The redo keyboard shortcut brings back an action you just reversed with undo. On Windows the redo shortcut is Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z, while on a Mac it is Command+Shift+Z. The command reads from a hidden list of undone steps, so each press restores one change in the exact order you removed it.
Using the keyboard shortcut for redo keeps your hands on the keys and skips trips to the Edit menu. It lets you compare two versions of a sentence, formula, or layer in a few seconds. People press the redo shortcut key in Word, Excel, Google Docs, and VS Code, while designers rely on it in Photoshop and Blender.
Every redo key combination, sometimes called a redo keyboard command, has 3 parts. These are a modifier key such as Ctrl or Command, an optional Shift key, and a letter key that is Y or Z in nearly every program. This guide covers the redo shortcut on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, and phones, with a table for 20 apps. It ends with 7 fixes for a redo hotkey that stops working and a look at how developers build undo and redo into software.
| Device or system | Redo shortcut | Undo shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z | Ctrl+Z |
| Mac | Command+Shift+Z (Command+Y in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) | Command+Z |
| Linux | Ctrl+Shift+Z (Ctrl+Y in LibreOffice) | Ctrl+Z |
| Chromebook | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Ctrl+Z |
| iPhone and iPad | Three-finger swipe right | Three-finger swipe left |
| Vim editor | Ctrl+R | u |
What Is the Keyboard Shortcut for Redo?
The keyboard shortcut for redo is Ctrl+Y on Windows and Command+Shift+Z on macOS, with Ctrl+Shift+Z working as a second redo shortcut key in most Windows and Linux programs. If Ctrl+Z is undo, then Ctrl+Y is redo, which makes the pair the most common undo redo shortcut on any computer.
Redo is the opposite of the undo command. Undo steps backward through your edits, and redo steps forward again through the edits you removed. The redo command has nothing to restore on a fresh document, so the redo key does nothing until you undo something first.
Most programs show the same keyboard command for redo as a redo button shaped like a curved arrow pointing right. Word and Excel place that redo button on the Quick Access Toolbar, while Google Docs keeps it in the top toolbar. Mac apps list Redo in the Edit menu beside its current key command for redo.
How Does the Redo Shortcut Work?
The redo keyboard shortcut works by taking the most recent item from a list of undone actions and applying it again. Software keeps 2 lists while you edit: an undo history of the changes you made and a redo history of the changes you reversed.
Pressing undo moves your last change from the first list to the second. Pressing the shortcut to redo moves it back. Redo follows 4 rules in almost every app:
- Redo needs an undo first. The redo history stays empty until you reverse at least one action.
- Redo restores changes in order. You cannot skip the third undone step to reach the fifth one, so every press brings back the next step in line.
- A new edit clears the redo history. Most editors erase the redo list the moment you type, paste, or delete anything after an undo.
- The history has a limit. Office apps keep up to 100 actions by default, Photoshop records 50 history states by default, and closing a file usually wipes both lists.
The third rule surprises people more than any other. Press Ctrl+Z three times, type one new letter, and the 3 steps you undid are gone for good in Word, Notepad, and most browser fields.
What Is the Difference Between Undo, Redo, and Repeat?
Undo reverses an action, redo restores an undone action, and repeat performs your last action again in a new spot. The three commands share keys in some apps, which explains why Ctrl+Y sometimes acts like a different command.
| Command | What it does | Windows shortcut | Mac shortcut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undo | Reverses the last action | Ctrl+Z | Command+Z |
| Redo | Restores the last undone action | Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z |
| Repeat | Applies the last action again elsewhere | F4 or Ctrl+Y in Office | Command+Y in Office |
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint map redo and repeat to the same Ctrl+Y key. The key redoes while undone steps exist, then switches to repeat once the redo list is empty, and the menu label reads “Can’t Repeat” when neither option applies. Blender keeps the two apart with Shift+R for Repeat Last.
Redo Shortcut on Windows
The Windows hotkey for redo is Ctrl+Y, and most Windows programs accept Ctrl+Shift+Z as the same redo command. Ctrl is the redo control key in both combinations. Here is how to redo on keyboard in any Windows app:
- Press Ctrl+Z to undo the change you want to test.
