Programs · 79 shortcuts

Excel keyboard shortcuts

Excel has hundreds of shortcuts. This page lists the ones that pay for the effort of learning them, grouped by task. The first column is for Excel on Windows and the second for Excel on the Mac. Where the Mac column is empty, the Windows keys usually work with Cmd in place of Ctrl, or there is no single equivalent.

Find a shortcut on this page

The twelve to learn first

Ctrl + Arrow key jumps to the edge of the data. It is the fastest way around a big sheet.
Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key selects to the edge of the data.
Ctrl + Space selects the column, and Shift + Space the row.
F2 edits the cell without the mouse.
F4 adds dollar signs to a reference while editing, and repeats the last action otherwise.
Alt + = inserts a SUM for the cells above or beside.
Ctrl + D fills down from the cell above.
Ctrl + ; enters today's date.
Ctrl + 1 opens Format Cells.
Ctrl + Shift + L switches filter buttons on and off.
Ctrl + T turns the data into a table.
Ctrl + Z undoes. Use it freely.

Windows	Mac	What it does
`Arrow keys`	`Arrow keys`	Move one cell
`Ctrl` + `Arrow key`	`Cmd` + `Arrow key`	Jump to the edge of the current block of data
`Home`	`Fn` + `Left arrow`	Go to the start of the row
`Ctrl` + `Home`	`Ctrl` + `Fn` + `Left arrow`	Go to cell A1
`Ctrl` + `End`	`Ctrl` + `Fn` + `Right arrow`	Go to the last used cell
`Page Down` or `Page Up`	`Fn` + `Down arrow` or `Fn` + `Up arrow`	Move one screen down or up
`Alt` + `Page Down` or `Alt` + `Page Up`		\| Move one screen right or left
`Ctrl` + `Page Down`	`Option` + `Right arrow`	Go to the next sheet
`Ctrl` + `Page Up`	`Option` + `Left arrow`	Go to the previous sheet
`Ctrl` + `G` or `F5`	`Ctrl` + `G`	Open Go To
`Ctrl` + `F`	`Cmd` + `F`	Find
`Ctrl` + `H`	`Ctrl` + `H`	Find and replace
`Tab`	`Tab`	Move one cell right
`Enter`	`Return`	Move one cell down
`Shift` + `Enter`	`Shift` + `Return`	Move one cell up

Windows	Mac	What it does
`Shift` + `Arrow key`	`Shift` + `Arrow key`	Extend the selection by one cell
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Arrow key`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `Arrow key`	Extend the selection to the edge of the data
`Ctrl` + `A`	`Cmd` + `A`	Select the current block of data; press again for the whole sheet
`Ctrl` + `Space`	`Ctrl` + `Space`	Select the whole column
`Shift` + `Space`	`Shift` + `Space`	Select the whole row
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `End`		\| Extend the selection to the last used cell
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `*`		\| Select the block of data around the active cell
`Alt` + `;`		\| Select only the visible cells, leaving out hidden rows

Windows	Mac	What it does
`F2`	`Ctrl` + `U`	Edit the active cell
`Esc`	`Esc`	Cancel the entry
`Alt` + `Enter`	`Option` + `Return`	Start a new line inside the cell
`Ctrl` + `Enter`	`Ctrl` + `Return`	Enter the same thing in every selected cell
`Ctrl` + `D`	`Cmd` + `D`	Fill down from the cell above
`Ctrl` + `R`	`Cmd` + `R`	Fill right from the cell to the left
`Ctrl` + `E`		\| Flash Fill
`Ctrl` + `;`	`Ctrl` + `;`	Enter today's date
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `;`	`Cmd` + `;`	Enter the current time
`Ctrl` + `'`		\| Copy the formula from the cell above
`Ctrl` + `Z`	`Cmd` + `Z`	Undo
`Ctrl` + `Y`	`Cmd` + `Y`	Redo
`Ctrl` + `C`, `Ctrl` + `X`, `Ctrl` + `V`	`Cmd` + `C`, `Cmd` + `X`, `Cmd` + `V`	Copy, cut, paste
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `V`	`Ctrl` + `Cmd` + `V`	Open Paste Special
`Delete`	`Fn` + `Delete`	Clear the contents of the selected cells

