Practical Logos Shortcuts for Deepening Bible Study

The Ultimate Logos Shortcut List, Part 1/5

Dr. John Fallahee’s training webinar shows how to use Logos more efficiently. The focus is on practical shortcuts that let you spend less time navigating and more time studying Scripture. Below are the key tools covered in the first 20 minutes.

Program Scaling & Quick Access

Logos defaults can feel too small or too large when you switch screens or computers. You can set a precise scaling percentage by typing set programming scaling to 121% (or any value) at the command line. To make this setting instantly available, create a Favorites entry: open Favorites, type the scaling command, press Enter, then drag that entry to the Favorites toolbar or directly to the Shortcut toolbar. Rename it if you want the full command visible. This one‑click access works on any device.

Creating a Reading Plan – Two Efficient Paths

Path A – Documents shortcut: Documents → New → Reading Plan. Choose a Bible or book, search for an existing plan by keyword (e.g., “growth”), and click Start. Path B – From within a book: while viewing a book, go to Formatting → Reading Plans → New Reading Plan. The plan defaults to the book you’re in, lets you pick the scope (entire Bible, a range like “John 1‑5”), set a recommended reading time, and choose an end criterion such as a fixed date, minutes per day, chapters, or sessions. After you finish, Logos generates a report with Outlook export, calendar view, list view, and a home‑page overview.

Once the plan is created, drag its card to the Shortcut toolbar or home page for a one‑click launch.

Study Assistant – AI‑Powered Quick Answers

Logos now includes an AI‑assisted Study Assistant. Type a concise question (for example, “Explain the difference between justification by Paul and justification by James”) and receive a one‑page answer with links to relevant resources. To share the answer, click Copy Link, then paste the link into a Note. The link stays live, so anyone can open the same answer in their own Logos instance. You can also embed the link in a note by typing the keyword, clicking the chain‑link icon, and pasting the copied link; the word becomes color‑coded and re‑opens the answer instantly. A Copy‑All button creates a block of all related information for sermons or study sheets, but keep only the link in your notes to stay lightweight.

Smart Search & Collection Management

As your library grows, a simple “All Books” search becomes noisy. Use the Smart Search shortcut: click the magnifying glass, type your query, then click Books → Smart Search and pick a specific collection (e.g., “John MacArthur”). The AI‑enhanced search limits results to that collection. In the synopsis box, click Continue in Study Assistant to keep the same collection context without re‑selecting it.

The Book Filter (Collections) lets you organize books by author, type, study method, publication date, or custom tags. You can embed these collections in Custom Guides, for example a guide that pulls in “Concise Expositional” and “Exegetical” collections for a passage. This makes large libraries manageable and keeps your research thread coherent.

Dashboard & Home‑Page Shortcut

Click the Dashboard/Home‑page icon (a small grid) to open a universal launch pad. Type any question—such as “What is the significance of the veil being torn in Matthew 27:51?”—and Logos routes you directly to the Study Assistant, Maps, or other tools, eliminating menu hunting.

Biblical Maps – A Hidden Gem

Open the Maps panel by typing “biblical maps” in the Library. Switch to Details view for richer information, then click Rank instead of alphabetical title to sort by relevance. Use Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac) to type a location (e.g., “Jericho”) and watch the map zoom and highlight all matches. The Google shortcut in the top‑left opens a modern map showing the approximate contemporary site. Scroll‑wheel and drag let you pan and zoom precisely, bridging ancient geography with today’s maps for sermon prep or personal study.

Word Studies & Linked Lexicons

Click the Bible icon on the toolbar to open a Bible quickly. Then go to Guides → type “word study” → select “Bible Word Study.” Open the three‑dot menu and choose a Link Set (e.g., Link Set A) that matches the Bible version you’re using (Legacy Standard Bible, for instance). Click any word (e.g., “created”) and the Word Study report jumps to that entry. Right‑click, collapse everything except the Lemma tab, and drag that tab beside the Bible window. Link the two via Home → Link Set A, and you have a side‑by‑side view that updates automatically when you move from Old to New Testament, keeping Greek or Hebrew dictionaries in sync.

Advanced Linking – Preserve Context

When you need a dictionary or commentary open without losing your place in the Bible, right‑click the Bible title, choose “Open in a new window,” and keep the original view active. This lets you read the commentary while the biblical text stays exactly where you left it.

Practical Tips & Take‑aways

• Drag toolbar buttons or Favorites entries to the Shortcut toolbar for one‑click access.
• Pin reading‑plan cards or devotional shortcuts to the home page for instant visibility.
• Use the Study Assistant early; copy its link to share or embed in notes.
• Master collections to tame a growing library; integrate them into custom guides for powerful, context‑aware searches.
• Leverage the Rank view in Biblical Maps and the Google shortcut for quick modern‑map reference.
• Choose reading‑plan schedules that fit your lifestyle—avoid daily reading if it risks falling behind.

Quick Reference List of Shortcuts (1‑9)

#	Shortcut / Feature	How to Activate (Key Steps)
1	Program Scaling (set exact %)	Three‑dot menu → “Program Scaling” → type set programming scaling to 121% (or desired %).
2	Add scaling to Favorites/Shortcut toolbar	Tools → “fav” → create entry → drag to Favorites or Shortcut toolbar → rename if desired.
3	Create Reading Plan (Documents path)	Documents → New → Reading Plan → choose book/custom → search & start.
4	Create Reading Plan (from book)	While in a book → Formatting → Reading Plans → New → pick range, schedule, finish criteria.
5	Export/ view reading‑plan reports	After finishing → Overview, Calendar, List views appear; export to Outlook if needed.
6	Drag reading‑plan card to shortcut/home page	Click‑drag the card to desired toolbar or home‑page spot.
7	Study Assistant – ask & get concise answer	Click Study Assistant (or type question on Dashboard) → receive one‑page answer with links.
8	Copy link from Study Assistant	Click Copy Link → paste into Notes or other docs.
9	Smart search by collection	Search bar → type query → click Books → Smart Search → select collection (e.g., John MacArthur).

These shortcuts provide a solid foundation for efficient Bible study. In the next part of the series we’ll explore more tools that connect Logos with Proverbs‑style wisdom literature and deepen our engagement with God’s Word.