Undo & Redo Shortcut
Undo is ⌘Z (Mac) or Ctrl+Z (Windows). Redo differs by platform and app — here's the full picture.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undo | ⌘Z | Ctrl+Z | |
| Redo | ⌘⇧Z | Ctrl+Y | |
| Redo (alternate) | ⌘Y | Ctrl+Shift+Z | |
| Undo typing in a field | ⌘Z | Ctrl+Z | |
| Repeat last action (Office) | ⌘Y | Ctrl+Y or F4 | |
| Undo close tab (browser) | ⌘⇧T | Ctrl+Shift+T | |
| Step backward (Photoshop) | ⌘⌥Z | Ctrl+Alt+Z |
Undo is universal, redo is not
⌘Z / Ctrl+Z undoes the last action almost everywhere. Redo is where apps disagree: on the Mac it is usually ⌘⇧Z, on Windows usually Ctrl+Y, but many apps also accept Ctrl+Shift+Z. If one doesn't work, try the other.
Redo vs repeat
In Microsoft Office, Ctrl+Y can mean redo or repeat the last action depending on context, and F4 repeats too — handy for applying the same formatting to several cells or paragraphs.
Troubleshooting: undo won't go back far enough
If Ctrl+Z / ⌘Z stops undoing before you reach the change you want, the app's history buffer is full — most apps keep a limited number of steps. In Photoshop, switch to Ctrl+Alt+Z / ⌘⌥Z to step back through the full history. If redo (Ctrl+Y / ⌘⇧Z) is greyed out, you've made a new edit since undoing — that clears the redo stack. In text fields, undo sometimes only reverts the last burst of typing rather than individual characters.
FAQ
What is the redo shortcut?
On the Mac it is usually ⌘⇧Z; on Windows it is Ctrl+Y, and many apps also accept Ctrl+Shift+Z. Undo is ⌘Z / Ctrl+Z everywhere.
Why doesn't Ctrl+Y redo in some apps?
Some apps map redo to Ctrl+Shift+Z instead of Ctrl+Y. If one combo doesn't work, try the other — this page lists both.
Can I undo more than once?
Yes — press undo repeatedly to step back through your history. Most apps keep many levels; redo steps forward again.
What is the undo shortcut in Photoshop?
Ctrl+Z / ⌘Z undoes the last step; to keep stepping back through history use Ctrl+Alt+Z (Windows) or ⌘⌥Z (Mac).
How do I undo closing a browser tab?
Press Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows or ⌘⇧T on the Mac to reopen the last closed tab — repeat to reopen earlier ones.