Epic Hyperspace is where many clinicians, nurses, and front-desk staff spend their workday. It runs on Windows, it can feel slow to get around with a mouse, and it asks for the same data entry again and again. Every extra click is time that could go to patient care, a lunch break, or leaving on time after a shift.
The good news: Epic has a ton of shortcuts built in. Keyboard shortcuts cut navigation time. SmartPhrases save the wording you write most often. And tools like TextExpander keep your most-used answers ready in the apps outside Epic.
This guide covers all of it: 75 Epic keyboard shortcuts organized by workflow, practical tips and tricks for SmartPhrases and dot phrases, and a look at where TextExpander fits alongside Epic’s built-in tools. If your organization uses a different EHR, we have guides for Cerner keyboard shortcuts and eClinicalWorks shortcuts as well.
Key takeaways
- Epic keyboard shortcuts depend on where you are in Hyperspace, so the same key can do different things. F8 opens the Find Patient dialog from the main workspace, but inside an open patient chart, it moves to the next section. Organizations can also disable or remap shortcuts, so test them in your own Epic build.
- Standard Windows shortcuts are the quickest wins in Epic because they work across every activity. Commands like Ctrl+C, Ctrl+F, and Win+L behave the same throughout Hyperspace, and inside an open chart, Ctrl+Spacebar opens Chart Search without reaching for the mouse.
- SmartPhrases save more documentation time than navigation shortcuts because one dot phrase can insert hundreds of words. F2 moves through each *** placeholder in the note, while SmartText supplies full note templates and SmartSets bundle related orders into a single selection.
- SmartPhrases only work inside Epic, so the text clinicians write in other apps needs a separate tool. Shared TextExpander Snippets keep the same approved wording ready in patient portals, referral emails, and billing systems, and one update reaches the whole team. Patient details stay out of the saved Snippets.
Most common Epic shortcuts
These general-purpose commands work across Epic Hyperspace regardless of which activity or workspace you have open. Most are standard Windows commands that save you from digging through menus, so learn these first. They apply everywhere.
- Send an open window to the back: Alt+Esc
- Cut: Ctrl+X
- Copy: Ctrl+C
- Paste: Ctrl+V
- Find: Ctrl+F
- Replace: Ctrl+H
- Select All: Ctrl+A
- Print: Ctrl+P
- Undo: Ctrl+Z
- Select Text: Shift+Arrow key
- Move Across Text: Ctrl+Arrow key
- Delete Previous Word: Ctrl+Backspace
- Delete Next Word: Ctrl+Delete
- Open Windows Task Manager: Ctrl+Shift+Esc
- Lock windows if you are logged in to a shared workstation: Win+L
- Minimize All Windows: Win+M
- Undo Minimize All Windows: Win+Shift+M
- Bold Text: Ctrl+B
- Italic Text: Ctrl+I
- Underline Text: Ctrl+U
- New List Item: Insert
- Spell Check: F7
Main workspace shortcuts
These shortcuts are for navigating the Epic main workspace: the Epic button, the search tools, and the activity launchers you use to switch between functions.
- Open the Epic Button Menu: Alt
- Open Chart Search (search inside the open chart): Ctrl+Spacebar
- Open Paging System: Ctrl+1
- Patient Lists Workspace: Ctrl+2
- Open Patient Station: Ctrl+3
- Secure Workstation: Ctrl+Alt+S
- Log out: Ctrl+Alt+L
Epic EMR shortcuts
These function-key shortcuts open specific Epic dialogs and workspaces. They’re faster than navigating menus when you need to pull up a patient, open orders, or get to the In Basket.
Function keys can vary by activity and by organization. If a key does something different in your build, check your hospital’s Epic tip sheet (often a PDF on the intranet) or ask your Epic trainer.
- Opens the Charge Entry dialog: F2
- Opens the Patient Lookup dialog: F3
- Opens the Correspondence window: F6
- Opens the Find Patient dialog: F8
- Opens the In Basket: F9
- Opens the Inpatient List: Ctrl+Alt+I
- Opens the Patient Priority List: Ctrl+Alt+P
- Opens the Orders Activity: Ctrl+Alt+O
One more time-saver: in the Patient Lookup dialog, type = and press Enter twice to reopen the last chart you had open.
