Microsoft Excel is an expansive program that allows for the organization of data in many capacities. The spreadsheets are useful for a wide range of applications, but navigating within them can be a difficult task. Use the shortcuts below to better navigate the program and be more productive in the use of Excel.

Even if you’re familiar with Microsoft Excel, you might be surprised by the number and variety of keyboard shortcuts you can use to speed up your work and generally make things more convenient.

Note that in Excel 2010, there are no longer screen reminders of ALT+ menu shortcuts, and some shortcuts may not work. However, all of the CTRL+ keyboard shortcuts will work.



Shortcut Keys

Description

Ctrl + N

Create a New Workbook

Ctrl + O

Open an Existing Workbook

Ctrl + S

Save a Workbook

F12

Open Save As dialogue box

Ctrl + W

Close a Workbook

Ctrl + F4

Close Excel

Shift + F11

Insert a New Worksheet

Ctrl + Z

Undo an Action

Ctrl + Y

Redo an Action

Ctrl + F2

Switch to Print Preview

Alt + Q

Go to the “Tell me what you want to do” box

F1

Open the Help Pane

F7

Check Spelling

F9

Calculate all worksheets in all open workbooks

Shift + F9

Calculate active worksheets

Ctrl + F1

Show or Hide Ribbon

Ctrl + Shift + U

Open or Close Formula Bar

Ctrl + F9

Minimize the workbook window

F11

Create Bar Chart on selected data(separate sheet)

Ctrl + F

Search in a sheet or use Find and Replace

Alt + F

Open the File tab menu

Alt + H

Go to Home Tab

Alt + N

Open the Insert Tab

Alt + P

Go to Page Layout Tab

Alt + M

Open Formulas Tab

Alt + A

Go to Data Tabs

Alt + R

Go to Review Tab

Alt + W

Go to View Tab

Alt + X

Go to Add-ins Tab

Alt + Y

Go to Help Tab

Ctrl + Tab

Switch between open workbooks

Shift + F3

Insert a Function

Alt + F8

Create, Edit, Run or Delete a Macro

Alt + F11

Open the Microsoft Visual Basic For Applications Editor

Shift + Space

Select the entire row

Ctrl + Space

Select the entire column

Ctrl + Shift + * (asterisk)

Select the current region around the active cell

Ctrl + A (or CTRL + Shift + spacebar)

Select the entire worksheet or the data-containing area. Press CTRL + A twice to select entire worksheet

Ctrl + Shift + Page Up

Select the current and previous sheet in a workbook

Ctrl + Shift + O

Select all cells with comments

Shift + Arrow Keys

Extend the selection by one cell

Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Key

Extend the selection to the last cell with content in row or column

Shift + Page Down

Extend the selection one screen down

Shift + Page Up

Extend the selection one screen up

Shift + Home

Extend the selection to the beginning of the row

Ctrl + Shift + Home

Extend the selection to the beginning of the worksheet

Ctrl + Shift + End

Extend the selection to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner)

Shift + Arrow Left

Select or unselect one character to the left

Shift + Arrow Right

Select or unselect one character to the right

Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Left

Select or unselect one word to the left

Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Right

Select or unselect one word to the right

Shift + Home

Select from the insertion point to the beginning of the cell

Shift + End

Select from the insertion point to the end of the cell

Ctrl + C

Copy contents of selected cells

Ctrl + X

Cut contents of selected cells

Ctrl + V

Paste content from clipboard into selected cell

Ctrl + Alt + V

If data exists in clipboard: Display the Paste Special dialog box

Ctrl + Shift + (plus sign)

If data exists in clipboard: Display the Insert dialog box to insert blank cells

F2

Edit the active cell with cursor at end of the line

Alt + Enter

Start a new line in the same cell

Enter

Complete a cell entry and move down in the selection. With multiple cells selected: fill cell range with current cell

Shift + Enter

Complete a cell entry and move up in the selection

Tab

Complete a cell entry and move to the right in the selection

Shift + Tab

Complete a cell entry and move to the left in the selection

Esc

Cancel a cell entry

Delete

Delete the character to the right of the insertion point, or delete the selection

Ctrl + Delete

Delete text to the end of the line

Ctrl + ; (semicolon)

Insert current date

Ctrl + Shift + : (colon)

Insert current time

Ctrl + D

Fill complete cell down (Copy above cell)

Ctrl + R

Fill complete cell to the right (Copy cell from the left)

Ctrl + " (quotation marks)

Fill cell values down and edit (Copy above cell values)

Ctrl + ' (apostrophe)

Fill cell formulas down and edit (Copy above cell formulas)

Ctrl + L

Insert a table (display Create Table dialog box)

Ctrl + - (minus sign)

It will display options to Delete Cell/Row/Column

Ctrl + - (minus sign) with row or column selected

Delete row or column

Ctrl + Shift + + (plus sign)

It will display options to Insert Cell/Row/Column

Ctrl + Shift + + (plus sign) with row or column selected

Insert row or column

Shift+F2

Insert / Edit a cell comment

Shift + F10, then M

Delete comment

Alt + F1

Create and insert chart with data in current range as embedded Chart

F11

Create and insert chart with data in current range in a separate Chart sheet

Ctrl + K

Insert a hyperlink

Ctrl + 9

Hide the selected rows

Ctrl + Shift + 9

Unhide any hidden rows within the selection

Ctrl + 0 (zero)

Hide the selected rows

Alt + Shift + Arrow Right

Group rows or columns

Alt + Shift + Arrow Left

Ungroup rows or columns

Ctrl + Shift + L

Apply the Filter on selected row and sort on the current range
&
Apply same to remove filter

  • Press Alt , it will show all the shortcut keys on the Ribbon.
 

The more you use keyboard shortcuts, the easier they are to remember. And no one expects you to memorize all of them. Hopefully, you’ve found a few new ones you can use to make your life in Excel a little better.

Need more help with keyboard shortcuts? You can access Help anytime by pressing F1. This opens a Help pane and allows you to search for help on any topic. Search for “keyboard shortcuts” to learn more. Thank you readers have a good day 😊