There is no shortcut to success. Well.. there is when it comes to Excel.
If you want to be a lot more efficient in using Excel, I recommend you learn about some of the shortcuts and start using them as a part of your daily work.
You don’t need to know all the shortcuts (of course!), but it would be a big time saver to learn some to-do things you need to do daily/weekly.
Here is a list of 200+ Excel Keyboard Shortcuts that will save you tons of time.
Workbook Related Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Create a new blank Workbook | Ctrl + N | ⌘ + N |
| Displays the Open Dialog box to Open/Find a file | Ctrl + O | ⌘ + O |
| Saves the Workbook with its current file name, location, and file type | Ctrl + S | ⌘ + S |
| Opens the Save As dialog box | F12 | ⌘ + ⇧ + S |
| Opens the Print Preview Window | Ctrl + F2 | ⌘ + P |
| Maximize or Restore Selected Workbook Window | Ctrl + F10 | |
| Minimize Workbook | Ctrl + F9 | |
| Switch to the Next Workbook | Ctrl + Tab | |
| Switch to the Previous Workbook | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | |
| Close Current Workbook | ALT + F4 |
Excel Cell Editing Shortcut
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Edit Active Cell | F2 |
| Start a New Line in the Same Cell | ALT + ENTER |
| Select One Character on the Right of the Cursor | SHIFT → |
| Select One Character on the Left of the Cursor | SHIFT ← |
| Jump one Word on the Right of the Cursor | Ctrl → |
| Jump one Word on the Left of the Cursor | Ctrl ← |
| Select one Word on the Right of the Cursor | Ctrl Shift → |
| Select one Word on the Left of the Cursor | Ctrl Shift ← |
| Delete One Character on the Left of the Cursor | Backspace |
| Delete One Character on the Right of the Cursor | Delete |
| Delete to the End of the line (from the cursor) | Ctrl + Delete |
| Cancel Entry | Esc |
Navigation Shortcuts in Excel
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move One Cell Up | ↑ |
| Move One Cell Down | ↓ |
| Move One Cell to the Right | → |
| Move One Cell to the Left | ← |
| Down One Screen | PageDown |
| Up One Screen | PageUp |
| Move One Screen to the Right | Alt + PageDown |
| Move One Screen to the Left | Alt + PageUp |
| Move to the Right Edge of the Data Region | Ctrl → |
| Move to the Left Edge of Data Region | Ctrl ← |
| Move to the Bottom edge of the data region | Ctrl ↓ |
| Move to the Top Edge of Data Region | Ctrl ↑ |
| Move to the Bottom-right used Cell in the Worksheet | Ctrl + End |
| Go to the First Cell in the Current Region | Ctrl + Home |
| Move to the Beginning of the Row | Home |
| Move to Next Worksheet | Ctrl + PageDown |
| Move to the Previous Worksheet | Ctrl + PageUp |
General Excel Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Opens Help | F1 |
| Repeats the last command or action | Ctrl + Y |
| Repeats the Last Action | F4 |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z |
| Spell Check | F7 |
| Apply Data Filter | Ctrl + Shift + L |
| Activate Filter (when the cell with filter is selected) | Alt + ↓ |
| Display Go To Dialog Box | F5 |
| Display Go To Dialog Box | Ctrl + G |
| Recalculate All Workbooks | F9 |
| Calculate Active Worksheet | Shift + F9 |
| Display the Print Menu | Ctrl + P |
| Turn On End Mode | End |
Cut, Copy, and Paste Shortcuts in Excel
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy Selected Cells | Ctrl + C |
| Cut Selected Cells | Ctrl + X |
| Paste Content from the Clipboard | Ctrl + V |
| Copy Formula from the Cell Above | Ctrl + ‘ |
| Copy Value from the Cell Above | Ctrl + SHIFT + ‘ |
| Display Paste Special Dialog Box | Ctrl + Alt + V |
Data Entry Shortcuts in Excel
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Enter and Move Down | Enter |
| Enter and Remain on the Same Cell | Control + Enter |
| Enter and Move Up | Shift + Enter |
| Enter and Move right | Tab |
| Enter and Move Left | Shift + Tab |
| Enter Same Data in All Selected Cells | Control + Enter |
| Display AutoComplete list | Alt + ↓ |
| Fill Down | Ctrl + D |
| Fill Right | Ctrl + R |
| Insert Current Date | Ctrl + ; |
| Insert Current Time | Ctrl + Shift + ; |
| Start a New Line in the Same Cell | Alt + Enter |
| Cancel Cell Entry | ESC |
Clear Shortcuts in Excel
