Redoing an action in Windows is just as simple as undoing one, but the specific keys can change depending on which app you are using. Whether you accidentally undid a brilliant sentence in Word or need to restore a deleted file in File Explorer, here is everything you need to know about the redo keyboard shortcut for Windows. The primary redo shortcut for Windows is Ctrl + Y.
While Ctrl + Y is the system standard for Windows, some applications handle this differently:
: Widely used in cross-platform or creative software such as Adobe Photoshop , Visual Studio Code , and modern web applications. redo keyboard shortcut windows
: Commonly used in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to repeat the last action, which often functions similarly to a redo.
Redo is designed to reverse an "Undo" action. The shortcut for Undo is the standard starting point: Redoing an action in Windows is just as
Mastering these shortcuts is a hallmark of a "power user." By keeping your hands on the home row of the keyboard instead of reaching for the mouse to find the "Edit" menu, you save seconds on every task. Over the course of a workday, those seconds add up to significant time saved and a much smoother creative flow. Try Ctrl + Y first. If that fails, try Ctrl + Shift + Z. Remember that redo only works immediately after an undo.
Web browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox generally prefer Ctrl + Y for redoing text entries or form selections. If you are working in specialized environments like VS Code or other text editors, you may find that Ctrl + Shift + Z is the more reliable option. While Ctrl + Y is the system standard
If Ctrl + Y doesn't work in an application, try Ctrl + Shift + Z . If neither works, check the menu—it will show the correct Redo shortcut next to the Redo command.
The universal keyboard shortcut for in Windows is:
Use Ctrl + Y in Office to repeat your last formatting change.
To use the redo shortcut effectively, you must first perform an "Undo" action using Ctrl + Z. Once an action has been reversed, pressing the redo keys will "undo the undo," bringing your work back to its previous state.