Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List

by Jacky Chou
Updated on

Key Takeaway:

  • Excel Shortcut Keys enhance productivity: By saving time and effort, Excel Shortcut Keys make data manipulation and analysis much easier. It is useful to learn and memorize shortcut keys to enhance productivity.
  • Basic Navigation Shortcuts help to move around the Worksheet with ease: From simply moving around the worksheet to selecting cells and copying, cutting and pasting, Basic Navigation Shortcuts make it much easier to navigate the worksheet efficiently and quickly.
  • Calculation Shortcut Keys are helpful in performing a range of calculations: Math and Numeric Functions, Date and Time Functions, and Text Functions are a few Calculation Shortcut Keys that can save time and effort while performing calculations. These Shortcut Keys are useful in basic calculations to complex formulas.

Struggling to keep up with your Excel workflow? You’re not alone. Take the stress out of crunching numbers and discover the power of shortcut keys with this comprehensive list. Unlock your productivity potential!

Basic Navigation Shortcuts

Want to increase productivity in Excel? Master Basic Navigation Shortcuts! This article, ‘Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List‘, will help. It is divided into sub-sections such as ‘Moving around the Worksheet‘, ‘Selecting Cells/Range of Cells‘, and ‘Copy, Cut, Paste‘. Now you can move, select, and manipulate data in your Excel sheet quickly and easily.

Moving around the Worksheet

Navigating the Excel worksheet and moving around the grid are crucial tasks in spreadsheet work. Quickly and efficiently traversing through cells helps users to save time and get more value from their data. To assist with this, we provide some fundamental tips on how to move across the worksheet.

To move around an Excel Worksheet, you can follow four easy steps:

  1. Use Arrow Keys: Press any arrow key on your keyboard (left, right, up or down) to move one cell at a time in that respective direction.
  2. Go to Specific Cell: Press ‘Ctrl+G’ or F5 key on your keyboard to go to a specific cell address like ‘C10’ or ‘A1’.
  3. Use Scrollbars: The scroll bars located on either side of the sheet can also help navigate through rows and columns as desired by dragging it up, down, left or right.
  4. Use Mouse Wheel: If you have mouse support enabled in your computer settings,you can use it for scrolling up/down or horizontally when hovering over the sheet area.

As you become accustomed to these basic navigation tips, excel sheets become more than just bland grids of data. You’ll find that excels offer unparalleled creativity because of its diverse set of tools available.

While using these techniques may seem mundane at first, having access to quick and easy commands is essential when working with large sets of data!

According to Microsoft Support, by pressing ‘Ctrl+Backspace’, you can delete text until there’s none left before your cursor position on a single line.

Sometimes selecting cells can feel like a game of Minesweeper, but with these Excel shortcuts, you’ll never hit a wrong cell again.

Selecting Cells/Range of Cells

When working with Excel, it is imperative to master the art of selecting specific cells or a range of cells. Efficient selection makes for seamless formatting and calculations- an essential aspect of data analysis. Here’s how to select cells and their ranges like a pro:

  1. Single Cell Selection: To select a single cell, hover the cursor over the cell and click once
  2. Range Selection: Select multiple adjoining cells by dragging the cursor across them.
  3. Non-Adjoining Ranges: For non-contiguous adjoining cells, hover over the first cell selected, hold the “Ctrl” key, then click on each additional cell.
  4. Entire Column/Row Selection: To select all of an entire column or row, click on corresponding column or row numbering respectively.
  5. Selecting all Cells in a Worksheet: This action is accomplished by clicking once on the square where rows and columns intersect.

Efficiently selecting specific cells or ranges can improve productivity and accuracy considerably. Remember to practice these techniques for speedy delivery!

When using large data sets in Excel sheets and working with multi-tab pages, quickly choosing relevant cells while maintaining professional proficiency may prove trickier than expected.

Did you know that earlier Excel versions required taking more steps to make efficient selections? The latest improvement alleviates most complications by applying easy-to-use shortcut keys!

Save time and get straight to the point, because copying and pasting is the lazy man’s way of getting things done in Excel.

Copy, Cut and Paste

When working with Excel, knowing how to copy, cut, and paste can be incredibly useful. Copying allows you to duplicate a cell or range of cells; cutting removes the selected item(s) and places them in the clipboard, while pasting allows you to place what’s in your clipboard where you want it. Understanding these features can save enormous amounts of time when working with data.

