RIGHT ARROW`
Extend the selection one word to the left	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `LEFT ARROW`
Move the cursor to the right one word, extending the selection	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `ALT` + `RIGHT ARROW`
Move the cursor to the left one word, extending the selection	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `ALT` + `LEFT ARROW`
Column mode selection in query editor	`ALT` + `DRAG MOUSE`

Text Manipulation

Action	Shortcut
Insert a new line	`ENTER` or `SHIFT` + `ENTER`
Swap the characters on either side of the cursor	`CTRL` + `T`
Delete one character to the right of the cursor	`DELETE`
Delete one character to the left of the cursor	`SHIFT` + `BACKSPACE`
Insert the number of spaces configured for the editor	`TAB`
Insert a blank line above the cursor	`CTRL` + `ENTER`
Insert a blank line below the cursor	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `ENTER`
Change the selected text to lowercase	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `L`
Change the selected text to uppercase	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `U`
Toggle between insertion mode and overtype mode	`INSERT`
Move selected lines to the left on tab stop	`SHIFT` + `TAB`
Delete the word to the right of the cursor	`CTRL` + `DELETE`
Delete the word to the left of the cursor	`CTRL` + `BACKSPACE`
Transpose the words on either side of the cursor	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `T`

Management Studio Configuration

Action	Configuration Steps
Hide status bar	From the Tools menu > Options > Environment > General and click on the checkbox “Show status bar”
Setup query shortcuts	From the Tools menu > Options > Environment > Keyboard > Query Shortcuts. Custom setup example: `Ctrl+F1` = `sp_columns` `Ctrl+3` = `sp_helptext` `Ctrl+4` = `sp_spaceused` `Ctrl+5` = `sp_helptrigger` `Ctrl+6` = `sp_helpindex`
Add line numbers to your query editor	From the Tools menu > Options > Text Editor > All Languages and click on checkbox “Line numbers” under Display.
Display information on query tabs and status bar	From the Tools menu > Options > Text Editor > Editor Tab and Status Bar. Options include: Colorize status bar, display database/server/login/file name, display execution time.
Open new query windows in SQLCMD mode by default	From the Tools menu > Options > Query Execution and click on checkbox “By default, open new queries in SQLCMD mode”
Avoid missing data by increasing number of characters displayed in each column	From the Tools menu > Options > Query Results > SQL Server > Results to Text and change the value for “Maximum number of characters displayed in each column” to `8192`.
Change the number of rows returned when right clicking on a table or view in Object Explorer	From the Tools menu > Options > SQL Server Object Explorer > Commands and change the value under “Table and View Options” to your desired amount.
Create a template folder	Available via the Template Explorer options menu.

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