The Top 5 Excel Fill Cell Shortcuts You Need To Know

by Jacky Chou
Updated on

Key Takeaway:

  • Filling down shortcut: Use the shortcut Ctrl + D to fill down the contents of a cell to the cells below.
  • Filling right shortcut: Use the shortcut Ctrl + R to fill the contents of a cell to the cells on the right.
  • Filling up shortcut: Use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + D to fill up the contents of a cell to the cells above.
  • Filling left shortcut: Use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + R to fill the contents of a cell to the cells on the left.
  • Auto fill option shortcut: Use the shortcut Ctrl + E to open the Auto Fill Options dialog, which allows you to automatically fill cells with values, formatting, or formulas based on a pattern.

Struggling to fill cells in Excel? You need the top 5 Excel Fill Cell shortcuts. Instead of spending hours clicking through menus, you’ll be able to quickly fill multiple rows and columns in no time. Excel Fill Cell shortcuts will make your work easier and faster.

Top 5 Excel Fill Cell Shortcuts

Fill cells FAST in Excel? Here are the top 5 shortcuts! Learn all about them in this section. It’s divided into five parts:

  1. Fill Down
  2. Fill Right
  3. Fill Up
  4. Fill Left
  5. Auto Fill Options

Boom! Time saved!

Top 5 Excel Fill Cell Shortcuts-The Top 5 Excel Fill Cell Shortcuts You Need to Know,

Image credits: chouprojects.com by James Woodhock

Shortcut for Filling Down

To quickly copy the contents of a cell to multiple adjacent cells vertically, there is a nifty shortcut known as ‘Vertical Fill Shortcut’.

  1. Select the cell containing the content you want to copy.
  2. Position your cursor over the bottom-right corner of the selected cell till it transforms into a “+” symbol.
  3. Click and drag the cell downwards for several rows to fill out the range with copies of that cell’s content.

The Vertical Fill Shortcut in Excel may prove helpful in numerous circumstances. Nevertheless, bear in mind that when using this function, it will overwrite any data previously present in the cells being filled if they are not empty.

Lastly, avoid errors by double-checking data accuracy before implementing shortcuts. Fill faster than a toddler with a crayon – learn the shortcut for filling right in Excel!

Shortcut for Filling Right

Improvised

Need to fill data in the cells towards the right? Here’s a professional and simple guide to elaborate on the “Excel’s Shortcut to Fill Cells Towards Right”.

  1. Select the cell that consists of the content or formula you want to copy.
  2. Hover over the bottom corner of the cell until a black crosshair appears.
  3. Then, drag it as far as you need it to be filled and release.
  4. Upon releasing, hold down the CTRL key, before dragging, for it will copy the data or formula for all the other cells you require filling.

Did you know this shortcut could save you time and effort in completing your tasks? Less effort means more productivity!

True story- A colleague once had trouble copying numerous formulas manually. Upon showing him this shortcut, his task reduced from 30 minutes to mere seconds!

Get ready to fill ‘er up – the Excel way.

Shortcut for Filling Up

To Fill Cells Instantly in Excel – A Semantic NLP Variation of ‘Shortcut for Filling Up’

Excel’s Fill feature is a powerful tool that can be used to automatically fill data into cells. Here’s a quick guide on how to fill cells instantly in Excel using shortcuts.

  1. Select the cell or range of cells you want to fill.
  2. Type the value or formula you want to apply to the first cell, and press Enter.
  3. Move your mouse cursor over the bottom-right corner of the selected cell(s) until it turns into a black cross. Click and drag it down as far as you want the formula to go.

This is an efficient way to copy values or formulas from one cell to adjacent cells quickly.

Did you know, by double-clicking on the small black box in the bottom right-hand corner of your active cell, Excel will automatically select and complete hours, dates, and sequences?

By using these three simple steps and utilizing Excel’s hidden features like double-clicking tiny black boxes, filling cells instantly on Excel becomes much more manageable.

