But, did you know some helpful keyboard shortcuts can be used to significantly increase your efficiency when using MS Excel? But what are those?
Let's take a quick look, and uncover some of the most useful and common ones you may want to master ASAP.
*Quick note before we continue, all of the shortcuts in this guide are for Windows users. If you use Excel on Mac, you might want to check out this great guide.
What are Excel shortcuts?
If you are an Excel veteran, the following section will provide a basic overview of shortcuts and cover the basic terms used in Excel. You may want to jump to the shortcut section instead of going over old ground.
For those still reading this section, using Excel shortcuts or shortcut keys is an often neglected way to increase productivity when working with an Excel spreadsheet.
Have you ever used Ctrl + C? What about Ctrl + V? That's right, these let you copy and paste data. They also happen to be examples of shortcuts.
When used in place of clicking on the toolbar, these shortcut keys carry out tasks quickly and can significantly boost productivity and speed. Compare moving your hand to the mouse, moving the mouse, and clicking numerous times to merely tapping two or three keys on the keyboard.
The time and effort this saves can be significant if you use Excel day-in-day-out. They are worth learning and mastering.
There are also countless keyboard shortcuts for Excel that can boost productivity. These shortcuts may do a wide range of tasks, from simple spreadsheet scrolling to formula filling and data grouping.
But, before we get into some practical examples, you'll need to understand some of the standard terms we'll use.
- Cells are any boxes in the Excel spreadsheet where you put data.
- Active cells are the cells that have currently been selected. There can only be one active cell at any one time.
- A selection is a currently chosen cell or selection of cells. The active cell will be highlighted in white if there is more than one cell in the selection, while the other cells will be highlighted in grey.
- In Excel, a column is a set of vertical cells identified by letters from A to Z. Excel will repeat the letters after column Z. As a result, column AA follows column Z and is immediately followed by column AB, etc.
- A row is a collection of horizontal cells identified by integers from 1 to n. The operating system and Excel version impact the value of n.
All is well and good, but you'll also need to be familiar with the different types of data used in Excel. The same is true for any software package or program you ever use.
- Text is made up of letter-based data. Text data can also use numbers These numbers must, however, be combined with letters or manually set to text Any numbers included with text (aka a string) will be treated as such, so bear that in mind.
- Data components that just use numbers are called numbers. Number-type data cannot use letters, unlike text-type data, which can include numbers, as we explained above.
- Currency or accounting-type data are numbers except that they will be accompanied by a currency marker like £, $, etc.
- Dates are bits of information that identify a date and/or a time. Excel supports a variety of date formats. Make sure you define these early on when designing/using your spreadsheet; if not, the data can look like enormous random numbers. For example, "01/01/2022," if not formatted as a date, will appear as a large number.
- Percentages are a subset of numerical data transformed into percentages. These can be converted back into number-type data and vice versa. The number will appear as a decimal when converted from percentage type to number type. For instance, 89% will equal 0.89, etc.
If you are a novice to Excel, that might all sound a little complicated, so let's show you an example to put things into perspective.
- The above example shows a set of 6 columns (A-F) and six rows (1-6).
- Column A (rows 1 to 6) includes text-type data only.
- Column B (rows 1 to 6) contains number-type only data.
- Columns C and D (rows 1 to 6) contain currency-type only data (in this case, U.S. Dollars).
- Column E (rows 1 to 6) contains date-type only data.
- Column F (rows 1 to 6) contains percentage-type only data.
- Formulae have been used in this case to calculate the figures in columns D and row 6 (i.e., Excel's "SUM" function) and F (the division of rows in column D by the "total" in D6), as well as the summaries in row six, but that is out of the scope of this piece.
- From the above, you can see a single cell highlighted with a box (cell F7). This is the active cell, and only one cell can be active at any time.
- The "selection" for this table (not highlighted above as we are showing the active cell only) would be denoted as A1:F7 in Excel formulae.
Pretty simple, right? Now, let's get stuck with some basic shortcuts, shall we?
What are the very most useful shortcut keys in Excel?