- Hold the Control key and press Y to redo that change.
- Press Y again while holding Ctrl to redo each further step.
- Try Ctrl+Shift+Z in the same window, if Ctrl+Y does nothing.
Windows has 2 lesser-known redo key options. Word and several older programs accept Alt+Shift+Backspace as a redo key, paired with Alt+Backspace for undo, a mapping left over from early PC keyboard standards. File Explorer accepts Ctrl+Y to redo a rename, move, or delete that you just reversed with Ctrl+Z.
How to Redo in Notepad
To redo in Notepad on Windows 11, press Ctrl+Y after an undo. The redesigned Windows 11 Notepad added multi-level undo and redo, so the Notepad redo shortcut now walks forward through several steps the same way Word does.
The classic Notepad on Windows 10 and older stores only one step. Pressing Ctrl+Z a second time in that version acts as the redo command, toggling your last change back and forth instead of stepping through a history.
Redo Shortcut on Mac
The Mac redo keyboard shortcut is Command+Shift+Z. Apple Support lists Shift-Command-Z as the system redo command that reverses an undo, and Apple apps such as Pages, Keynote, Notes, and TextEdit follow that rule.
Use the mac redo keyboard shortcut in 3 steps on any Mac:
- Press Command+Z to undo your last change.
- Press Command+Shift+Z to redo the change you removed.
- Open the Edit menu in the menu bar to see the exact redo shortcut for the app you are using.
People searching for Ctrl Y on Mac often expect Command+Y to work. Command+Y redoes only in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac. Chrome and Safari on a Mac use Command+Y to open browsing history, so the mac shortcut for redo inside those browsers stays Command+Shift+Z.
Redo Shortcut on Linux and Chromebook
Linux desktop apps on GNOME and KDE use Ctrl+Shift+Z as the redo shortcut, while LibreOffice keeps Ctrl+Y to match Office habits. Text editors like Kate and GNOME Text Editor accept Ctrl+Shift+Z, and the Bash command line offers undo with Ctrl+_ but no matching redo key.
The redo shortcut on a Chromebook is Ctrl+Shift+Z. Google’s Chromebook Help lists Shift+Ctrl+Z as the ChromeOS command to redo your last action. Press Ctrl+Search+S to open the full shortcut list on a Chromebook, then search for “redo.”
Redo Shortcut Keys for 20 Popular Apps
Redo shortcut keys change between apps more than the undo shortcut key does. Undo is Ctrl+Z almost everywhere, while redo splits between Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z, and a few editor-specific keys.
| App | Windows and Linux | Mac | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word | Ctrl+Y or F4 | Command+Y | Ctrl+Y repeats once nothing is left to redo |
| Excel | Ctrl+Y or F4 | Command+Y | F4 cycles cell references while you edit a formula |
| PowerPoint | Ctrl+Y | Command+Y | Redo button sits on the Quick Access Toolbar |
| Google Docs | Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z or Command+Y | Ctrl+/ shows every shortcut |
| Google Sheets | Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z or Command+Y | Same keys as Google Docs |
| LibreOffice Writer | Ctrl+Y | Command+Y | Matches Office habits |
| Chrome, Edge, Firefox text fields | Ctrl+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Y | Command+Shift+Z | Command+Y opens history on Mac |
| Notepad (Windows 11) | Ctrl+Y | Not available | Classic Notepad toggles with Ctrl+Z |
| File Explorer | Ctrl+Y | Not available | Redoes renames, moves, and deletes |
| VS Code | Ctrl+Y (Windows), Ctrl+Shift+Z (Linux) | Command+Shift+Z | Rebind in Keyboard Shortcuts |
| IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | Ctrl+Y deletes a line here |
| Vim | Ctrl+R | Ctrl+R | Type :redo as a command |
| Emacs 28 and later | C-? or C-M-_ | C-? or C-M-_ | Runs the undo-redo command |
| Photoshop | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | Ctrl+Alt+Z toggles the last state |
| Illustrator | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | Edit menu shows the step name |
| Premiere Pro | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | History panel holds each step |
| DaVinci Resolve | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | Works on the edit timeline |
| Blender | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | Shift+R repeats the last action |
| Krita | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | Undo History docker lists steps |
| Figma | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z | Works on canvas and text layers |
How to Redo in Word and Excel
The redo keyboard shortcut in Word or Excel is Ctrl+Y or F4. To redo in either app, press Ctrl+Y or F4 on Windows, or Command+Y on a Mac. Laptop users may need to hold the Fn key or press F-Lock first, since many laptops assign F4 to volume or display controls by default.
