Working on Microsoft Excel is a part of most of our lives. No matter which field you work in, you will use Excel at some point.
Fortunately, Excel lets you control all the actions like navigation, formatting, editing and more all through the keyboard. Here, we’ve compiled a list of all the shortcuts you will need in excel.
Workbook And Worksheet Actions
Let’s jump right into our first category- Workbook and worksheet shortcuts, which let you efficiently operate your workbooks/worksheets and get assistance if needed.
File Shortcuts | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Create a new workbook | Ctrl + N | |
Open saved/existing workbook | Ctrl + O | |
Save a workbook | Ctrl + S | |
Open “Save As” dialog box | F12 | |
Print preview/ Open the print window | Ctrl + F2 | |
Print document | Ctrl + P | |
Close current workbook | Ctrl + F4 | |
Close Excel | Alt + F4 | |
Ribbon | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Expand/collapse the ribbon | Ctrl + F1 | |
Activate access keys | Alt | |
Move to the next ribbon control | Tab | |
Activate/Open the selected control | Space | |
Confirm the control change | Enter | |
Get help | F1 | |
Workbooks | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Insert new worksheet | Shift + F11 | |
Go to the next sheet | Ctrl + PgDn | |
Go to the Previous sheet | Ctrl + PgUp | |
Go to next workbook | Ctrl + tab | |
Go to the last workbook | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | |
Minimize current workbook | Ctrl + F9 | |
Maximize current workbook | Ctrl + F10 | |
Toggle fullscreen | Ctrl + Shift + F1 | |
General Shortcuts
These are shortcuts that come handy when working within the worksheet. These include common keyboard shortcuts to alter the content in the active worksheet.
General | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Open options | Alt + F + T | |
Open help tab | F1 | |
Undo the previous action | Ctrl + Z | |
Redo the previous action | Ctrl + Y | |
Repeat the last action | F4 | |
Copy data of selected cell | Ctrl + C | |
Cut selected cell | Ctrl + X | |
Paste clipboard content | Ctrl + V | |
Open the Paste Special dialog box | Ctrl + Alt + V | |
Display Find and Replace dialog box | Ctrl + F | |
Replace found item from Find and Replace dialog box | Ctrl + H | |
Find the next match | Shift + F4 | |
Find the previous match | Ctrl + Shift + F4 | |
Tables and Filter | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Insert table | Ctrl + T | |
Toggle autofilter | Ctrl + Shift + L | |
Select a row in the table | Shift + Space | |
Select a column in the table | Ctrl + Space | |
Select table | Ctrl + A | |
Activate filter | Alt + 🠋 | |
Toggle between table rows | Ctrl + Shift + T | |
Grid operations | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Show Insert dialog box/insert rows/insert columns | Ctrl + Shift + + | |
Show Delete option/delete rows/delete columns | Ctrl + - | |
Delete the content of the selected cell | Delete | |
Zoom in | Ctrl + Alt + + | |
Zoom out | Ctrl + alt + - | |
Navigation and Selection
In a densely populated excel sheet, scrolling with the mouse to reach your desired cell can take a lot of time. This is why navigation shortcuts are very useful for moving within a cell or worksheet. We will also see how you can simplify your selections with quick keyboard shortcuts.
Navigation | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Move one cell to the right | 🠊 | |
Move one cell to the left | 🠈 | |
Move one cell up | 🠉 | |
Move one cell down | 🠋 | |
Move worksheet one page to the right | Alt + PgDn | |
Move worksheet one page to the left | Alt + PgUp | |
Move worksheet one screen down | PgDn | |
Move worksheet one screen up | PgUp | |
Jump to the right edge of populated cells | Ctrl + 🠊 | |
Jump to the left edge of populated cells | Ctrl + 🠈 | |
Jump to the top of populated cells | Ctrl + 🠉 | |
Jump to the bottom of populated cells | Ctrl + 🠋 | |
Jump to the beginning of row | Home | |
Navigate directly to the last cell in the worksheet | Ctrl + End | |
Navigate directly to the first cell in the worksheet | Ctrl + Home | |
Turn End mode ON/OFF | End | |
Go back to the hyperlink | Ctrl + G + Enter | |
Selection and Special Select | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Select the entire row | Shift + Space | |
Select the entire column | Ctrl + Space | |
Select the entire worksheet | Ctrl + A | |
Move right between non-adjacent selections | Ctrl + Alt + 🠊 | |
Move left between non-adjacent selections | Ctrl + Alt + 🠈 | |
Lock current group of selected cells | Shift + F8 | |
Cancel the selection | Esc | |
Open the “Go To” dialog box | Ctrl + G | |
Select all the cells that contain comments | Ctrl + Shift + O | |
Select current region | Ctrl + A | |
Select current array | Ctrl + / | |
Select row differences | Ctrl + | |
Select column differences | Ctrl + Shift + | | |
Select only the visible cells | Alt + ; | |
Select only the active cell | Shift + Backspace | |
Display the active cell on the worksheet | Ctrl + Backspace | |
Move the active cell up | Enter | |
Move the active cell down | Shift + Enter | |
Move active cell to the right | Tab | |
Move active cell to the left | Shift + Tab | |