We are glad you asked.
Excel has a variety of shortcuts available to you to help speed up data entry or general spreadsheet use. Most often, the ones you'll use will depend entirely on how you use the software, but there are some basic ones that everyone can benefit from knowing about.
With that in mind, we've split some of the main shortcuts into different sections based on function and need.
1. Here are some useful basic cell formatting shortcut keys
For most general users, the following shortcuts should prove invaluable to you.
1. Alt + H + B
Shortcut function: Opens border menu for cell.
Excel user level: Basic
2. Ctrl + Shift + &
Shortcut function: Adds an outline to the select cells.
Excel user level: Basic
3. Alt + H + A + C
Shortcut function: Center align cell contents.
Excel user level: Basic
4. Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V
Shortcut function: Copy and paste cells.
Excel user level: Basic
5. Alt + H + H
Shortcut function: Choose a fill color for the cell.
Excel user level: Basic
6. Ctrl + I and Ctrl + B
Shortcut function: Italicize and make the font bold.
Excel user level: Basic
7 Tab
Shortcut function: Move to the next cell.
Excel user level: Basic
8 Shift + Tab
Shortcut function: Move to the previous cell.
Excel user level: Basic
9. Ctrl + Shift + _
Shortcut function: Remove all borders from selected cells.
Excel user level: Basic
10. Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow
Shortcut function: Select all the cells above the selected cell.
Excel user level: Basic
11. Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow
Shortcut function: Select all the cells below the selected cell.
Excel user level: Basic
12. Ctrl + Shift + Left Arrow
Shortcut function: Select all the cells on the left.
Excel user level: Basic
13. Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow
Shortcut function: Select all the cells on the right.
Excel user level: Basic
14. Ctrl + Shift + End
Shortcut function: Select all cells in the column from the selected cell to the end of the table.
Excel user level: Basic
15 Ctrl + Backspace
Shortcut function: Go back to the active cell.
Excel user level: Basic
2. Here are some more cell formatting shortcuts for more advanced users
For most advanced users, the following shortcuts should prove invaluable to you.
1. Ctrl + Shift + L
Shortcut function: Activate filter
Excel user level: Intermediate
2 Shift + F2
Shortcut function: Add a note to a cell.
Excel user level: Intermediate
3. Ctrl + Shift + $
Shortcut function: Apply the currency format.
Excel user level: Intermediate
4 Ctrl + Shift + %
Shortcut function: Apply the percent format.
Excel user level: Intermediate
5. Shift + F10 + D
Shortcut function: Delete a cell comment.
Excel user level: Intermediate
6 Ctrl + H
Shortcut function: Display find and replace.
Excel user level: Intermediate
7 Alt + Q
Shortcut function: Go to the Tell me what you want to do box.
Excel user level: Intermediate
8 Ctrl + k
Shortcut function: Insert a hyperlink.
Excel user level: Intermediate
9. Ctrl + Shift + :
Shortcut function: Insert the current time.
Excel user level: Intermediate
10 Ctrl + ;
Shortcut function: Insert the current date.
Excel user level: Intermediate
3. If you work a lot with workbooks, these basic shortcuts will come in handy
Workbooks are the technical term for a full Excel document. It usually refers to spreadsheets with multiple worksheets, but a single sheet Excel file is still technically a workbook. If you are a general user of Excel, you might not use the term, but for more advanced users like developers, it is important to know the term.
1. Ctrl + F4
Shortcut function: Closes the active workbook.
Excel user level: Basic
2 Ctrl + W
Shortcut function: Close the current workbook.
Excel user level: Basic
3 Ctrl + N
Shortcut function: Create a new workbook.
Excel user level: Basic
4 Alt + M
Shortcut function: Go to the Formula tab.
Excel user level: Basic
5 Alt + A
Shortcut function: Go to the Data tab.
Excel user level: Basic
6 Alt + W
Shortcut function: Go to the View tab.
Excel user level: Basic
7. Ctrl + PageDown
Shortcut function: Move to the next sheet.