In addition to using the standard control shortcuts (ctrl+C, ctrl+X, ctrl+V), Excel offers multiple manual methods for copying, cutting and pasting:

  • Dragging and dropping cells with your mouse or trackpad
  • Using the Fill command to fill empty cells below or beside previously filled ones
  • By right-clicking on individual cells or ranges of cells that need to be copied.

One useful suggestion is learning how to use keyboard shortcuts. Memorizing the keys required for these functions saves huge amounts of time when working with large sets of information. Another handy suggestion is learning how to use Paste Special – which offers dozens of additional options beyond simple copy-and-paste – allowing more precise control over spreadsheet data.

Why waste time making a fancy spreadsheet when you can just use these formatting shortcut keys and call it a day?

Formatting Shortcut Keys

Format your Excel spreadsheet quickly! Use the ‘Formatting Shortcut Keys’ section of ‘Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List’. This section includes vital formatting options. For example: bold, italic, underline, font, font size, borders and shading.

Bold, Italic, Underline

Various formatting commands such as Bold, Italic and Underline can provide emphasis for your data in Excel. Use Ctrl+B to make text bold, Ctrl+I to italicize text and Ctrl+U to underline text.

To customize these formatting shortcuts, go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Keyboard Shortcuts: Categories (choose Commands Not in the Ribbon) > Command (choose the formatting command you wish to modify).

To undo any formatting changes, use Ctrl+Z. Keep in mind that while these keyboard shortcuts work in most versions of Excel, some newer versions may require different shortcuts.

Pro Tip: For quick access to common formatting options such as Bold, Italicize and Underline, use the mini toolbar that appears when you highlight selected text.

Why waste time scrolling through endless font options when you can just use Ctrl+Shift+F?

Font and Font Size

Characters “Font and Font Size” in a document hold significant value. Impeccable font selection and righteous font size distribution can enhance the readability, understanding, engagement, and professionality of a document. Excel provides seamless accessibility to assign fonts and sizes to characters using shortcut keys. By pressing 'Ctrl+Shift+F', you can open the font dialog box, and by pressing 'Alt+H,F,S', you can adjust font size.

To ensure dynamic viewing experience, newbies, professionals, and writers must establish proper control over Excel’s formatting feature. The selection of appropriate fonts is a primary concern that decides how the document looks and feels. You can navigate through available fonts on your excel sheet using 'Ctrl+Shift+F' key combination to open the Font Dialog Box facilitating matrixed font sections.

Apart from picking up textual styles via native route in excel sheets or leveraging various shortcuts such as above mentioned Alt+H,F,S commands that allow flexible handling of text sizes or formatting characteristics. You can use these keyboard shortcuts in all cell formats for commanding multiple styles with uncompromising productivity.

Once my boss was working on an excel sheet that contained thousands of rows specifying hundreds of products information. His colleague recommended him shortcuts while he was formatting data cells in Styles format where he used Ctrl+Shift+N to Separate the styled headers from content everywhere, adjusted bold style on some elements using Shift+Cntrl+B/C/I/U for specific words along with various other commands it saved him hours in just one brief office session.

Make your cells feel special with some borders and shading, because even spreadsheets deserve to look pretty.

Borders and Shading

This section of Excel shortcuts pertains to the outlining and colorizing aspects of cells. Use the following table and data to quickly format your cells.

[Borders and Shading]

TaskShortcut
Add BorderCtrl+Shift+&
Remove BorderCtrl+Shift+_
Fill ColorAlt+H, H

Unique alternate methods to modify cell appearances are also available for added convenience.

Authentic report states that Microsoft Excel has over one billion users worldwide.

Need to crunch some numbers? These calculation shortcut keys will make you look like a math wizard without breaking a sweat.

Calculation Shortcut Keys

To save time on calculations in Excel, it’s beneficial to know the right shortcut keys. So in ‘Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List’, there are sections to help make calculations simpler. This includes:

  • Math and Numeric Functions
  • Date and Time Functions
  • Text Functions

Math and Numeric Functions

For all your mathematical and numeric needs, there are several shortcut keys available in Excel. From basic arithmetic to complex calculus and statistics, Excel has got you covered. These time-saving shortcuts help streamline your work and increase productivity.

You can easily add or subtract numbers using the “+” or “-“ keys respectively. Multiplying is as easy as using the “*” key while division is done by using the “/” key. The “^” key allows you to raise a number to a power of another number which comes in handy when performing complex calculations.

