In this post, We will talk about Microsoft Excel keyboard shortcuts, function keys and some other common shortcut keys used in Microsoft Excel. Shortcut keys are those key combinations that when pressed together or in succession performs an action in the application. They are the easy way of executing Microsoft Excel commands especially when you are working with a huge database.
The keys listed below refers to the United States Keyboard Layout, hence take note of the following;
- If a shortcut requires you to press combination of two or more keys at the same time, I will separate the keys with a plus sign (+)
- If you have to press each key immediately after another, the key will be separated by a comma (,)
- These keys applies to the newer version of Microsoft Excel (2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007)
| Navigation Keys | Description |
| Arrow Keys | These keys are made up of the UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT arrows. They move the cell highlighter up, down, left or right in a workbook. |
| Page Down & Page Up | While the Page Down moves one screen down in a workbook, the Page Up moves one screen up in a worksheet. |
| Alt+Page Down
Alt+Page Up |
Moves the screen to the right once in a workbook
Moves the screen to the left once in a workbook |
| Tab
Shift+Tab |
Moves the Cell-highlighter to right of the workbook
Moves the Cell-highlighter to the left of the workbook |
| Ctrl+Arrow Keys | If there is content on the workbook, it will move you to the beginning and end of the row or column of the information depending on the arrow key used.
If there are no data, it will take the cell highlighter to the end of the Workbook both horizontally and vertically (Row and Column) |
| Home | Move to the beginning of a row in a worksheet |
| Ctrl+Home | Moves to the beginning of a worksheet |
| Ctrl+End | Moves to the last cell with content on a worksheet |
| Ctrl+F | Displays the Find and Replace dialog box with FIND tap already selected. |
| Ctrl+H | This displays the Find & Replace dialog box with REPLACE tab selected. |
| Shift+F4 | Repeats the last Find action (after the Find dialog box is closed) |
| Ctrl+G or F5 | Displays the “Go To” dialog box |
| Alt+Down Arrow | Displays the AutoComplete list. This happens in the cells with dropdowns or Autofilter |
| End | Turns the End mode on. In the End mode, you can press an arrow key to move to the next non-blank cell in the same column or row as the active cell. If the cells are blank, pressing END followed by arrow key moves to the list cell in the row or column. END also selects the last command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible. |
| Cell Selection Keys | Description |
| Shift+Spacebar | Select the entire row |
| Ctrl+Spacebar | Select the entire column |
| Shift+Arrow Keys | Extend the selection by one cell |
| Shift+Page Down or
Shift+Page Up |
Extend the selection down one screen or up one screen |
| Shift+Home | Extend the selection to the beginning of the row |
| Ctrl+Shift+Arrow Key | Extend the selection to the last cell with content in row or column |
| Ctrl+A or
Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar or Ctrl+Shift+* |
Selects the entire worksheet. If the worksheet contains data, Ctrl+A selects the data-containing area only. |
| Ctrl+Shift+Home | Extend the selection to the first cell of the worksheet |
| Ctrl+Shift+End | Extend the selection to the last used cell on the worksheet (Lower-right corner). |
| F2 | Edit Cell |
| Inside Text Block Keys | Description |
| Tab | Moves one cell to the right in a worksheet. Moves between unlocked cells in a protected worksheet. Moves to the next option or option group in a dialog box. |
| Shift+F8 | Enables you to add a nonadjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys. |
| F8 | Turns extend mode on or off. In extend mode, Extended Selection appears in the status line, and the arrow keys extend the selection. |
| Enter | Completes a cell entry from the cell or the Formula Bar, and selects the cell below (by default). In a data from, it moves to the first field in the next record. Opens a selected menu (press F10 to activate the menu bar) or performs the action for a selected command. In a dialog box, it performs the action for the default command button in the dialog box (the button with the bold outline, often the OK button). |
| Shift+Backspace | Select only the active cell when multiple cells are selected |
| Ctrl+Backspace | Show active cell within selection |
| Esc | Cancels an entry in the cell or Formula Bar. Closes an open menu or submenu, dialog box, or message window. It also closes full screen mode when this mode has been applied, and returns to normal screen mode to display the ribbon and status bar again. |
| Edit Cells Keys | Description |
| Ctrl+D | This key works in a Highlighted Column. It copies the value from the cell above the active cell into the selected cells within the same column. It also copies the value from the cell above into all the selected cells. |
| Ctrl+R | Uses the Fill Right command to copy the contents and format of the leftmost cell of a selected range into the cells to the right. |
| Ctrl+ – | Delete Cell, Row, Column Menu |
| Ctrl+Shift+ + | Insert Cell, Row, Column Menu |
| Shift+F2 | Insert or Edit a cell comment |
| Shift+F10, then M | Delete Comment |
| Ctrl+K | Insert a Hyperlink (for complete cell only) |
| Ctrl+9 | Hide the selected rows |
| Ctrl+Shift+9 | Unhide any hidden rows within the selection |
| F2 | Edit the active cell with cursor at the end of the line |
| Alt+Enter | Start a new line in the same cell |
| Shift+Enter | Complete a cell entry and move up in the selection |
| Backspace | Delete the character on the left of the insertion point, or delete the selection |