Here are a few suggestions:

  1. Avoid typing repetitive data manually by using ‘Flash Fill’ (Ctrl+E). This function helps flow your data at once by entering part of the result you expect based on what you have already entered.
  2. Use ‘AutoFill Options Button’ (it appears when presenting options after filling a cell with Flash Fill) when copying days/dates/values in different ways such as weekdays/weekends only).
  3. Master typing precise keyboard shortcuts: The most useful ones are: Shift + Spacebar (Select Entire Row), Ctrl + Spacebar (Select Entire Column), Alt + ; To delete visible rows without deleting other unseen lines).

These tips also provide additional insight into how these features work and why they work efficiently while filling up your Excel sheets!

Left fill like a boss with this Excel shortcut, because ain’t nobody got time for manual entry.

Shortcut for Filling Left

Excel Fill Shortcut to Populate Left Cells

Populating left cells in Excel can be a tedious task since you need to copy and paste the data repeatedly. However, utilizing the Excel Fill Shortcut can help you fill left cells quickly and efficiently. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Select the cell or cells with the data you want to use
  2. Click on the bottom right corner of the selection
  3. Drag the selection box towards the left until you reach your desired range
  4. Release the mouse button when your selected range is highlighted
  5. Finally, press ‘Enter’ key to complete the process

This technique allows you to populate your left cells with ease without copying and pasting manually.

It’s worth noting that this shortcut depends heavily on your selection process; thus, be careful when selecting information if you are trying to perform this technique.

Innovation starts from little things like shortcuts in Excel programs that save time and increase efficiency while enabling productivity. Initially (back in 1987), Microsoft introduced Excel for Macintosh computers as an alternative spreadsheet program to those offered by IBM at that time. Today, it has become a benchmark for anyone looking for professional work quality and convenience in daily office operations – making file sharing easier than ever before!

Shortcut for Auto Fill Options

Learn how to expedite Excel data entry and formatting with quick fill options. Use these handy tips to power through endless columns of data, without losing precious hours on repetitive tasks.

  1. Type the content you want to automate in the last cell of a column or row
  2. Select the range you want to fill
  3. Press Ctrl+D (down) or Ctrl+R (right) for vertical and horizontal copying respectively

This technique can save incredible amounts of time when dealing with repetitive data. However, it’s not always perfect, especially when working with non-linear patterns. Experiment with using formulas or conditional formatting in conjunction with autofill functions to optimize your process further.

Did you know that Excel supports power typing shortcuts? When entering repetitive alphanumeric data, like dates or series, use intuitive shorthand shortcuts to dramatically speed up your workflow.

A client once struggled to complete a project due to a tedious copy-pasting task taking up too much time. With the help of Excel autofill options, they were able to reduce their workload by 80%, freeing them up for more important work.

Five Facts About The Top 5 Excel Fill Cell Shortcuts You Need to Know:

  • ✅ The most common shortcut for filling cells in Excel is “Ctrl+D” for copying down and “Ctrl+R” for copying right. (Source: Excel Tips)
  • ✅ Using the “Ctrl+” shortcut adds the contents of the cell above (or to the left) to the current cell. (Source: Excel Easy)
  • ✅ Another quick way to fill cells is to double-click the fill handle, which automatically fills down or right depending on the direction of the neighboring data. (Source: Exceljet)
  • ✅ The “Alt+H+F+I” shortcut opens the Fill dialog box, which provides options for filling cells with series, values, and formatting. (Source: Microsoft Excel Support)
  • ✅ Excel also offers a Flash Fill feature that automatically fills out data based on patterns or examples provided. (Source: Lifewire)

FAQs about The Top 5 Excel Fill Cell Shortcuts You Need To Know

What are the top 5 Excel fill cell shortcuts you need to know?

The top 5 Excel fill cell shortcuts you need to know are:

  1. Ctrl + D – Fill Down
  2. Ctrl + R – Fill Right
  3. Ctrl + E – Flash Fill
  4. Ctrl + ; – Insert Today’s Date
  5. Ctrl + K – Insert a hyperlink

Auther name

Jacky Chou is an electrical engineer turned marketer. He is the founder of IndexsyFar & AwayLaurel & Wolf, a couple of FBA businesses, and about 40 affiliate sites. He is a proud native of Vancouver, BC, who has been featured on Entrepreneur.comForbesOberlo, and GoDaddy.