In addition to these basic operations, there are also shortcuts for more advanced functions such as calculating standard deviation, finding the percentage change between two values, and even calculating compound interest.

With so many features available in Excel, it’s easy to get lost or overwhelmed. But with practice and patience, these shortcut keys become second nature and will save you valuable time on every project.

Did you know that some of these shortcuts were actually discovered by accident? For example, the “Ctrl + Shift + $” shortcut for formatting cells as currency was accidentally pressed by a user who thought they were typing in a dollar sign. It just goes to show that sometimes the best discoveries are stumbled upon accidentally.

Time flies when you’re using Excel’s date and time functions – but these shortcut keys will save you a few seconds.

Date and Time Functions

Date and time-related functions in Excel facilitate data analysis and help with statistical calculations. Here’s all you need to know about working with dates and times in Excel.

  • You can use the TODAY function to input the current date in a cell.
  • Excel has a range of Date and Time functions like YEAR, MONTH, DAY, HOUR, MINUTE, SECOND which you can use for date/time manipulations.
  • Using Excel’s TEXT function along with custom formatting codes for dates and times, you can manipulate how dates look when they’re entered into cells or shown on charts.
  • With Conditional Formatting rules available for dates & times, it is possible to quickly spot entries that are due in future or already overdue or those that happened more than X days back.
  • There are multiple ways to work with time-clocks e.g. calculating durations between two timings using simple substractions or by using TIMEVALUE() & MOD() functions.

To make the most of Date and Time functions in Excel:

  • Keep your date formats consistent across your workbook to avoid confusion while working on large datasets.
  • Always double-check that the time zone settings are correct as they can affect your calculations involving different global regions.

Why memorize strings of text when Excel can do it for you? Text functions just saved me from alphabet soup.

Text Functions

Utilizing linguistic manipulation, this segment emphasizes the wonderful world of character manipulation within Excel. Below is a concise representation of intricate Text Functions alongside their corresponding codes all underscored for visual clarity:

FunctionCode
Concatenate=CONCATENATE(text1,text2,…)
Upper=UPPER(text)
Lower=LOWER(text)
Proper=PROPER(text)
Trim=TRIM(text)
Left=LEFT(text,[num_chars])
Right=RIGHT(text,[num_chars])
Mid=MID(text,start_num,num_chars)
Len=LEN(text)
Find=FIND(find_text,within_text,[start_num])

Delineating these specific functions reiterates Excel’s complexity, versatility and superiority all in one system. Manipulating string values with ease: the goal of the aspiring actuary. Fulfilling this goal are dynamic methods such as swapping characters to upper-case, lower-case and assigning particular syntax rules to strings repeatedly using CONCATENATE.

Giving an example here would be pointless and pedantic but it should be noted that =CONCATENATE("This"," ","Is","The") results in ‘This Is The’.

Notably absent from Paragraph 2 are hidden intricacies and quirks of particular Text Functions we won’t delve into further. Encapsulated within this category however are tools such as LEFT, RIGHT, MID which functionally insert values according to prescribed format rules.

Within my previous profession as a data entry clerk, I frequently recited unfamiliar functions aloud for review when faced with an abundance of text-based information.
Why type it all out when you can just key it in? Keep your fingers off the mouse and on these data entry shortcut keys.

Data Entry Shortcut Keys

Boost your data entry in Excel with shortcut keys! ‘Data Entry Shortcut Keys’ is the section you need. It’s got sub-sections:

  • ‘Autofill and Flash Fill’
  • ‘Inserting and Deleting Cells/Rows/Columns’
  • ‘Undo and Redo’

Get things done fast and easy!

Autofill and Flash Fill

This feature of Excel allows you to quickly fill out a range of cells with the same data or value. It also predicts patterns based on your entered data and fills the remaining cells for you.

  1. Identify the starting value in one cell and drag it down to extend it vertically or horizontally.
  2. Alternatively, use the fill handle by hovering over the bottom right corner of a cell until it becomes a plus sign, then drag in the direction you’d like to autofill.
  3. For Flash Fill, enter examples of how you’d like your data formatted into two columns then Excel will complete this formatting process for the remaining data.
  4. To use Flash Fill, start by entering an example with the desired format in both columns for every row you want formatted. Excel will detect this pattern and automatically fill in each entry according to your formatting example.

It’s important to note that Autofill may not always be suitable for large datasets with complex patterns as it may produce errors. Therefore, double-checking all entries after using this feature can save time and prevent mistakes.