Patient chart shortcuts
These shortcuts apply when you have a patient chart open. They cover moving between sections, managing orders and order sets, how to sign orders, and entering dates without clicking through a calendar.
- Close Workspace (chart): Ctrl+W
- Open Menu for More Actions: Ctrl+D
- Move to the Next Row: Tab
- Move to the Previous Row: Shift+Tab
- Quickly select choices in the drop-down menu (type the first letter of choice): A-Z
- Remain in the row but choose more than one item: ;
- Add comments to a row: F6
- Go to the previous section: F7
- Go to the next section: F8
- Close Patient Section or Note: F9
- Open Manage Orders Activity: Ctrl+O
- Open the sidebar of Manage Orders Activity: Alt+M
- Open Order Sets: Alt+D
- Place the cursor in the New Order field in the Sidebar: Alt+W
- Open the window to Sign orders: Alt+S
- Open the comment box in the Order Composer window: F6
- Today (current date or relative date): T
- Week (relative date): W
- Month (relative date): M
- Year (relative date): Y
- Now: N
- Hour: H
Date and time shortcuts also take plus and minus offsets. Type t-3 in a date field for three days ago, or n+30 in a time field for 30 minutes from now.
Alt+S is worth memorizing on its own: it opens the window to sign orders, and if your organization requires a diagnosis association, that window opens first. In many activities, Alt+A clicks the Accept button, too.
Note-taking shortcuts
These shortcuts control cursor movement and text selection inside Epic’s note editor. They’re the same commands that work in most Windows applications, so the habit carries over to email and other apps too.
- Move the cursor down: Down Arrow key
- Move the cursor up: Up Arrow key
- Go to the end of the line: End
- Go to the beginning of the line: Home
- Go to the end of the note: Ctrl+End
- Go to the start of the note: Ctrl+Home
- Move to the next word: Ctrl+Right Arrow key
- Move to the previous word: Ctrl+Left Arrow key
- Highlight from the cursor position to the end of the line: Shift+End
- Highlight from the cursor position to the start of the line: Shift+Home
- Extend the highlight down: Shift+Down Arrow key
- Extend the highlight up: Shift+Up Arrow key
- Highlight one character to the right: Shift+Right Arrow key
- Highlight one character to the left: Shift+Left Arrow key
- Highlight to the end of the word: Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow key
- Highlight to the start of the word: Ctrl+Shift+Left Arrow key
Want your best dot phrases outside Epic too?
SmartPhrases stop at the edge of Hyperspace. TextExpander keeps the wording you rely on ready in patient portals, referral emails, and billing tools, and a shared Snippet update reaches your whole team.
See what changes when your wording works beyond Epic.
Epic SmartPhrases and dot phrases
Keyboard shortcuts speed up navigation. SmartPhrases speed up documentation. If you spend more time writing notes than clicking through menus, SmartPhrases are where the bigger time savings are, and the tips and tricks below help you get more from them.
A SmartPhrase is a pre-written block of text that Epic expands when you type a short abbreviation. Clinicians call these “dot phrases” because they start with a period. Type .vitals and Epic inserts a formatted vital signs section. Type .assessment and you get your assessment template. The abbreviation stays short. The output can be hundreds of words.
How SmartPhrases work
To use a SmartPhrase, type a period followed by the abbreviation in any Epic text field. A list of matching SmartPhrases appears. Use the arrow keys to select the one you want, then press the Spacebar to insert it. Most organizations have a library of shared SmartPhrases you can browse via the SmartPhrase manager. Search for ‘SmartPhrase Manager’ in the Epic search bar, or navigate to Epic button > Tools.
To create your own SmartPhrase:
- Open the SmartPhrase manager from the Epic button menu.
- Click “New.”
- Name it with a period + short abbreviation (for example, .mychestpain).
- Write or paste your template text, leaving out details that differ from visit to visit.