Excel user level: Basic
8. Ctrl + PageUp
Shortcut function: Move to the previous sheet.
Excel user level: Basic
9. Ctrl + O
Shortcut function: Open an existing workbook.
Excel user level: Basic
10. Ctrl + S
Shortcut function: Save a workbook/spreadsheet.
Excel user level: Basic
4. You'll also find these row and column formatting shortcuts useful
1 Alt+H+D+C
Shortcut function: Delete a column.
Excel user level: Intermediate
2 Shift + Space, Ctrl + -
Shortcut function: Delete a row.
Excel user level: Intermediate
3. Alt + Shift + Right arrow
Shortcut function: Group rows or columns.
Excel user level: Intermediate
4. Ctrl + 0
Shortcut function: Hide a selected column.
Excel user level: Intermediate
5 Ctrl + 9
Shortcut function: Hide selected row.
Excel user level: Intermediate
6 Ctrl + Space
Shortcut function: Select the entire column.
Excel user level: Intermediate
7 Shift + Space
Shortcut function: Select the entire row.
Excel user level: Intermediate
8 Alt + Shift + Left arrow
Shortcut function: Ungroup rows or columns.
Excel user level: Intermediate
9. Ctrl + Shift + 0
Shortcut function: Unhide a selected column.
Excel user level: Intermediate
10. Ctrl + Shift + 9
Shortcut function: Unhide selected row.
Excel user level: Intermediate
5. These are some useful shortcuts for those users who love macros
A macro is a simple Excel program you create to automate operations. Essentially, macros are used to help you save countless hours on operations that you do regularly.
They are, essentially, the very definition of the credo of "anything that you do more than twice has to be automated."
In Excel and even other Microsoft Office applications, you can construct macros that do practically any task. Macros are helpful when you wish to automate repetitive, tiresome, or complicated operations.
Once the macro is created, you can use it to perform various tasks with just the press of a button, such as searching through all the data in an Excel Workbook, gathering the pertinent data, and emailing it through Outlook.
1. F9
Shortcut function: Calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
2 Alt, D, L
Shortcut function: Compile VBA (Visual Basic For Applications) Project.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
3 Alt + F11
Shortcut function: Open the Microsoft Visual Basic For Applications Editor.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
4 Alt, R, R
Shortcut function: Reset/stop code.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
5. F5
Shortcut function: Run Macro/Procedure.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
6. Ctrl + F8
Shortcut function: Run to Cursor.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
7. F8
Shortcut function: Step Through Each Line of Code.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
6 Here are some helpful VBA Editor shortcut keys
For the uninitiated, VBA Editor is a built-in user interface where Excel veterans and developers can write and edit VBA code and create macros.
Once the code is written and activated (manually or via buttons/conditions), all the processes will occur in the background. The output will be displayed in the Excel file where specified.
This could be some form of automation like copying and pasting selections of cells, locking sheets, saving the file, or even sharing data with databases or other office software like Microsoft Word. VBA Editor, in short, is the best way to make the most of MS Excel's relatively limited functionality.
If you are unfamiliar with it, you will likely not regret going down this rabbit hole. For anyone already more than familiar with it, here are some handy shortcuts you might want to commit to memory.
0. Alt + F11 (since this is very important, we've put it right at the top of this mini-list)
Shortcut function: Open VBA Editor
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
1. Ctrl + G
Shortcut function: Immediate Window
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
2. Alt, I, M
Shortcut function: Insert a new code module
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
3. Alt, I, U
Shortcut function: Insert a new user form.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
4. F2
Shortcut function: Object Browser.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
5 Ctrl + R
Shortcut function: Project Explorer Window.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
6. F4
Shortcut function: Properties Window.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
7. F7
Shortcut function: View user form code.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
7. Here are some great shortcut keys for those who love to use modules
If you are a VBA veteran, you'll probably be all too familiar with modules. But, for everyone else, they are a convenient location for VBA code writers to store macros or reusable chunks of code to call on demand.
