diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/selection_bar.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/selection_bar.pyj
index d154bb1596..b603a20695 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/selection_bar.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/selection_bar.pyj
@@ -573,9 +573,9 @@ class SelectionBar:
             self.copy_to_clipboard()
             return
         sc_name = shortcut_for_key_event(ev, self.view.keyboard_shortcut_map)
-        if ev.key is 'ArrowRight' and ev.shiftKey:
+        if ev.key is 'ArrowRight' and ev.shiftKey and not ev.altKey:
             sc_name = 'extend_selection_by_word'
-        elif ev.key is 'ArrowLeft' and ev.shiftKey:
+        elif ev.key is 'ArrowLeft' and ev.shiftKey and not ev.altKey:
             sc_name = 'shrink_selection_by_word'
 
         if not sc_name:
@@ -584,6 +584,7 @@ class SelectionBar:
             'toggle_highlights': True,
             'edit_book': True,
             'extend_selection_by_word': True, 'shrink_selection_by_word': True,
+            'extend_selection_by_character': True, 'shrink_selection_by_character': True,
             'extend_selection_by_line': True, 'shrink_selection_by_line': True,
         }
         if sc_name is 'show_chrome':
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/shortcuts.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/shortcuts.pyj
index ee5e2186a5..6c8676265d 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/shortcuts.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/shortcuts.pyj
@@ -326,6 +326,18 @@ def common_shortcuts():  # {{{
         _('Alter the current selection backwards by a word'),
     ),
 
+    'extend_selection_by_character': desc(
+        v"['Alt+Shift+ArrowRight']",
+        'ui',
+        _('Alter the current selection forward by a character'),
+    ),
+
+    'shrink_selection_by_character': desc(
+        v"['Alt+Shift+ArrowLeft']",
+        'ui',
+        _('Alter the current selection backwards by a character'),
+    ),
+
     'extend_selection_by_line': desc(
         v"['Ctrl+Shift+ArrowDown', 'Shift+ArrowDown']",
         'ui',
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
index c444d87cba..8ba6cff266 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
@@ -563,6 +563,10 @@ class View:
             self.iframe_wrapper.send_message('modify_selection', direction='backward', granularity='word')
         elif data.name is 'extend_selection_by_word':
             self.iframe_wrapper.send_message('modify_selection', direction='forward', granularity='word')
+        elif data.name is 'shrink_selection_by_character':
+            self.iframe_wrapper.send_message('modify_selection', direction='backward', granularity='character')
+        elif data.name is 'extend_selection_by_character':
+            self.iframe_wrapper.send_message('modify_selection', direction='forward', granularity='character')
         elif data.name is 'shrink_selection_by_line':
             self.iframe_wrapper.send_message('modify_selection', direction='backward', granularity='line')
         elif data.name is 'extend_selection_by_line':