Extend Selection | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
By one cell to the right | Shift + 🠊 | |
By one cell to the left | Shift + 🠈 | |
By one cell up | Shift + 🠉 | |
By one cell down | Shift + 🠋 | |
To the rightmost cell | Ctrl + Shift + 🠊 | |
To the leftmost cell | Ctrl + Shift + 🠈 | |
To the last cell up | Ctrl + Shift + 🠉 | |
To the last cell down | Ctrl + Shift + 🠋 | |
By one screen | Shift + PgUp | |
By one screen | Shift + PgDn | |
To the right by one screen | Alt + Shift + PgUp | |
To the left by one screen | Alt + Shift + PgDn | |
To the start of a row | Shift + Home | |
To the first cell in the worksheet | Ctrl + Shift + Home | |
To the last cell in the worksheet | Ctrl + Shift + End | |
Turn Extended mode ON/OFF | F8 | |
Editing And Entering Data
You can use the below editing shortcuts to manipulate cells, rows or columns
Edit Cell | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Edit the active cell | F2 | |
Insert or edit a cell comment | Shift + F2 | |
Cancel selected entry | Esc | |
Select one character toward the right in an active cell | Shift + 🠊 | |
Select one character toward the right in an active cell | Shift + 🠈 | |
Move one word to the right | Ctrl + 🠊 | |
Move one word to the left | Ctrl + 🠈 | |
Select one word to the right | Ctrl + Shift + 🠊 | |
Select one word to the left | Ctrl + Shift + 🠈 | |
Select till the beginning of the cell | Shift + Home | |
Select till the end of the cell | Shift + End | |
Delete to the end of line | Ctrl + Delete | |
Delete characters to the left of cursor | Backspace | |
Delete characters to the left of cursor | Delete | |
Start a new line within the same cell | Alt + Enter | |
Populating Data | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Complete entry and stay in the current cell | Ctrl + Enter | |
Enter the same data in multiple cells | Ctrl + Enter | |
Insert the current date | Ctrl + ; | |
Insert current time | Ctrl + Shift + : | |
Fill down from the above cell | Ctrl + D | |
Fill right from the left cell | Ctrl + R | |
Copy the formula from the cell above | Ctrl + ’ | |
Copy a value from the cell above | Ctrl + Shift + ” | |
Add a hyperlink | Ctrl + K | |
Display the AutoComplete list | Alt + 🠋 | |
Enable flash fill (automatically fill patterned data) | Ctrl + E | |
Formatting
Need to optimize your worksheet with distinct formatting? Excel lets you format specific cells/rows/columns, add/remove number formatting and also lets you do complex scientific calculations.
General Formatting | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Format anything | Ctrl + 1 | |
Displays format cells dialog | Ctrl + Shift + F | |
Apply/Remove bold formatting | Ctrl + B | |
Apply/Remove italics formatting | Ctrl + I | |
Apply/Remove underscoring | Ctrl + U | |
Apply/Remove strikethrough | Ctrl + 5 | |
Center alignment | Alt + H + A + C | |
Left alignment | Alt + H + A + L | |
Right alignment | Alt + H + A + R | |
Apply indent | Alt + H + 6 | |
Remove indent | Alt + H + 5 | |
Increase font size by one step | Ctrl + H + FG | |
Decrease font size by one step | Ctrl + H + FK | |
Number Formatting | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
General formatting | Ctrl + Shift + ~ | |
Percentage formatting | Ctrl + Shift + % | |
Currency formatting | Ctrl + Shift + $ | |
Scientific formatting | Ctrl + Shift + ^ | |
Date formatting | Ctrl + Shift + # | |
Time formatting | Ctrl + Shift + @ | |
Apply number formatting | Ctrl + Shift + ! | |
Formulas | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Toggle between absolute and relative references | ||
Autosum selected cells | Alt + = | |
Toggle formulas | Ctrl + ` | |
Calculate worksheets | F9 | |
Expand/Collapse the formula bar | Ctrl + Shift + U | |
Define name | Ctrl + F3 | |
Accept options with autocomplete | Tab | |
Border Formatting | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Add a border outline | Ctrl + Shift + & | |
Add/remove right border | Alt + R | |
Add/remove the left border | Alr + L | |
Add/Remove top border | Alt + T | |
Add/Remove bottom border | Alt + B | |
Add/Remove horizontal interior border | Alt + H | |
Add/Remove vertical interior border | Alt + V | |
Remove borders | Ctrl + Shift + _ | |
Dialog Boxes And Other Useful Shortcuts
Dialog Box | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Move to the next control | Tab | |
Move to the previous control | Shift + Tab | |
Move to next tab | Ctrl + Tab | |
Move to the last tab | Ctrl + Shift + tab | |
Check/uncheck boxes | Space | |
Accept/Apply | Enter | |
Close/cancel | Esc | |
Miscellaneous | Shortcuts | |
|---|---|---|
Open spelling | F7 | |
Open thesaurus | Shift + 7 | |
Open VBA editor | Alt + F11 | |
Duplicate an object | Ctrl + D | |
Snap to grid | Alt | |
Show/Hide objects | Ctrl + 6 | |
Right-Click menu | Shift + F10 | |
Display control menu | Alt + Space | |
Conclusion
Many of these keyboard shortcuts will intuitively come to you when you start using them often. Learning some of them can not only improve your control in the worksheet but also make you more proficient over time.
Since some shortcuts are understandably hard to remember, you can always refer to this list as your personal guide.
