How to Select Vertical Text in Microsoft Word (Windows & Mac)

Can you select vertical text in Microsoft Word? Yes. I cut and paste text in Word hundreds of times a week, and the selection was always horizontal – a line or two at a time. Then I stumbled on this wonderful trick for selecting a vertical block of text. It still works in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024 and Word for Mac in 2026, and it takes just one key.

Normal vs vertical text selection

When you select text in Word, it selects horizontally by default, line after line, like this:

With vertical (block or column) selection, you choose a rectangle of text that runs down several lines. Here’s the same text with a vertical selection:

How to select vertical text in Microsoft Word

Method 1: Alt + drag (Windows)

1. Place the mouse pointer at the top-left corner of the text you want.
2. Press and hold the Alt key.
3. Drag down and to the right until the block you want is highlighted.
4. Release the mouse, then the Alt key.

Tip: press Alt after you put the pointer in place, and hold it while dragging. If you tap Alt alone, Word shows ribbon key tips instead; just press Esc and try again.

Method 2: Option + drag (Mac)

In Word for Mac, hold Option while dragging the mouse to make the same vertical block selection.

Method 3: Keyboard only

1. Click where the block should start.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+F8 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+F8 (Mac) to turn on block selection mode.
3. Use the arrow keys to extend the selection down and across.
4. Apply your formatting or copy, then press Esc to leave block selection mode.

Microsoft lists these shortcuts in its keyboard shortcuts for Word guide.

Why use vertical text selection?

• Format the first word of every line: bold, italicize or color a column of words in one go instead of one by one.
• Remove leading characters: delete numbers, bullets, spaces or tabs at the start of many lines pasted from email or code.
• Copy a column of text: grab one column from text that’s aligned with spaces or tabs.
• Clean up pasted lists from PDFs or web pages where each line starts with the same junk.

Things to know

• Vertical selection works best with text aligned in a monospaced font or with tabs. In proportional fonts, the block follows screen position, so it may cut through words.
• For Word tables, you don’t need this trick: click at the top of a column when the pointer becomes a small down arrow to select the whole column.
• Some features are limited with a block selection: you can format, copy, cut and delete, but not every command applies.
• Word for the web has fewer selection features than the desktop app, so use the desktop version if Alt + drag doesn’t work in your browser.

Vertical selection in other apps

The same idea works in many editors: Alt + drag in Notepad++, Shift + Alt + drag in Visual Studio Code, and Option + drag in many Mac apps. It’s one of those tips you’ll keep using once you know it. While you’re working in Word, you may also want to password protect a Word document.

FAQ

How do I select a vertical block of text in Word?

Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and drag the mouse over the text. Word highlights a rectangular block.

What is the shortcut for column selection in Word?

Ctrl+Shift+F8 on Windows (Cmd+Shift+F8 on Mac), then use the arrow keys. Press Esc to exit.

Why isn’t Alt + drag working in Word?

Make sure you hold Alt while dragging, not before clicking. Some mouse utilities, screen recorders or the Word for the web version can interfere; try the keyboard method or the desktop app.

Can I select vertical text in Word for Mac?

Yes. Hold Option and drag, or use Cmd+Shift+F8 and the arrow keys.