Office Settings & Configuration

How to Collapse Object Groups in Word Selection Pane (MS 365)

WPS Content Manager Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users are unable to use previously documented keyboard shortcuts to collapse or expand object groups in the Microsoft Word Selection Pane.

How to Collapse Object Groups in the Word Selection Pane

Product: Microsoft Word 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to efficiently collapse and expand multiple object groups within a complex document using keyboard shortcuts.
Observed behavior: The Alt+Shift+1 and Alt+Shift+9 shortcuts no longer work in current Microsoft 365 versions, as Microsoft has removed support and documentation for these commands.

Before you start

Verify your current version of Microsoft 365, as recent updates have deprecated certain legacy keyboard shortcuts used in the Selection Pane.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Manual Selection Pane Controls

Since the keyboard shortcuts are no longer supported by Microsoft, you must use the built-in mouse controls within the Selection Pane to manage object groups.

Microsoft has removed the instructions for the Alt+Shift+1 and Alt+Shift+9 shortcuts from its official support page, confirming they are no longer functional in the latest Microsoft 365 updates.

Open the Selection Pane

Navigate to the 'Layout' or 'Page Layout' tab on the top ribbon and click on 'Selection Pane' in the Arrange group.

Locate the Object Group

In the Selection Pane that opens on the right side of the screen, find the specific object group you want to manage.

Expand or Collapse Manually

Click the small arrow or triangle icon located next to the group name to manually expand or collapse the nested objects inside it.

Feature Limitation: There is currently no native 'collapse all' button in the Word Selection Pane, so each group must be collapsed individually using the mouse.

Solution 2

Submit Feedback for the Missing Shortcuts

Report the missing shortcut functionality to Microsoft to request its reinstatement in future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Alt+Shift+1 stop working in Word?

Microsoft silently removed support for the Alt+Shift+1 and Alt+Shift+9 shortcuts in recent Microsoft 365 updates and subsequently deleted the documentation from their official support pages.

Can I restore the old Selection Pane shortcuts?

Currently, there is no built-in way or registry tweak to restore these specific default shortcuts for expanding or collapsing all groups in Microsoft 365.

Where is the Selection Pane located in Word?

You can open the Selection Pane by navigating to the Layout tab and clicking 'Selection Pane' in the Arrange group, or by selecting any image or shape and choosing 'Selection Pane' from the Shape Format tab.

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