- Add *** spacers anywhere you need to fill in patient-specific details. Press F2 to jump between them during a note.
- Click Accept to save it, then test it in a training note.
Note: SmartPhrase availability varies by organization. Your hospital may restrict creating personal SmartPhrases to certain roles, or your IT department may manage the shared library. Check with your Epic administrator about what’s available in your system.
Common built-in SmartPhrases (examples)
These examples are common in many Epic installations. Your organization may use different abbreviations:
- .vitals: inserts current vital signs
- .cmed: current medications list
- .prob: active problem list
- .lastlab: most recent lab results
- .hmlist: health maintenance topics
- .bglog: blood glucose log (with customizable date range)
The F2 navigation trick
If your SmartPhrase has *** placeholders, press F2 to jump from one placeholder to the next without clicking. This lets you move through an entire note and fill in patient-specific fields without touching the mouse. F2 also stops at each SmartList, so you can make your selection and keep moving through the note.
Epic UserWeb
Epic’s official website for SmartPhrase documentation, SmartLink references, and build configuration is Epic UserWeb. Access requires an Epic account tied to your organization.
SmartText and SmartSets
SmartPhrases insert free text. SmartText and SmartSets extend that idea into structured templates and order sets.
SmartText is a note template for common visit types: follow-up visits, initial visits, preventive care, pre-op consultations. Where a SmartPhrase inserts a paragraph, a SmartText inserts a full note framework with headings, sections, and fillable fields. If you complete the same visit type repeatedly, a SmartText gets the structure right every time.
SmartSets bundle orders, much like order sets do. A chest pain SmartSet might include troponin, EKG, IV access, and chest X-ray, selected together instead of entered as four separate orders. You still review each one and sign orders as usual. SmartSets and order sets are built by department leads or IT, so if your department handles a high volume of a specific presentation, request a SmartSet for it.
Using TextExpander with Epic to speed up your workflow
Epic’s SmartPhrases are a strong documentation tool built into the EHR. TextExpander extends that same idea to the other apps where you write, so the answers you use most are ready wherever you type.
For text you type outside the EHR, TextExpander Snippets handle it. Patient messages in a portal, referral emails, billing notes in a separate system, task lists in a web app: define an abbreviation once and TextExpander expands it in any app on your computer: Epic, Outlook, Chrome, your patient messaging module, wherever you’re typing.
I like TextExpander because it’s very easy to use, especially since it’s similar to what I use at work with Epic’s smart phrases. This similarity made the transition to using it for my personal typing and emails really smooth. I had been looking for something like Epic’s smart phrases for my personal computer, and TextExpander fits the bill perfectly.
Verified G2 user
Here’s where TextExpander extends your workflow beyond what SmartPhrases cover:
Cross-application reach. A Snippet expands across every app you use. Save a referral letter template once and use it in your email client, dictation software, and EHR note.
Team sharing via Snippet Groups. TextExpander’s Snippet Groups let teams share a library. When a team lead updates a template with new medication dosing or a revised protocol, every clinician who uses that group gets the change. No re-publishing, no distributing a new PDF.
Easy to create snippets and edit them, saves me a lot of time on documentation while also allowing me to provide detail. If your facility creates snippets you can also copy them to your own and change the abbreviation so that it is easier to remember. I use this every day, every chart!
Meredith S., Nurse Practitioner, Firsthand Cares
Fill-in fields for patient-specific details. TextExpander Snippets support fill-in fields that prompt you for variable content when the Snippet expands. The template prompts you for patient name, date of birth, specific diagnosis, and custom instructions in sequence, so patient details are entered at the moment you type and never saved in the Snippet itself. It’s the same concept as Epic’s *** placeholders, but it works in every app.
Mobile support. TextExpander works on iPhone and iPad through the TextExpander keyboard, so your Snippet library is available in mobile apps that accept third-party keyboards. If you use Epic Haiku on rounds, check with your IT team whether your organization allows other keyboards in it.