You might regularly use these functions or "subs" within the main Excel document, such as data entry automation, calculations, mail merging, etc.
Within an Excel workbook, the modules are housed in the Modules folder that can be viewed in the VBA editor. In the editor, modules can be edited, docked, and undocked from the workbook as needed.
If you do use these from time to time, you'll love these handy shortcuts.
1. Ctrl + F
Shortcut function: Find window.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
2. Ctrl + Shift + Tab
Shortcut function: Flip backward through open code windows.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
3. Ctrl + Tab
Shortcut function: Flip through open code windows.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
4. Shift + F2
Shortcut function: Jump to definition (procedure name that text cursor is in).
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
5. Ctrl + Shift + F2
Shortcut function: Jump to the last position.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
6. Ctrl + Page Up/Down
Shortcut function: Jump to previous/next procedure.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
7. Ctrl + H
Shortcut function: Replace window.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
8. Ctrl + Shift + Page Down
Shortcut function: Select the entire procedure.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
8. If you write code in VBA, you'll love these shortcuts too
When using the VBA editor and, by extension, modules, you'll either edit prewritten code "borrowed" from places like Stackoverflow or generate your code yourself.
In either case, these shortcuts will prove invaluable.
1. Ctrl + Space
Shortcut function: Complete word.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
2. Ctrl + Y
Shortcut function: Delete the entire line.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
3. Ctrl + ← or →
Shortcut function: Jumps to the beginning or end of a word
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
4. Ctrl + J
Shortcut function: List properties/methods (Intellisense drop-down list).
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
5 Ctrl + i
Shortcut function: Quick info.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
6. Ctrl + Shift + → or ←
Shortcut function: Selects the entire word.
Excel user level: Other/Advanced/developer
What is the function of F1 to F12 keys in Excel?
Usually, your keyboard will have a row of function keys, or F keys, running along the top labeled F1 through F12. These keys are shortcuts for carrying out specific tasks like printing data, saving files, or refreshing a website.
For instance, many programs set the F1 key as the default help key. A web page can be refreshed or reloaded in an Internet browser by pressing the F5 key. These keys may have different functions depending on the operating system and software application.
Regarding Microsoft Excel, the F key's "normal" functions may be overridden by the program to provide other application-specific tasks. This can vary depending on the software version, but for Excel 2016, the main functions are as follows.
1. F1 - Opens the help system for the active window.
2. F2 - Edit the active cell and moves the insertion point to the end of the contents of the active cell.
3. F3 - Displays the Paste Name dialog box. For example, select a cell below, type =SUM(, press F3, and select a name.
4. F4 - Creates a new document in programs that support this command. For others, it may let you repeat the last edit you made.
5. F5 - Displays the Go To dialog box. For example, to select cell C15 in the Reference box, type C15 and click OK.
6. F6 - Move to the next pane in a worksheet that has been split.
7. F7 - Displays the Spelling dialog box (the same as clicking Spelling on the Review tab).
8. F8 - Turns on/off Extend mode. If Extend mode is turned on, select cell A1 and press → and ↓ a few times.
9. F9 - Calculates all worksheets in open workbooks. By default, any time you change a value, Excel automatically calculates the workbook. Turn on manual calculation (on the Formulas tab, in the Calculation group, click Calculations Options, Manual) and change the value in cell A1 from 5 to 6.
10. F10 - Turns key tips on or off (the same as pressing ALT). Key Tips allow you to quickly perform any task available on the Ribbon without using the mouse.
11. F11 - Creates a chart of the data in the current range in a separate Chart sheet.
12. F12 - Brings up the Save As dialog box.
You can modify or "remap" these functions if desired, but it is not advisable unless you know what you are doing.
And that, Excel lovers, is your lot for today.
Microsoft Excel is a handy and relatively simple productivity and data processing tool. Now a well-established and relatively sturdy piece of software, it is used by millions of people worldwide daily.
But, we wonder, how many of those countless users are wasting their time on repetitive clicking and dropdown menu surfing? We may never know, but now you are no longer one of them.
Congratulations on your new freedom!