How to Undo on a Keyboard

Press Ctrl + Z to undo on a Windows or Chromebook keyboard, or Command + Z on a Mac.

This guide puts the undo and redo keys for every platform in one table, then covers undoing file deletes, the limits in Word and Excel, iPhone gestures, laptop Fn keys and fixes when undo stops working.

The fastest way to undo something on a keyboard

Undo reverses your most recent action, whether that was typing, a Backspace, a paste or a file delete.

1. Stay in the window where the mistake happened. Undo only affects the active app.
2. Hold Ctrl (Windows, Chromebook, Linux) or Command (Mac).
3. Press Z once to undo the last action.
4. Press Z again, still holding the modifier, to step back through earlier actions.
5. If you went one step too far, redo it with Ctrl + Y on Windows or Shift + Command + Z on a Mac.

Undo and redo shortcuts on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and Linux

Undo keeps a list of recent actions in the app you are using. Each press of the undo key takes one item off that list, and redo puts it back.

The undo key is the same in almost every app on a platform. Redo is the one that varies, so check the last column before assuming it failed.

Platform	Undo	Redo (undo an undo)	Notes
Windows 11 and Windows 10	Ctrl + Z	Ctrl + Y	Works for typing and for desktop and File Explorer actions. Some apps, such as Google Docs, use Ctrl + Shift + Z for redo.
macOS	Command + Z	Shift + Command + Z	In some apps you can undo and redo several commands in a row. Word and Excel for Mac use Command + Y to redo.
ChromeOS (Chromebook)	Ctrl + Z	Ctrl + Shift + Z	Same keys in Google Docs on a Chromebook.
Linux (GNOME desktop)	Ctrl + Z	Varies by app	Undo is listed among the common GNOME editing shortcuts.
Microsoft Office on Windows	Ctrl + Z	Ctrl + Y or F4	F4 also repeats simple actions such as a paste.

How to undo a deleted or moved file

In File Explorer, Ctrl + Z undoes the previous action, so a delete or move you just made can be reversed straight away. Press it before you do anything else in the window.

What happened	What to do	Why
You just deleted or moved a file in File Explorer	Click the File Explorer window and press Ctrl + Z	Windows reverses the last file action
You deleted a file earlier with Delete or Ctrl + D	Open the Recycle Bin and restore the file from there	Ctrl + D and Delete move items to the Recycle Bin rather than erasing them
You used Shift + Delete	Check your backup, or a OneDrive or File History copy	Shift + Delete skips the Recycle Bin and deletes permanently
The file is gone from the Recycle Bin and you have no backup	Stop using the drive and try Microsoft's Windows File Recovery app from the Microsoft Store	New files can overwrite the space the deleted file still occupies
You moved a file to the Trash on a Mac	Click Trash in the Dock, select the item, then choose File > Put Back	The item returns to its original folder

Undo features in popular applications: Word, Excel, Google Docs and Photoshop

Office apps keep the last 100 undoable actions by default. For Excel, Microsoft documents a registry change that raises the limit.

App	Undo and redo keys	What to know
Microsoft Word	Ctrl + Z to undo, Ctrl + Y to redo, F4 to repeat the last action	Select the arrow next to Undo to pick several actions from the list and undo them together
Microsoft Excel	Ctrl + Z to undo, Ctrl + Y or F4 to redo; Command + Z and Command + Y on a Mac	Running a macro clears the undo list. Repeat is not on the Quick Access Toolbar until you add it
Excel with more than 100 undo steps	Close Office, open Registry Editor, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\Options, create a DWORD named UndoHistory, set a decimal value, then restart Excel	Microsoft advises moderation: more undo levels use more RAM
Google Docs	Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Shift + Z on Windows and Chromebook; Command + Z and Command + Shift + Z on a Mac	To go back further than undo reaches, click Last edit at the top right and choose Restore this version
Adobe Photoshop	Check Adobe's own shortcut list for your version	Adobe documents its undo, redo and history options on its undo and redo help page

How to undo without Ctrl + Z: menus, toolbars and phone gestures

Use these when a key is broken, you are on a touchscreen, or you need to undo more than one step at once. Application-specific tools, such as the Office undo list, reach further than a single key press.

Your situation	Use this	Result
Working in Word, Excel or PowerPoint with the mouse	Select Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar in the upper-left corner	Same as Ctrl + Z
Undoing many Office steps at once	Select the arrow next to Undo and choose how far back to go	Every action down to your selection is undone
Using a right-click menu in a text box	Look for Undo in the menu; not every app includes it	Undoes the last typing in that field
Typing on an iPhone	Swipe left with three fingers, or shake the iPhone to use Shake to Undo	Undoes the last text edit
A Microsoft keyboard with an F Lock key	Turn the F Lock light off, then press the key labelled Undo	The alternate command cancels the previous action
A reopened page, not text, is what you need	Press Ctrl + Shift + T (Command + Shift + T in Chrome on a Mac)	The browser reopens the last closed tab; Ctrl + Z does not do this

Laptop keyboards: when Fn or F Lock changes what the keys do

Ctrl + Z and Command + Z never need Fn. Only the redo and repeat key F4 sits on the shared top row, where laptops often assign media or brightness controls.

