Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change the Right-Click Shortcut in Microsoft Word

Rana Garcia Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to assign a custom keyboard shortcut, such as Ctrl+/, to open the right-click context menu instead of using the default shortcut.

How to Change the Right-Click Context Menu Shortcut in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Customizing keyboard shortcuts to optimize workflow and make accessing the right-click context menu more comfortable.
Observed behavior: The default context menu shortcut (Shift+F10) is a global Windows command and does not appear in Word’s Customize Ribbon or built-in keyboard shortcut settings, preventing direct customization.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges on your computer, as safely remapping global Windows keyboard shortcuts requires installing a reliable third-party scripting tool.

Solution 1Recommended

Use AutoHotkey to Remap the Context Menu Shortcut

Use a system-wide remapping tool like AutoHotkey to intercept your desired shortcut combination and execute the default Shift+F10 command.

Because the right-click context menu is controlled by the Windows operating system rather than Microsoft Word, it cannot be altered through Word's built-in Customize Keyboard options. A third-party automation tool like AutoHotkey is required to bridge this gap.

Download AutoHotkey

Visit the official AutoHotkey website to download and install the latest stable version of the software on your Windows computer.

Create a new script

Right-click on an empty space on your desktop, select 'New', and then choose 'AutoHotkey Script'. Give the file a recognizable name, such as 'WordContextMenu'.

Edit the script

Right-click the newly created script file and select 'Edit Script'. This will open the file in Notepad.

Add the shortcut mapping

To map Ctrl+/ to the context menu, type the following line at the bottom of the document: ^/::Send +{F10}. Save the file and close Notepad.

Run the script

Double-click the script file to activate it. An AutoHotkey icon will appear in your system tray. You can now press Ctrl+/ in Microsoft Word to open the right-click context menu.

Use AutoHotkey to Remap the Context Menu Shortcut

Application-Specific Mapping: By default, this script works across all Windows applications. To limit this shortcut strictly to Microsoft Word, you can add an #IfWinActive directive targeting Word's executable name (WINWORD.EXE) at the top of your script.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Seamless and Lightweight Document Experience

If you are looking for an intuitive alternative to Microsoft Office, WPS Office offers a powerful, lightweight, and completely free solution for creating and editing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for Windows.
2. Install the software: Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to set up WPS Office on your computer.
3. Open your Word documents: Launch WPS Writer and seamlessly open, edit, and save your existing .docx files.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) and other Office formats.Lightweight design ensuring fast startup times and minimal system resource usage.Familiar tabbed user interface, reducing the learning curve for new users.Supports extensive customizable keyboard shortcuts for an optimized workflow.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't the context menu shortcut in Word's Customize Keyboard menu?

The Shift+F10 command is fundamentally a global Windows shortcut meant to trigger the context menu across the entire operating system. Because it is not an exclusive Microsoft Word function, it is excluded from Word's internal shortcut modification list.

Can I remap the context menu shortcut without downloading third-party software?

No, Windows does not natively provide a user-friendly interface to remap fundamental system shortcuts like Shift+F10. You must use specialized tools such as AutoHotkey or Microsoft PowerToys to achieve this.

How do I stop or pause the custom AutoHotkey script?

Look for the green 'H' icon in your Windows system tray (near the clock). Right-click it and select 'Suspend Hotkeys' to temporarily pause the shortcut, or choose 'Exit' to close the script entirely.

Will changing this shortcut affect my context menu in Excel and PowerPoint?

Yes, unless you specifically configure your AutoHotkey script to only trigger when Microsoft Word is the active window. A basic script without application restrictions will apply the new shortcut to Excel, PowerPoint, and all other Windows applications.

Office App Problems