The redo Excel shortcut key carries one extra behavior. While you type inside a formula, F4 cycles a cell reference through absolute and relative forms, such as A1 to $A$1. Outside formula editing, the same key acts as repeat.
To redo several steps at once, select the small arrow beside the Redo button on the Quick Access Toolbar and pick the step you want. Office redoes every step up to that point in order, matching the same rule the Ctrl+Y key follows.
How to Redo in Google Docs and Sheets
To redo in Google Docs or Google Sheets, press Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows and ChromeOS, or Command+Shift+Z on a Mac. Google Docs Editors Help lists both redo shortcuts, and pressing Ctrl+/ inside any Google editor opens the complete shortcut panel.
Google Docs saves the undo history only for your current session. Reloading the tab empties the redo history, so the version history panel becomes the way to recover older text.
How to Redo in VS Code and Other Code Editors
To redo in VS Code, press Ctrl+Y on Windows, Ctrl+Shift+Z on Linux, or Command+Shift+Z on a Mac. The VS Code documentation explains how to search and change any binding, and typing “redo” in the Keyboard Shortcuts editor (Ctrl+K then Ctrl+S) shows every key assigned to the command.
JetBrains IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm use Ctrl+Shift+Z for redo, while Ctrl+Y deletes the current line. Developers who switch between VS Code and a JetBrains IDE for Python projects or TypeScript codebases often lose a line of code to this single key difference.
Terminal editors such as Vim and Emacs follow their own redo conventions. The Vim documentation defines Ctrl+R as the redo key in Normal mode, accepts a count such as 3 Ctrl+R to redo three changes, and supports :redo as a typed command. GNU Emacs 28 added an undo-redo command bound to C-? and C-M-_, which the GNU Emacs manual documents in its Undo chapter.
How to Redo in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro
To redo in Photoshop, press Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows or Command+Shift+Z on a Mac. Adobe’s Photoshop tutorial shows both keys stepping forward through multiple undone edits, and Illustrator and Premiere Pro use the same redo key combination.
Photoshop changed its redo behavior in the 2019 release. Older versions used Ctrl+Z as a one-step toggle between undo and redo, while current versions treat Ctrl+Z as multiple undo and Ctrl+Shift+Z as multiple redo. The old toggle now lives on Ctrl+Alt+Z, and the “Use Legacy Undo Shortcuts” checkbox in Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts restores the classic mapping.
How to Redo in Blender, DaVinci Resolve, and Krita
To redo in Blender, press Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows and Linux or Command+Shift+Z on a Mac. The Blender Manual lists Shift-Ctrl-Z for redo, F9 for Adjust Last Operation, and Shift-R for Repeat Last, which gives Blender 3 separate tools for changing past actions.
DaVinci Resolve and Krita both use Ctrl+Shift+Z as the redo shortcut. Krita shows every step in its Undo History docker, so clicking an older entry jumps several steps forward or backward in one move.
How to Redo in Chrome and Other Browsers
To redo typing in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows and Linux or Command+Shift+Z on a Mac. Ctrl+Y redoes text in most Windows browsers too, but Command+Y on a Mac opens the History page instead of redoing.
Browser redo works only inside editable areas such as forms, comment boxes, and the address bar. Web apps like Google Docs replace the browser’s own undo history with their own, which explains why redo behaves differently inside a document than in a plain form field. The same address bar logic appears in our guide on what Chrome does when you search Google or type a URL.
How to Redo on iPhone, iPad, and Android
To redo on an iPhone or iPad, swipe left to right with three fingers. Apple added these three-finger gestures in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, where a swipe left undoes and a swipe right redoes. A three-finger tap opens a small bar with Undo and Redo arrows.
