In this chapter, we will learn about the commonly used Excel shortcuts, the keyboard shortcuts, and their description in Windows. Navigating between the different tabs and searching for the correct options slows the workflow. Whether novices or Excel experts, keyboard shortcuts have tremendous advantages, such as saving your precious time, enabling you to manipulate data quickly, formatting cells, creating and managing pivot tables, and adding borders, charts, and graphs.
Compatibility
These keyboard shortcuts are used in the following version of the MS Excel −
Excel for Microsoft 365
Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac
Excel for the web
Excel 2024
Excel 2024 for Mac
Excel 2021
Excel 2021 for Mac
Excel 2019
Excel 2016
Excel for iPad
Excel for iPhone
Excel for Android tablets
Excel for Android phones
Excel Mobile
Most Commonly Used Shortcuts
The most frequently used Excel shortcuts keys are listed below −
Shortcut keys
Functionality
Ctrl+N
Open a new worksheet.
Ctrl+S
Save a workbook.
Ctrl+C
Copy selected data.
Ctrl+V
Paste the selected data.
Ctrl+Z
Undo recent changes.
Ctrl+O
Open a workbook.
Ctrl+W
Close a workbook.
Ctrl+B
Bold formatting.
Alt+N
Navigate to the Insert tab.
Alt+A
Navigate to the Data tab.
Alt+W
Navigate to the View tab.
Alt+M
Navigate to the Formula tab.
Alt+P
Navigate to the Page Layout tab.
Alt+H,A,C
Centre Alignment.
Ctrl+U
Underline formatting.
Ctrl+I
Italic Formatting.
Ribbon Keyboard Shortcuts in Excel
The ribbon consists of numerous tabs and different icons. Each tab presents related options in various groups through which users can perform specific actions. Once you press the Alt key, the letters, known as key tips, are populated on the ribbon to make an Access key. For example, you can press the Ctrl+W access keys to navigate to the View tab.
The list of the Access keys, along with their description, are as follows −
Access keys
Description
Alt+F
Switch to the File tab.
Alt+H
Move to the Home tab.
Alt+N
Switch to the Insert tab.
Alt+JI
Switch to the Draw tab.
Alt+P
Switch to the Page Layout tab.
Alt+M
Switch to the Formulas tab.
Alt+A
Switch to the Data tab.
Alt+R
Switch to the Review tab.
Alt+W
Move to the View tab.
Alt+L
Switch to the Developer tab.
Alt+Y
Switch to the Help tab.
Alt+Q
Go to the Search/Tell Me tab.
Alt+ZC
To open a comment dialog box.
Alt+ZS
Navigate to the Share button.
Shortcuts Keys for Navigation in Cell
Shortcuts
Description
Ctrl+Up arrow
Move to the first row of the selected column.
Ctrl+Down arrow
Move to the last row of the selected column.
Left side arrow
Shift to the preceding cell horizontally.
Right side arrow
Shift to the next cell horizontally.
Upward arrow
Move to the upper cell vertically.
Downward side arrow
Move to the downward cell vertically.
Ctrl+Right arrow
Directly shift to the last edge of the current data region.
Ctrl+Left arrow
Directly shift to the left edge of the current data region.
Ctrl+Upward arrow
Shift to the first edge of the current data region.
Ctrl+Downward arrow
Shift to the end edge of the current data region.
Ctrl+Pg up
Navigate to the previous worksheet.
Ctrl+Pg dn
Navigate to the next worksheet.
Pg up
Shift to a screen up in the active worksheet.
Pg dn
Shift to a screen downward in the active worksheet.
Tab
Shift to the next cell in the same row.
Ctrl+Home
Shift to the start of the worksheet.
Alt+Downward arrow
Display the list of the multiple values through which a selected option can be chosen.
Esc
Switch to normal navigation and terminate the floating shape navigation.
Shortcut Keys for the Cell Formatting
Shortcuts
Description
Shift+F2
To insert or edit a short note.
Ctrl+Shift+F2
To open and write a comment.
Ctrl+;
To insert today's date.
Ctrl+Shift+:
To display the current time.
Ctrl+ Apostrophe(')
Insert the same data copied from the upward cell.