Windows	Mac	What it does
`=`	`=`	Start a formula
`Alt` + `=`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `T`	AutoSum
`F4`	`Cmd` + `T`	Cycle a reference through $A$1, A$1, $A1 and A1 while editing
`Tab`	`Tab`	Accept the suggested function name
`Ctrl` + `	`Ctrl` + `	Show formulas instead of results, and back
`F9`	`F9`	Recalculate all open workbooks
`Shift` + `F9`	`Shift` + `F9`	Recalculate the active sheet
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Enter`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Return`	Enter an array formula in older versions of Excel
`Shift` + `F3`	`Shift` + `F3`	Open Insert Function
`Ctrl` + `[`		\| Go to the cells this formula refers to
`F3`		\| Paste a defined name into the formula

Windows	Mac	What it does
`Ctrl` + `1`	`Cmd` + `1`	Open Format Cells
`Ctrl` + `B`	`Cmd` + `B`	Bold
`Ctrl` + `I`	`Cmd` + `I`	Italic
`Ctrl` + `U`	`Cmd` + `U`	Underline
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `$`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `$`	Currency format
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `%`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `%`	Percentage format
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `#`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `#`	Date format
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `!`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `!`	Number format with two decimals and a thousands separator
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `~`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `~`	General format
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `&`	`Cmd` + `Option` + `0`	Put a border round the selection
`Ctrl` + `5`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `X`	Strikethrough

Windows	Mac	What it does
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `+`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `=`	Insert cells, rows or columns
`Ctrl` + `-`	`Cmd` + `-`	Delete cells, rows or columns
`Ctrl` + `9`	`Ctrl` + `9`	Hide the selected rows
`Ctrl` + `0`	`Ctrl` + `0`	Hide the selected columns
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `9`	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `9`	Unhide rows within the selection
`Shift` + `F11`	`Shift` + `F11`	Insert a new sheet
`Alt` + `Shift` + `Right arrow`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `K`	Group the selected rows or columns
`Alt` + `Shift` + `Left arrow`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `J`	Ungroup

Windows	Mac	What it does
`Ctrl` + `T`	`Cmd` + `T`	Make the data into a table
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `L`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `F`	Filter buttons on or off
`Alt` + `Down arrow`	`Option` + `Down arrow`	Open the filter or drop-down list of the active cell
`Ctrl` + `N`	`Cmd` + `N`	New workbook
`Ctrl` + `O`	`Cmd` + `O`	Open
`Ctrl` + `S`	`Cmd` + `S`	Save
`F12`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `S`	Save As
`Ctrl` + `P`	`Cmd` + `P`	Print
`Ctrl` + `W`	`Cmd` + `W`	Close the workbook
`Ctrl` + `F1`	`Cmd` + `Option` + `R`	Show or hide the ribbon
`Alt`		\| Show the key tips on the ribbon

The Alt key opens the whole ribbon

On Windows, press and release Alt and small letters appear over the ribbon tabs. Press a letter to open a tab, then the letter over the command you want. So every command in Excel has a keyboard route, even without a shortcut of its own. Some worth remembering:

Alt, H, O, I fits the column width to its contents.
Alt, H, V, V pastes values only.
Alt, W, F, F freezes panes at the active cell.
Alt, A, C clears a filter.
Alt, N, V inserts a PivotTable.

These are typed one key after another, not held together.

Selecting a whole table quickly

Click any cell of the data and press Ctrl + A. Excel selects the block bounded by empty rows and columns. From a corner, Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow then Ctrl + Shift + Down arrow does the same and lets you stop part of the way.

A blank row or column inside the data stops these jumps, which is one good reason to keep data free of gaps.

Laptops and the F keys

On many laptops the top row controls brightness and volume, and F2, F4 and the rest need Fn held as well. Most laptops have an Fn Lock, often Fn + Esc, that swaps this round. For anyone who uses Excel daily, it is worth switching.

More than this page

Excel's Help has the complete list for each version. For the formulas themselves, see our site on Excel formulas.

This is an independent reference site. It is not connected with Microsoft, Apple, Google or any other maker of the programs named here. Product names belong to their owners and are used only to say where a shortcut works. Programs change; if a shortcut does not work for you, check the program's own help.