Shake to Undo still works in Apple apps. Shaking the phone after an undo opens a prompt that offers Redo, and Settings > Accessibility > Touch turns the feature on or off. An iPad paired with a hardware keyboard accepts Command+Shift+Z like a Mac.
Android has no system-wide redo gesture, so each app handles redo on its own. Google Docs, Google Keep, and Samsung Notes show a redo arrow in their toolbars, while a physical keyboard on an Android tablet accepts Ctrl+Shift+Z in most of those apps.
Why Is the Redo Shortcut Not Working?
A redo shortcut stops working for 7 common reasons, and most fixes take less than a minute:
- Nothing is left to redo. Any new typing after an undo erases the redo history, so the redo key has no step to restore.
- The app uses a different key. Try Ctrl+Shift+Z when Ctrl+Y fails, and try Ctrl+Y when Ctrl+Shift+Z fails.
- Ctrl+Y does something else. JetBrains IDEs delete a line with Ctrl+Y, and Mac browsers open history with Command+Y.
- F4 needs the Fn key. Laptops often reserve F4 for media controls, so press Fn+F4 or toggle Fn Lock in Word and Excel.
- The keyboard layout swaps letters. German and other QWERTZ keyboards place Y where US keyboards place Z, and shortcuts follow the printed letter, not the key position.
- Focus sits in the wrong panel. Click inside the document or code editor, since a sidebar, terminal, or search box keeps its own history.
- Another program grabs the keys. Clipboard managers, screen recorders, remote desktop clients, and virtual machines can capture a key combination before your app sees it.
How to Change or Customize the Redo Hotkey
You can change the redo hotkey on a Mac, in most Windows apps, and in every major code editor. Pick one redo keybind and assign it everywhere, if you switch between apps that disagree.
- Mac: Open System Settings, select Keyboard, select Keyboard Shortcuts, then App Shortcuts. Add a shortcut, type the menu title “Redo” exactly, and press the keys you want.
- Word on Windows: Open File > Options > Customize Ribbon, select Customize next to Keyboard shortcuts, choose the Edit category, then assign new keys to the EditRedo command.
- VS Code: Press Ctrl+K then Ctrl+S, search “redo,” and double-click the entry to record a new key combination.
- Photoshop: Open Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts, expand the Edit menu list, and change the Redo entry.
- System-wide on Windows: Install the free PowerToys utility and use Keyboard Manager to remap one shortcut to another across every program.
How Developers Build Undo and Redo Into Software
Developers build undo and redo with two stacks: one stack stores completed actions, and the other stores undone actions. An undo pops an action from the first stack and pushes it onto the second, while a redo does the reverse, and any new action empties the redo stack.
Most production apps store each action with the command pattern, where every edit is an object that knows how to apply and reverse itself. Simpler apps save full snapshots of the document state instead, which costs more memory but takes less code. Teams building interfaces in React often keep three state slices named past, present, and future to support an undo redo toggle.
Browsers report redo requests to web pages through the beforeinput event. The W3C Input Events specification defines a historyRedo input type for this event. A JavaScript text editor can then catch Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z, and Command+Shift+Z through one event instead of checking each key combination.
Keyboard support for undo and redo matters for accessibility as well. W3C’s WCAG keyboard guidance requires every function of a page to work from a keyboard, which includes undo and redo in any editor. Good test plans cover redo after a new edit, redo across saves, and redo limits, a topic our software testing basics guide explains in detail.
AI products follow the same principle at a larger scale. Agents that edit files or records need checkpoints that let a person roll back one step or several steps, a requirement our team designs into every AI agent development project.
Does the Redo Shortcut Work in AI Chat Tools?
Yes, the redo keyboard shortcut works inside the message box of AI chat tools, but it restores only the text you typed, not a model’s reply. Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y behave like any browser text field while you write a prompt.
The “regenerate” button in a chatbot is not redo. Regenerate asks the model for a brand-new answer, and the earlier response does not return when you press Ctrl+Shift+Z. Our guide on how AI works explains why the same prompt produces different replies, and what an AI model is covers the systems behind those replies.