Ctrl+1
Open a Format cells dialog box.
Ctrl+`
Expanding the columns' size.
Ctrl+Alt+V
To open the Paste Special dialog box.
Ctrl+Shift+%
To employ the Percent format without decimals.
Ctrl+5
To delete or employ the Strikethrough Formatting.
Ctrl+Shift+~
To use the General number Formatting.
Ctrl+Shift+$
To use the Currency Formatting.
Ctrl+Shift+^
To employ the Scientific number format.
Ctrl+Shift+#
To employ the Date formatting.
Ctrl+Shift+@
To employ the Time formatting in AM or PM.
Ctrl+Shift+_
Delete the outer border from the selected cells.
Ctrl+Shift+&
Insert the outer border on the selected cells.
Ctrl+K
Display a Hyperlink dialog box.
Ctrl+Shift+G
Open a Workbook Statistics dialog box.
Ctrl+T
To populate the Create table dialog box.
F7
Spell checker in selected cell range.
Ctrl+6
It works in three modes: the first mode hides objects, the second showcases all objects, and the third showcases the placeholders only.
Ctrl+D
To enable the Fill Down command.
Ctrl+Shift+
To populate the Insert dialog box.
Ctrl+-
To populate the Delete dialog box.
Ctrl+Q
To showcase the Quick Analysis options.
Shortcut Keys for Refreshing Data
Shortcuts
Description
Ctrl+Alt+5
Refresh information in the specific workbook.
Esc
Halt refresh operation.
Ctrl+F5
Refresh information in the active worksheet.
How to apply shortcuts in the formula bar and functions in Microsoft Excel?
Shortcuts
Description
F9
Reevaluation of formulas in all worksheets of the active workbook.
Shift+F9
Reevaluation of formulas only in the present worksheet.
Shift+F3
Open an Insert Function dialog box.
Alt+F1
Embed a chart based on the existing range of data.
Alt+F11
Open the VBA editor.
Alt+F12
Open the Power Query Editor.
Alt+F8
Remove, modify, and create a macro.
F11
Depending on the data range, create a chart on a different sheet.
Ctrl+E
To enable the Flash Fill feature.
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F9
Verify all the dependent formulas.
Alt+Shift+F10
To populate the menu, use the Error Checking button.
Ctrl+A
Open a Function Arguments dialog box.
Enter
Switch to the next cell downward.
F3
A specific name is pasted from the Paste Name dialog box.
Alt+M
Define a name for cell references.
Ctrl+End
Switch to the last used cell in the active worksheet.
Ctrl+Shift+End
To highlight the cell, range from the cursor location to the end of the used data.
Ctrl+Shift+U
To collapse or increase the size of the formula bar.
Keyword Shortcuts for Power Pivot
Shortcuts
Description
Ctrl+S
Save a file.
Ctrl+C
Copy the selected part of the table.
Ctrl+D
Remove a table.
Ctrl+M
Change the position of a table.
Ctrl+R
You can modify the name of a table.
Ctrl+A
Select all the rows and columns of the table.
Ctrl+Z
Undo the recent changes action.
Ctrl+Y
Redo the recent action.
Ctrl+Pg up
Switch to the preceding table.
Ctrl+Pg dn
Switch to the following table.
Ctrl+Spacebar
Select the current column.
Shift+Spacebar
Select the current row.
Ctrl+Home
Navigate to the selected table's first cell.
Ctrl+End
Navigate to the selected table's last cell.
Ctrl+Left arrow
Shifted to the selected row's start cell.
Ctrl+Right arrow
Shifted to the selected row's last cell.
Ctrl+Up arrow
Shifted to the selected column's first cell.
Ctrl+Down arrow
Shifted to the selected column's last cell.
F5
Display Go To dialog box.
F9
Cross-checking of all formulas.
Ctrl+Esc
Terminate a specific operation.
Alt+Down arrow
Open an AutoFilter Menu window.
Shortcut Keys for Editing Data in Cell
Shortcuts
Description
Ctrl+L
Open an Insert table dialog box.
Ctrl+X
Cut a selected cell's content.
Ctrl+C
Copy selected data.
Ctrl+V
Paste the selected data.
Ctrl+Y
Redo an Action.
