How to get back my command-space Word shortcut?

March 1, 2017 9:22 PM

On my Macbook, a shortcut I use all the time (command-space bar, then typing "word" to open Microsoft Word) has stopped working. The command-space bar shortcut works; it's the "word" part that isn't working. Instead, it opens Internet accounts from system preferences. All other common programs that I type there (outlook, Excel, keynote, notes, Firefox, chrome) still work. Just "word" has inexplicably failed. HELP!

I've googled but only get information about restoring command-space bar functionality, which is not the problem. I have reset all shortcuts just in case which didn't help. I am running OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 and I don't remember a trigger (update or system crash) that caused this to happen.

posted by peanut_mcgillicuty to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

Best answer: Command-space by default starts a spotlight search. I'm guessing you haven't changed that? If so: Is Word still in your applications folder? If you double-click it does it launch? If so, your spotlight index is probably messed up. You can trigger a reminded from settings, or search for "repair spotlight index" or similar.
posted by dttocs at 9:28 PM on March 1, 2017

Best answer: Well, the tool you are using is called (used to be called?) Spotlight. It's just a guess on my part, but it sounds to me like your Spotlight index is messed up. You can try rebuilding it. It will probably take a while.

If I'm wrong: well, knowing it is called Spotlight should probably help you search for an answer. \
posted by BrunoLatourFanclub at 9:28 PM on March 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

Sometimes SpotLight thinks that the first result for "onenote" should open the App Store app and take me to Microsoft OneNote's app page on there instead of launching the app. OTOH if I type "one note.app", the filename of the application I want to launch, it reliably does what I want.

So Cmd+Space then "word.app" should get yo what you need if Spotlight is just being weird and something bigger isn't broken.

All that said, consider getting something like Alfred to be a more reliable assistant than Spotlight.
posted by Space Coyote at 6:11 AM on March 2, 2017 [2 favorites]

Rebuilding spotlight was my suggestion too.

Another tip: typing in the name of a recent word doc will open it in word, also often the first few words of that doc will work.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:25 AM on March 2, 2017

I had totally forgotten that this is the hotkey for Sportlight. I have been using QuickSilver as a launcher - basically the same as Alfred but it's for contrarians. But yes, it sounds like you need to rebuild the index.
posted by bluejayway at 7:10 AM on March 2, 2017

Or you could just click on Word in the dock. It's much easier than doing a Spotlight search each time.
posted by w0mbat at 8:08 AM on March 2, 2017 [1 favorite]

Yup, probably the Spotlight index.

Or you could just click on Word in the dock. It's much easier than doing a Spotlight search each time.

Maybe if you don't touch type?

⌘-Space, W, Return
vs.
Switch to mouse, move cursor to bottom of screen, point at Word icon, click.
posted by zamboni at 8:16 AM on March 2, 2017

I also use Quicksilver
posted by radioamy at 11:18 AM on March 2, 2017

Response by poster: Spotlight Index was it! And I was able to add Word by itself so it took almost no time at app. Thanks for giving me the correct terminology to google to get this fixed.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 8:33 PM on March 2, 2017