Product teams that build AI chatbot development projects or conversational AI interfaces add version history to each response for this reason. Users expect a way to return to an earlier answer, the same way they expect Ctrl+Y to return an earlier edit.
Other Keyboard Shortcuts That Pair With Redo
Redo sits beside the keyboard shortcuts undo redo users learn first, inside a small group of editing shortcuts that work in nearly every app. Learning these 8 keys together saves the most time in daily writing work:
| Command | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Undo | Ctrl+Z | Command+Z |
| Redo | Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z | Command+Shift+Z |
| Select all | Ctrl+A | Command+A |
| Copy | Ctrl+C | Command+C |
| Cut | Ctrl+X | Command+X |
| Paste | Ctrl+V | Command+V |
| Paste without formatting | Ctrl+Shift+V | Command+Shift+Option+V |
| Full screen in a browser | F11 | Control+Command+F |
Teams that ship software should list these keys in their help pages, a step covered in our user manual guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the opposite of Ctrl+Z?
The opposite of Ctrl+Z is Ctrl+Y on Windows, with Ctrl+Shift+Z working in most apps as the same redo command. On a Mac the opposite of Command+Z is Command+Shift+Z.
Is Ctrl+Y the same as Ctrl+Shift+Z?
Yes, Ctrl+Y and Ctrl+Shift+Z both run redo in most Windows apps, including Google Docs, VS Code, and every major browser. JetBrains IDEs and Adobe apps are the main exceptions, since they reserve Ctrl+Y for other commands.
What is the redo shortcut on a MacBook?
The redo shortcut on a MacBook is Command+Shift+Z, the same as every other Mac. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac accept Command+Y as a second redo key.
Can you redo after saving a file?
Yes, most apps keep the redo history after you save, as long as the file stays open. Closing the file or the app clears the redo history in Word, Excel, Photoshop, and nearly every other program.
How many times can you press redo?
You can press redo once for every action you undid, up to the app’s history limit. Office keeps 100 actions by default, Photoshop keeps 50 history states, and a new edit after an undo resets the count to zero.
Is there a redo button on a keyboard?
No, standard keyboards have no dedicated redo button, so the redo keys are always a combination such as Ctrl+Y. The shortcut key for redo works as a redo quick key on any keyboard, including laptops. Some programmable keyboards and mice let you assign the redo shortcut keys to a spare button.
What is the redo short key on a laptop?
The redo short key on a Windows laptop is Ctrl+Y, and on a MacBook it is Command+Shift+Z. Laptop keyboards use the same redo keys as desktop keyboards, so no Fn key is needed unless you press F4.
How do you redo the last action?
To redo the last action, press Ctrl+Y on Windows or Command+Shift+Z on a Mac right after an undo. Redo the last action before typing anything new, since a fresh edit clears the redo history.
What is the redo shortcut key in Excel?
The redo shortcut key in Excel is Ctrl+Y or F4 on Windows and Command+Y on a Mac. F4 changes cell references instead while you are editing a formula.
What is the redo shortcut in VS Code?
The redo shortcut in VS Code is Ctrl+Y on Windows, Ctrl+Shift+Z on Linux, and Command+Shift+Z on a Mac. The Keyboard Shortcuts editor lets you add Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows too.
Conclusion: Use the Right Redo Shortcut Key for Your Device
The redo keyboard shortcut restores the last action you undid, and the redo shortcut key is Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows and Command+Shift+Z on a Mac. Redo works only after an undo, restores steps in order, and disappears once you make a new edit.
Use Ctrl+Y in Word, Excel, Notepad, or File Explorer. Switch to Ctrl+Shift+Z in Photoshop, Blender, or JetBrains IDEs, and press Ctrl+R in Vim. Remap the redo hotkey in System Settings, VS Code, or PowerToys, if two apps disagree.
SoftBrixAI builds editing tools, AI agents, and chat products where undo and redo behave the way users expect. Explore our custom AI software development services, browse the technology stack we ship with, or talk to our engineers about your next product. More guides live on the SoftBrixAI blog and the SoftBrixAI homepage.