Ctrl+Z
Undo recent changes in data.
Alt+Enter
Begin a new line in the same cell.
Shift+F3
Open an Insert Function dialog box.
Ctrl+K
Open Insert Hyperlink dialog box.
Ctrl+Shift+L
To On/Off Auto filter option.
Ctrl+Shift+>
Increase the size of the font.
Ctrl+Shift+
Decrease the size of the font.
Alt+Windows logo, H, I, R
Add a row upward to the selected row.
Alt+Windows logo, H, I, C
Add a column to the left side of the selected column.
Excel Shortcut Keys in the Paste Special Dialog Box
Various options are available in the Paste Special dialog box to paste the cell content, formulas, numbers formatting, and notes and comments in the target cell. Press the Ctrl+Alt+V keys to open the Paste Special dialog box. After that, you can use the following shortcut keys to use the options available in this dialog box,
Shortcut keys
Description
N
Paste only the data validation.
H
Paste the formats as well as the copied contents.
W
Paste the column widths only.
R
Paste only number formats and formulas.
C
Paste only the notes and comments.
T
Paste the formats only.
V
Paste only field values that dont contain formulas.
A
Paste all contents, including cell formatting.
F
Paste only formulas.
U
Paste only number formats and values that dont contain formulas.
X
Paste the contents with no borders from the copied cells.
Excel Shortcut keys to Perform Specific Actions and Selections
Shortcuts
Description
Ctrl+Enter
Fill handle to the selected range of cells.
Shift+Enter
Select the upward cell vertically.
Ctrl+A
There are three modes: In the first mode, select the current data region. In the second mode, select the current data region and summarized rows. In the third mode, select the complete worksheet.
Ctrl+Spacebar
Choose the complete column of the active cell.
Shift+Spacebar
Choose the complete row of the active cell.
Ctrl+Shift+Home
Select the cell range from the starting cell to that active cell in a worksheet.
Ctrl+Y
Perform the last action again.
Shift+F8
Add or delete selections using arrows.
F8
It enables you to Extend Selection. You may press once more to put it off.
Ctrl+Shift+Pg up
Select the active worksheet and the following worksheet in a workbook.
Ctrl+Shift+Pg dn
Select the active worksheet and the preceding worksheet in a workbook.
Ctrl+Shift+*
Choose the current region.
Excel Shortcuts for the Function Keys
Shortcuts
Description
F1
Open the Help task pane.
F2
Enable the editing in the current cell.
F3
Open the Paste Name dialog box.
F4
Perform the previous action again.
F5
Open the Go To dialog box.
Ctrl+F5
Decrease the Excel window size.
F6
Navigate between the worksheet, ribbon.
F7
Display the Spelling dialog box.
F8
Turn on/off the extend mode.
F9
Cross-checking of all formulas in opened workbooks.
F10
Populate the key tips.
F11
Create a chart of the current region in a different Chart sheet.
F12
Open the Save As dialog box.
Ctrl+F1
Hide/Populate the ribbon.
Alt+F1
Insert the chart of the current cell range of data.
Ctrl+Shift+F1
Display worksheet in full-screen mode.
Shift+F2
Insert or add a note.
Ctrl+F2
Display the print preview area.
Shift+F3
Open an Insert Function dialog box.
Ctrl+F4
Close the active workbook.
Alt+F4
Close Excel.
Ctrl+F6
Navigate between only two Excel workbooks.
Ctrl+Shift+F6
Navigate between all Excel workbooks.
Ctrl+F7
Conduct the Move command only in the case of the resizable Excel window. Use the arrow keys to change the window's position. Press Enter to finish or Esc to cancel.
Shift+F8
Activate the Size command.
Shift+F9
Compute the formulas in the active worksheet.
Ctrl+F9
Minimize a workbook window.
Shift+F10
Open the context menu from which a specific option can be selected.
Shift+F11
Insert a new worksheet.
Excel Shortcuts of the Alt key for Active Worksheets and Borders
Shortcuts
Description
Alt+W+P
Display the active worksheet in the Page Layout view.
Alt+W+L
Restore the worksheet to the normal view.
Alt+W+I
Display the active worksheet in the Page Break Preview view.