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Clear Everything | Alt + H + E + A |
| Clear Formats Only | Alt + H + E + F |
| Clear Content Only | Alt + H + E + C |
| Clear Hyperlinks Only | Alt + H + E + L |
| Clear Comments Only | Alt + H + E + M |
Selection Shortcuts in Excel
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select the Current Region / Select All | Ctrl + A |
| Select Visible Cells in the Current Region | Alt + ; |
| Select the Current Region Around the Active Cell | Ctrl + Shift + * |
| Select Entire Row | Shift + Space |
| Select Entire Column | Ctrl + Space |
| Select All Cells that Contain Comments | Ctrl + Shift + O |
| Select Row Differences | Ctrl + \ |
| Select Column Differences | Ctrl + Shift + | |
| Select Direct Precedents | Ctrl + [ |
| Select all Precedents | Ctrl + Shift + { |
| Select Direct Dependents | Ctrl + ] |
| Select all Dependents | Ctrl + Shift + } |
Extending the Selection Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Extend Selection to the Right by One Cell | Shift + → |
| Extend Selection to the Left by One Cell | Shift + ← |
| Extend Selection Upwards by One Cell | Shift + ↑ |
| Extend Selection Downwards by One Cell | Shift + ↓ |
| Extend the Selection to the Right till the Last Cell | Ctrl + Shift + → |
| Extend the Selection to the Left till the Last Cell | Ctrl + Shift + ← |
| Extend the Selection Upwards to the Last Cell | Ctrl + Shift + ↑ |
| Extend Selection Upwards by One Screen | Shift + PageUp |
| Extend Selection Downwards by One Screen | Shift + PageDown |
| Extend Selection to the Right by One Screen | ALT + Shift + PageUp |
| Extend Selection to the Left by One Screen | ALT + Shift + PageDown |
| Extend Selection to the Start of the Row | Shift + Home |
| Extend Selection to First Cell in the Worksheet | Ctrl + Shift + Home |
| Extend Selection to the Last Cell in the Worksheet | Ctrl + Shift + End |
| Toggle Extend Selection Mode | F8 |
Alignment Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Align Content to the Center of the Cell | Alt + H + A + C |
| Align Content to the Left of the Cell | Alt + H + A + L |
| Align Content to the Right of the Cell | Alt + H + A + R |
| Align Content to the Middle of the Cell | Alt + H + A + M |
Hide/Unhide (Rows, Columns, Objects) Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Hide Selected Rows | Ctrl + 9 |
| Hide Selected Columns | Ctrl + 0 |
| Unhide Hidden Rows in Selection | Ctrl + Shift + 9 |
| Unhide Hidden Columns in Selection | Ctrl + Shift + 0 |
| Show/Hide Objects | Ctrl + 6 |
Insert Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Insert New Line in the Same Cell | Alt + Enter |
| Insert New Worksheet | Shift + F11 |
| Insert Row/Cell (shows a dialog box) | Ctrl + Shift + = |
| Insert Current Date | Ctrl + ; |
| Insert Current Time | Ctrl + Shift + ; |
| Insert Table | Ctrl + T |
| Insert Hyperlink | Ctrl + K |
| Insert Argument Names into Formula | Ctrl + Shift + A |
| Insert/Edit Cell Comment | Shift + F2 |
| Delete Row/Cell (shows the dialog box) | Ctrl – |
Formatting Shortcuts in Excel
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Make Text Bold | Ctrl + B |
| Make Text Italics | Ctrl + I |
| Place outline Border around the Selected Cells | Ctrl + Shift + 7 |
| Remove Outline Border | Ctrl + Shift + _ |
| Underline Text | Ctrl + U |
| Apply Strikethrough Format | Ctrl + 5 |
| Apply Indent | Alt H 6 |
| Remove Indent | Alt H 5 |
| Increase Font Size by One Step | Alt H F G |
| Decrease Font Size by One Step | Alt H F K |
| Apply the Number format with Two Decimal Places, Thousands Separator, and a Minus Sign for Negative Values | Ctrl + Shift + ! |
| Apply the Date format with the Day, Month, and Year | Ctrl + Shift + # |
| Apply the Currency Format with Two Decimal Places | Ctrl + Shift + $ |
| Apply the Percentage Format with No Decimal Places | Ctrl + Shift + % |
| Apply the Time format with the Hour and Minute, and indicate AM or PM | Ctrl + Shift + @ |
| Apply the General Number Format | Ctrl + Shift + ~ |
| Apply the Exponential Format | Ctrl + Shift + ^ |
| Displays the Format Style Dialog Box | Alt + ‘ |
| Displays the Format Cells Dialog Box | Ctrl + 1 |
| Displays the Font Dialog Box | Shift + Ctrl + F |
Also read: How to Describe Excel Skills in a Resume?