The split that works best is simple. Approved wording that stays the same, such as discharge instructions or referral language, belongs in a shared Snippet. Patient details and clinical judgment stay with you. Snippets should never contain PHI, TextExpander signs a Business Associate Agreement only with qualified Enterprise customers, and no tool makes a practice HIPAA compliant on its own. Read more about TextExpander and HIPAA.
See how clinical and administrative teams use shared Snippets on the TextExpander for healthcare page.
For more on healthcare-specific productivity, see our guides on how to write medical progress notes faster and healthcare productivity.
For a broader look at top typing and keyboard shortcuts across all platforms, or shortcuts for other EHRs like AdvancedMD and NextGen, see those dedicated guides.
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Frequently asked questions
What are SmartPhrases in Epic?
SmartPhrases are pre-written text templates that Epic expands when you type a period followed by a short abbreviation, which is why clinicians call them dot phrases. Typing .vitals, for example, can insert a formatted vital signs block, though abbreviations vary by organization. A SmartPhrase can include *** placeholders that you move between with F2. SmartPhrases are Epic's built-in tool for reusing documentation text inside the EHR, and tools like TextExpander extend the same idea to the other apps on your computer, such as email and patient portals.
How do I use keyboard shortcuts in Epic?
Most Epic keyboard shortcuts use standard Windows modifier keys: Ctrl, Alt, Shift, and Win. Open Epic Hyperspace and press any shortcut from this guide; they don't require setup. Function keys depend on context. F8 opens the Find Patient dialog from the main workspace but moves to the next section inside a patient chart, and F2 jumps to the next *** placeholder in a note. Some shortcuts may be disabled or remapped by your organization's IT team, so test them in your own Epic build.
What is the difference between SmartPhrases and SmartText in Epic?
SmartPhrases insert a block of text into a note, such as a paragraph, a list, or a set of fill-in fields, when you type a dot phrase. SmartText inserts a full structured note template for a visit type, such as a follow-up visit or a pre-op consultation, with headings, sections, and fillable fields. Think of SmartPhrases as individual building blocks and SmartText as the complete framework you fill in. For a deeper comparison, see the SmartPhrase vs SmartText guide.
Can TextExpander work with Epic?
Yes. TextExpander runs in the background on Windows and Mac and expands Snippets in text fields, including Epic Hyperspace, as long as your organization allows it. Most clinicians keep SmartPhrases for documentation inside the EHR and use TextExpander for the text they write in other apps, such as email, patient portals, and billing platforms. On iPhone and iPad, TextExpander works through its own keyboard, so check whether your organization allows third-party keyboards in Epic Haiku. Keep patient information out of saved Snippets and add it through fill-in fields instead.
How do dot phrase libraries help reduce provider documentation time?
A dot phrase library reduces documentation time by storing the text providers write over and over, such as exam findings, patient instructions, and assessment templates, so it can be inserted with a short abbreviation instead of being rebuilt for every note. Placeholders and SmartLists (drop-down lists of choices) mark the parts that change for each patient, which keeps the provider's attention on the details that need clinical judgment. A library works best when someone owns it: retiring duplicates, updating wording when guidelines change, and sharing proven phrases so colleagues don't each maintain their own copies.
How should practices organize dot phrases for different departments?
Group them by department or specialty and use a consistent naming convention, such as a shared prefix for each department, so providers can find the right phrase by typing the first few characters. Give each department's library an owner who approves new phrases and updates wording when protocols change. Inside Epic, shared SmartPhrase libraries are usually managed by your Epic administrators or IT team. For text written outside Epic, TextExpander for healthcare teams lets you group Snippets by department in shared Snippet Groups, so one update reaches everyone who uses that group.
How can nurses chart faster in Epic with fewer keystrokes?
Nurses can chart faster in Epic by combining three tips. Use keyboard shortcuts for navigation, such as Tab to move between rows, F2 to jump to the next *** placeholder, and t or n to enter today's date or the current time. Use your unit's shared SmartPhrases and SmartText for the assessments and education you document most, and ask your Epic trainer which phrases exist for your department. For messages written outside Epic, such as handoff emails or portal replies, a text expander like TextExpander keeps approved wording ready, with fill-in fields so no PHI is saved in a Snippet.
