Common SSMS keyboard shortcuts

Shortcuts & tips from an Impatient DBA #7

This series of short posts will demonstrate some lesser-known features, keyboard shortcuts, and other tips that make my day as a DBA more productive. None of these are groundbreaking super-secret features–they are the little things that I do as part of my daily work that make me more efficient.

Common SQL Server Management Studio keyboard shortcuts

Yea, the ones you probably already know

As I started to put this series together, I realized that by jumping right into the “lesser-known features, keyboard shortcuts, and other tips,” some people might still want to see the better-known shortcuts, too. When you’re done here, check out the rest of my tips.

Here’s a quick run-down of some of my favorite keyboard shortcuts. Some you certainly know, some might be news to you. I won’t go into them in excruciating detail–try them out for yourself, and see what happens.

  • Ctrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab – Switch tabs
  • Ctrl+R – Show/hide Results pane
  • Ctrl+L – Get estimated execution plan
  • Ctrl+M – Include actual execution plan
  • Ctrl+ (K,C) – Comment selected text
  • Ctrl+ (K,U) – Uncomment selected text
  • Shift+Alt+Enter – Toggle full screen
  • Ctrl+U – Move cursor to database-selection drop-down