| 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+’ | Duplicate value from Cell above into current Cell. |
| Excel Basic Keys | Description |
| Shift+F10 | Display the shortcut menu for the selected command (simulates right mouse button) |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo last action |
| Ctrl+Y | Redo last action |
| Ctrl+C | Copy contents of selected cells |
| Ctrl+X | Cut contents of selected cells |
| Ctrl+V | Paste – insert the contents of the Clipboard at the insertion point and replaces any selection. |
| Ctrl+Alt+V | If data exists in clipboard: Display the Paste Special dialog box |
| Format Cell Keys | Description |
| Ctrl+1 (one) | Open Format Cells dialog with last selection active |
| Ctrl+Shift+F | Open Format Cells dialog with Font Tab active |
| Ctrl+B | Apply or remove bold formatting |
| Ctrl+I | Apply or remove italic formatting |
| Ctrl+U | Apply or remove an underline |
| Ctrl+5 | Apply or remove strikethrough formatting |
| Ctrl+Shift+~ | Apply the General number format |
| Ctrl+Shift+1 | Apply the Number format with two decimal places, thousands separator, and minus sign (-) for negative values |
| Ctrl+Shift+2 | Apply the Time format with the hour and minute, and indicate AM or PM |
| Ctrl+Shift+3 | Apply the Date format with the day, month, and year |
| Ctrl+Shift+4 | Apply the Currency format with two decimal places |
| Ctrl+Shift+5 | Apply the Percentage format with no decimal places |
| Ctrl+Shift+6 | Apply the Scientific number format with two decimal places |
| F4 | Repeat last formatting action: Apply previously applied Cell Formatting to a different Cell |
| Basic Border Keys | Description |
| Ctrl+Shift+7 | Apply outline border from cell or selection |
| Ctrl+Shift+_ (underscore) | Remove outline borders from cell or selection |
| Formula Keys | Description |
| = | Start a formula |
| Alt+= | Insert the AutoSum formula |
| Shift+F3 | Display the Insert Function dialog box |
| Ctrl+Shift+A | Insert Arguments in formula after typing formula name |
| Shift+F3 | Insert a function into a formula |
| Ctrl+Shift+Enter | Enter a formula as an array formula |
| F4 | After typing cell reference (eg; =A5) makes reference absolute (=$A$5). Repeat if you want to toogle from absolute reference to parcial or complete removal (eg; $A$5 or A$5 or $A5 or return to A5). |
| Worksheet Keys | Description |
| Ctrl+Page Down
Ctrl+Page Up |
Move to the next/previous worksheet in current workbook |
| Shift+F11
Alt+Shift+F1 |
Insert a new worksheet in current workbook |
| Ctrl+Shift+Page Up
Ctrl+Shift+Page Down |
Select the current and previous sheet.
Select the next sheet in a workbook. |
| F6 | Move to the next pane in a workbook that has been split |
| Shift+F6 | Move to the previous pane in a workbook that has been split |
| Ctrl+F4 | Close the selected workbook window |
| Ctrl+N | Create a new blank workbook (Excel File) |
| Ctrl+Tab | Move to the next application or Workbook File |
| Ctrl+F9 | Minimize current workbook window to an icon also restores (un-maximizes) all workbook windows |
| Ctrl+F10 | Maximize or restores the selected workbook window |
| Ctrl+F7 | Move Workbook windows which are not maximized |
| Ctrl+F8 | Perform size command for workbook windows which are not maximized |
| Alt+F4 | Close Excel |
| Excel Features Keys | Description |
| Ctrl+O | Open File |
| Ctrl+S | Save the active file with its current file name, location, and file format |
| F12 | Display the Save As dialog box |
| F10 or Alt | Turns key tips ON or OFF |
| Ctrl+P | Print File (opens print menu) |
| F1 | Display the Excel Help task pane |
| F7 | Display the Spelling dialog box |
| Shift+F7 | Display the Thesaurus dialog box |
| Alt+F8 | Display the Macro dialog box |
| Alt+F11 | Open the Visual Basic Editor to create Macros |
| Ctrl+F1 | Minimize or restore the Ribbons |
| F1 | Displays the Excel Help task pane |
| Pivot Tables Pane | Description |
| When working with pivot tables, the following Microsoft Excel keyboard shortcuts combinations will help you to quickly execute commands. | |
| Arrow Keys | Navigate inside Pivot tables |
| Home/End | Select the first/last visible item in the list |
| Alt+C | Move the selected field into the Column area |
| Alt+D | Move the selected field into the Data area |
| Alt+L | Display the PivotTable Field dialog box |
| Alt+P | Move the selected field into the Page area |
| Alt+R | Move the selected field into the Row area |
| Ctrl+Shift+* | Select the entire PivotTable Report |
| Space | Select or Clear a check box in the list |
| Ctrl+Tab | Select the PivotTable toolbar |
| Alt+Shift+Arrow Right | Group selected PivotTable items |
| Alt+Shift+Arrow Left | Ungroup selected PivotTable items |
| Unpopular Keys | Description |
| Ctrl+Shift+O | Select all cells with comment |
| Ctrl+6 | Alternate between hiding objects, displaying objects, and displaying placeholders for objects |
| F9 | Calculate all worksheets in all open workbooks |
| Shift+F9 | Calculate the active worksheet |
| Ctrl+Alt+F9 | Calculate all worksheets in all open workbooks, regardless of whether they have changed since last calculation |
| Ctrl+Shift+U | Toggle expand or collapse formula bar |
| Ctrl+F3 | Define a name or dialog |
| Ctrl+Shift+F3 | Create names from row and column labels |
| F3 | Paste a defined name into a formula |
| Ctrl+T | Insert a table (display Create Table dialog box) |
| Alt+F1 | Create and insert chart with data in current range as embedded Chart Object. |
| F11 | Create and insert chart with data in current range in a separate Chart Sheet. |
The above table contains all the constantly used Microsoft Excel keyboard shortcuts, but it is not exhaustive. There are other key combinations that are not listed here. All you need to smoothly navigate through Microsoft Excel is located in the table above.