Your keyboard	What to do	Why
Windows laptop where F4 changes volume or brightness instead of repeating	Hold Fn and press F4, or use Ctrl + Y instead	Fn switches the top row to standard function keys
Keyboard with an F Lock key	Turn F Lock on for F1 to F12, off for alternate commands such as Undo	F Lock toggles between the two command sets
Surface keyboard or Type Cover	Press Fn once to lock the function keys; press it again so the light turns off to unlock	The LED shows the current state
MacBook or Apple keyboard	Hold Fn or the Globe key with a top-row key to use it as F1, F2 and so on	Top-row keys default to special functions
Chromebook	Use Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Shift + Z	Neither shortcut uses the top row

How to check that undo and redo work

A 30-second test in any text box shows whether the keys, not the app, are the problem.

1. Open a blank document or any text field and type a short word.
2. Press Backspace twice to delete two letters.
3. Press Ctrl + Z (Command + Z on a Mac). The letters should come back.
4. Press your platform's redo key from the table above. The letters should disappear again.
5. If the letters return in one app but not another, the keyboard is fine and the app is limiting undo.

Fix undo when the shortcut does nothing

Ctrl + Z does nothing in any app

The Ctrl or Z key is not registering, or a driver or background program is interfering.

1. Check the shortcut: press the right-hand Ctrl key with Z in case the left one has failed.
2. Test the keyboard: go to Start > Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on On-Screen Keyboard (Ease of Access > Keyboard on Windows 10). Click Ctrl, then Z.
3. If the on-screen keys work, right-click Start, select Device Manager, expand the keyboard category, right-click your keyboard and select Update driver.
4. If that fails, select Uninstall device, confirm with Uninstall, and restart. Windows reinstalls the driver.
5. To rule out a software conflict, type msconfig in Search, open System Configuration, select Hide all Microsoft services and Disable all on the Services tab, then restart and test again.
6. Return to normal afterwards: select Normal Startup on the General tab and Enable all on the Services tab.

Undo works elsewhere but not in Word or Excel

The action cannot be undone, the undo list was cleared, or an add-in or customization is interfering.

1. Look at the Undo button. If it reads Can't Undo, the last action, such as saving or a File tab command, is not undoable.
2. In Excel, remember that running a macro clears the undo list.
3. Close the app, hold Ctrl and double-click its shortcut, then select Yes to start in Safe Mode without customizations and add-ins.
4. If undo works in Safe Mode, an add-in or customized preference is the cause. Remove that add-in or reset the customization instead of reinstalling.
5. If it still fails, right-click Start, select Installed apps, open the menu next to Office, select Modify, then Quick Repair or Online Repair.

Ctrl + Y does not undo an undo

The app uses a different redo key.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Z instead; Google Docs and Chromebooks use it.
2. On a Mac, try Shift + Command + Z, or Command + Y in Word and Excel.

Pressing F4 or another top-row key changes volume instead of repeating

The function keys are set to their alternate commands.

1. Hold Fn and press the key.
2. On a keyboard with F Lock, turn the F Lock light on.
3. On a Surface keyboard, press Fn once so the light comes on.

Limits of undo, best practices and tips for using it effectively

The general advice: treat undo as a short-term safety net for the current session, not a backup. The additional tips below cover where it stops.

Limit or habit	Why it matters
Undo only works in the active app	Pressing Ctrl + Z in the wrong window undoes something else
Office stops at 100 undoable actions by default	Long editing sessions lose their oldest steps
Saving and File tab commands cannot be undone in Office	Save a copy with a new name before big changes
An Excel macro clears the undo list	Save before running one so you can reopen the old file
Shift + Delete bypasses the Recycle Bin	Use Delete or Ctrl + D unless you are sure
Closing a browser tab is not undone by Ctrl + Z	Use Ctrl + Shift + T instead

Frequently asked questions

How do you undo on a keyboard?

Press Ctrl + Z on Windows, Linux or a Chromebook, and Command + Z on a Mac. Each press undoes one more recent action in the active app, including typing, pastes and file operations in File Explorer.

How do you undo a Backspace on a keyboard?

Press Ctrl + Z, or Command + Z on a Mac, straight after deleting. Deleted characters count as typing, so undo restores them. Press it again to bring back earlier deletions, one step at a time.

How do you undo a delete on a keyboard?

For deleted text, press Ctrl + Z. For a file deleted in File Explorer, press Ctrl + Z right away, or restore it from the Recycle Bin later. Files removed with Shift + Delete skip the Recycle Bin and need a backup.

How do you undo an undo on a keyboard?

Use redo. Press Ctrl + Y on Windows, Shift + Command + Z on a Mac, and Ctrl + Shift + Z on a Chromebook or in Google Docs.

How do you undo something on a keyboard without a Ctrl key working?

Use the other Ctrl key, or open the On-Screen Keyboard from Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and click Ctrl, then Z. In Office apps, the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar does the same job with the mouse.

How many times can you undo in Word or Excel?

Office saves the last 100 undoable actions by default. Excel can keep more through an UndoHistory DWORD value in the registry, though Microsoft warns that extra undo levels consume RAM.

Can you undo after saving a file?

Not in Microsoft Office. Saving a file and commands on the File tab cannot be undone. In Google Docs, click Last edit at the top right and restore an earlier version instead.

How do you undo on an iPhone?

Swipe left with three fingers to undo a text edit, or shake the iPhone to use Shake to Undo. If shaking triggers undo by accident, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and turn off Shake to Undo.

Does Ctrl + Z reopen a closed tab?

No. Reopen the last closed tab with Ctrl + Shift + T in Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows, or Command + Shift + T in Chrome on a Mac.