# Microsoft Access - Is there a way to create hotkeys for a form?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-access-is-there-a-way-to-create-hotkeys-for-a-form/252058>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-access-is-there-a-way-to-create-hotkeys-for-a-form/252058 "2004-06-24T18:15:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-access-is-there-a-way-to-create-hotkeys-for-a-form/252058/1 "2004-06-24T18:15:23Z")

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I’ve got an Access dB that I’m using for some data entry. The user asked to have a search combo bar added, with a hotkey combination to return you to the combo box.

I’ve got the combo box built, and now am trying to attach a hotkey. But I cannot find any instructions either in my manuals, or online. Is this even possible?

If yes, can someone tell me how?

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**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-access-is-there-a-way-to-create-hotkeys-for-a-form/252058/2 "2004-06-25T04:36:39Z")

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If I understand you correctly, you have a combo box control on the data-entry form (and NOT on another pop-up form). If so, the proper way is to add an “accelerator key”:

The combo has an associated label. In the properties for this label, there is “caption”, which is simply the text for the label. Let’s say the combo is showing names, and the label caption is “Name”. Change this to “&Name”… the text will now be shown as “Name”, and Alt-N will shift the focus to the combo.

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**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-access-is-there-a-way-to-create-hotkeys-for-a-form/252058/3 "2004-06-25T12:51:58Z")

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You know, sometimes fighting ignorance is something you can do on your own.

I found the answer in **Beginning Access 2000 VBA** by Robert Smith and David Sussman.

Click on the \*LABEL \* for the field you wish to hotkey. Right mouse-click to _Properties_. Choose _Caption_. Insert an ampersand (&) just prior to the letter you wish to hotkey. Close the Properties screen.

So if the Caption reads “Find A Name”, you would change the Caption to “&Find A Name” and it would look like “Find A Name”

And I see that **K364** has the same solution…