Excel Formula-Related Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Insert Autosum Formula | Alt + = |
| While Typing a Formula, Switches Cell Reference from Absolute to Relative | F4 |
| Expand/Collapse Formula Bar | Ctrl + Shift + U |
| Display the Insert Function Dialog Box | Shift + F3 |
| Enter a Formula as an Array Formula | Ctrl + Shift + Enter |
| Evaluate Part of the Formula | F9 |
| Select the Array Containing the Active Cell | CTRL + / |
| Select All Cells Directly or Indirectly Referenced by Formulas in the Selection | CTRL + [ |
| Select Cells that Contain Formulas that Directly or Indirectly Reference the Active Cell | CTRL + ] |
| Toggle Value/Formula display | Ctrl + ` |
| Rechecks dependent formulas and then calculates all cells in all the open workbooks | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F9 |
Find and Replace Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Display Find and Replace Dialog Box (Find Selected) | Ctrl + F |
| Display Find and Replace Dialog Box (Replace Selected) | Ctrl + H |
| Find Next Match | Shift + F4 |
| Find the Previous Match | Ctrl + Shift + F4 |
Conditional Formatting Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Conditional Formatting Dialog Box | Alt O D |
| Clear Conditional from Selected Cells | Alt H L C S |
| Clear Conditional from the Entire Worksheet | Alt H L C E |
Charting Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Inserts Chart in the Worksheet (using the selected data) | Alt + F1 |
| Inserts a ChartSheet with a Chart (using the selected data) | F11 |
Drag (Mouse) Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Drag and Copy the selected cells | Ctrl + Drag |
| Drag and Cut the selected cells | Drag |
| Duplicate Worksheet | Ctrl + Drag |
| Switch Position of Cells/Rows/Columns | Shift + Drag |
Named Ranges Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Get a List of All Defined Named Ranges | F3 |
| Create Named Range from Selection | Ctrl + Shift + F3 |
| Define Name Dialog Box | Ctrl + F3 |
Pivot Table Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Display Insert Pivot Table Dialog Box | Alt + N + V |
| Open Pivot Table Wizard | Alt + D + P |
| Select Entire Pivot Table (excluding Report Filters) | Ctrl + A |
| Add/Remove Checkmark for Selected Field in PivotTable Field List | Space |
| Group Selected Pivot Table Items | Alt + Shift + → |
| UnGroup Pivot Table Items | Alt + Shift + ← |
| Select the Next Item in PivotTable Field List or Items List | ↓ |
| Select a Previous Item in PivotTable Field List or Items List | ↑ |
| Select Last Visible Item in List | End |
| Select First Visible Item in List | Home |
| Open Field List for Active Cell | Alt + ↓ |
| Hide Selected Item or Field | Ctrl + – |
| Opens Calculated Field dialog box (when the data field is selected) | Shift + Ctrl + = |
| Opens Calculated Item Dialog box (when field heading cell is Selected) | Shift + Ctrl + = |
Others Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Restore Window Size | Ctrl + F5 |
| Move Window | Ctrl + F7 |
| Resize Window | Ctrl + F8 |
| Previous Window | Ctrl + Shift + F6 |
| Next Pane | F6 |
| Previous Pane | F8 |
| Extend Mode | Shift + F10 |
| Display Shortcut Menu | Shift + F6 |
| Turns On the Add to Selection Mode | Shift + F8 |
VBA Shortcuts
| What it Does? | Windows Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Opens the VBA Editor and also switches between Excel Worksheet and the VBA editor | Alt + F11 |
| Open VB Help | F1 |
| View Object Browser | F2 |
| View Properties | F4 |
| View Code window | F7 |
| View Immediate window | Ctrl + G |
| View Shortcut Menu | Shift + F10 |
| Run a Sub/UserForm | F5 |
| Step Into the code | F8 |
| Step Over | Shift + F8 |
| Step Out | Ctrl + Shift + F8 |
| Run to Cursor | Ctrl + F8 |
| Toggle Breakpoint | F9 |
| Clear All Breakpoints | Ctrl + F9 |
| Close VBA Editor and Return to the Excel Worksheet | Alt + Q |
Useful Excel Resources:
- 20 Excel Keyboard Shortcuts that Will Impress Your Boss.
- 100+ Excel Interview Questions + Answers.
- Excel Functions (Videos + Examples).
- Free Excel Templates.
- Free Online Excel Training.
- 20 Advanced Excel Functions and Formulas (for Excel Pros)
- 10 Excel Pivot Table Keyboard Shortcuts
- How to Insert Symbols in Excel
1 thought on “200+ Excel Keyboard Shortcuts”
Thank you sumit bansal, your short cut list is very helpful for me.