The Ultimate Logos Shortcut List, Part 1/5 – Practical Tips for Efficient Study

The Ultimate Logos Shortcut List, Part 1/5

Dr. John Fallahee presents a fast-paced training session that walks through practical Logos shortcuts to help users navigate the software more efficiently. The focus is on real-world tools that reduce time spent searching and increase time spent studying Scripture. Below are the key features covered in the first 20 minutes of the webinar.

1. Program Scaling and Quick Access

When moving between computers or changing screen resolutions, the default UI scaling can feel off. Instead of adjusting settings each time, type set programming scaling to 121% (or any preferred percentage) directly into the command line for exact control. Save this command as a Favorites entry: open Favorites, create a new entry, paste the command, and drag it to the Favorites toolbar or Shortcut toolbar for one-click access. This ensures consistent scaling regardless of device.

2. Creating a Reading Plan (Two Efficient Paths)

Path A (Documents): Navigate to Documents → New → Reading Plan. Choose a Bible, another book, or select Create Custom Plan. Search for existing plans by keyword (e.g., “growth”) and start. Path B (From within a book): While viewing a book, go to Formatting → Reading Plans → New Reading Plan. The plan defaults to the current book, allowing focused study. You can set the scope to an entire book, a selected range (e.g., “John 1‑5”), or customize reading time, frequency, and end criteria (fixed date, minutes per day, chapters, or sessions). Once finished, Logos generates reports (Outlook export, calendar view, list view, overview) that can be dragged to the Shortcut toolbar for quick launch.

3. Study Assistant (AI‑Powered Quick Answers)

Logos’ Study Assistant provides concise AI‑generated answers to biblical questions (e.g., “Explain the difference between justification by Paul and justification by James”). The output is a one‑page summary with links to relevant resources. To share, click Copy Link and paste the link into Notes or any document; the link stays live for others to open. Within Notes, type a keyword, click the chain‑link icon, and paste the link – the word becomes color‑coded and clickable for instant reopening. Use the Copy‑All button to gather all related links, verses, and notes for sermons or study sheets, but keep notes lightweight by saving only the link.

4. Preserving / Managing Collections (Smart Search)

As your library grows, searching “All Books” becomes overwhelming. Use the smart‑search shortcut: click the search magnifying glass, type your query (e.g., “justification”), then click the AI icon. Narrow results by selecting a specific collection (e.g., “John MacArthur”) from the Books → Smart Search menu. The Study Assistant can continue the conversation using the same collection, keeping the research thread coherent without re‑filtering.

5. Book Filter (Collection‑Based Filtering)

Access Collections via Tools → Collections (or type “collect”). Collections can include authors, book types, study methods, publication dates, or custom tags. Embed collections in Custom Guides to pull in specific subsets (e.g., “Concise Expositional” and “Exegetical” collections) for powerful, context‑aware searches that keep large libraries manageable.

6. Dashboard / Home‑Page Shortcut

Click the Dashboard/Home‑page icon (grid symbol) to open a universal launch pad. Type any question (e.g., “What is the significance of the veil being torn in Matthew 27:51?”) and Logos routes you directly to the relevant tool (Study Assistant, Maps, etc.) without hunting through menus. This shortcut saves steps and streamlines navigation.

7. Biblical Maps (Hidden Gem)

Access maps via Library → type “biblical maps.” Switch to Details view for richer information, then change the sorting to Rank (instead of alphabetical title) to see results ordered by relevance. Use Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to search a location (e.g., “Jericho”) and watch the map zoom and highlight all matches, including both Old and New Testament references. Drag with the scroll wheel to pan and zoom for precise positioning. Click the Google shortcut in the top‑left corner to open a modern map showing the ancient site’s approximate contemporary location. This bridges ancient geography with today’s maps for sermon prep and personal study.

8. Word Studies & Linked Lexicons

Open a Bible quickly by clicking the Bible icon on the toolbar. Launch the Word Study report via Guides → type “word study” → select “Bible Word Study.” Use the three‑dot menu to choose a Link Set (e.g., Link Set A) that applies to both the Bible and the study report. Click any word (e.g., “created”) to jump directly to its entry. To streamline, right‑click → Collapse all except Lemma, then drag the Lemma tab beside the Bible window and link them via Home → Link Set A. This setup lets you work with a single dictionary or the full Word Study report as needed, and moving from Old to New Testament automatically switches the dictionary to Greek while updating all linked resources.

9. Advanced Linking (Preserve Context)

To keep your Bible visible while opening a reference in a dictionary or commentary, right‑click the Bible title (e.g., “Legacy Standard Bible”) and choose “Open in a new window.” The original Bible stays active in its window while you read the other resource, preserving your place and enabling side‑by‑side study.

Practical Tips & Take‑aways

• Drag toolbar buttons, Favorites, or reading‑plan cards to the Shortcut toolbar or home page for one‑click access.
• Use the home button to add frequently used items (reading‑plan cards, devotional shortcuts) for instant visibility.
• Leverage the Study Assistant early; copy its link to share or embed in notes.
• Organize your library with Collections; integrate them into Custom Guides for powerful, context‑aware searches.
• Use Biblical Maps’ Rank view and Google shortcut to move fluidly between ancient and modern geography.
• Choose a reading‑plan schedule that fits your lifestyle (e.g., avoid daily reading if it risks falling behind).

Quick Reference List of Shortcuts Covered (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 form a practical toolkit that helps users move efficiently through Logos, keeping the focus on the biblical text rather than on software navigation.

Closing Remarks

The webinar will continue in Part 2/5, covering additional shortcuts, deeper dives into custom guides, and more AI features. In the meantime, practice these shortcuts consistently; they will noticeably reduce navigation time and let you concentrate on understanding God’s Word.