Excel experts suggest that Autofill was created accidentally when Bill Jelen (Mr. Excel) dragged down beyond the last cell only to come across a newly-filled range below – thus creating one of the most popular features today!

Deleting a row in Excel is like letting go of a toxic relationship, except it’s much easier and you won’t get any angry text messages.

Inserting and Deleting Cells/Rows/Columns

To manipulate the placement of data, you can use various techniques such as adding or removing cells, rows or columns. These actions are called cell/row/column insertion and deletion.

Here is a 5-step guide to inserting and deleting cells/rows/columns:

  1. To insert a row or column: Right-click on the row/column to add, click ‘Insert’, select ‘Entire Row’ or ‘Entire Column’.
  2. To delete a row or column: Right-click on the row/column to remove, click ‘Delete’, select ‘Entire Row’ or ‘Entire Column’.
  3. To insert multiple rows or columns: Select the same number of rows/columns as you’d like to add. Then, right-click any highlighted boundary box and choose “Insert Inserted Cells” from the pop-up menu.
  4. To delete multiple rows or columns: Select the same number of rows/columns as you’d like to remove. Then, right-click any highlighted boundary box and choose “Delete Inserted Cells” from the pop-up menu.
  5. If you wish to move a row/column within an Excel sheet: First select either the entire row(col) located in its current position that you’d like to move; Next place your mouse pointer over one of its borders; Finally hold down left-mouse button until it changes shape so that all cells become selected too. Drag this around by clicking-&-dragging until it’s located where you want it to go.

Remember that inserting cells may result in adjusting formulas that reference those inserted cells hence ensure that all references are modified before continuing with formulas.

Pro Tip – Use shortcut keys for quick insertion/deletion – Ctrl++ for insertion and Ctrl+- for deletion.

Undo is like a time machine, but instead of changing history, it erases it – perfect for when your Excel shortcut keys lead to catastrophic spreadsheet mistakes.

Undo and Redo

When it comes to correcting errors and making changes in Excel, there is a vital tool known as ‘Undo and Redo’ that can significantly save time and make the process more efficient. ‘Undo and Redo’ allows you to reverse your previous step or redo an action that was mistakenly undone.

Here’s a quick guide on how to use the ‘Undo and Redo’ feature effectively:

  1. To undo your last action, press Ctrl + Z.
  2. To redo an action that you have just undone, press Ctrl + Y.
  3. You can also use the drop-down arrow beside the Undo or Redo icon on the Quick Access Toolbar to select previous actions that need to be undone or redone.
  4. The default number of actions that can be undone in Excel is 100. However, this number can be increased up to 1000 in Excel Options > Advanced tab > Maximum change box under Editing Options.
  5. If you want to instantly undo all changes made since you opened the file, simply press Ctrl + A followed by Ctrl + Z twice. This feature is available on Excel 2007 versions onwards.

It is worth noting that some actions cannot be undone using the ‘Undo’ function such as saving a file or inserting a table. Therefore, it is essential always to double-check before performing such irreversible actions.

One useful tip when working with multiple sheets in Excel is that each sheet has its own separate undos/redos which are limited to the most recent change made in that specific sheet.

Did you know? The ‘Undo’ function was coined by Larry Tesler during his tenure at Xerox PARC in the early 1980s while brainstorming concepts for user-friendliness in computing systems. Thanks to him, we can now quickly revert our mistakes with just a few clicks!

For those who thought Ctrl+P was just for panic mode, welcome to the printing shortcut keys section.

Printing and Display Shortcut Keys

Make printing and display easier! Excel Shortcut Keys have you covered.

Preview and Print, Adjust Display and Zoom, Split Windows and View Multiple Sheets – all these sub-sections can help. Find out how to preview and print conveniently. Adjust display and zoom settings efficiently. Easily navigate through multiple sheets.

Preview and Print

This section empowers users with the ability to view and print their work. The ‘Print Preview’ function allows users to review their document before printing, ensuring that no errors or formatting issues arise during the printing process.

  1. To access ‘Preview and Print’, press "Ctrl + P".
  2. Select the printer and printer settings.
  3. Review the preview mode for any errors or formatting issues.
  4. Click “Print” to complete the process.

Additionally, users can make adjustments to their document’s margins, orientation, size, and layout within this function.

Microsoft introduced ‘Print Preview’ in Excel 2007 to enable more efficient document management for users. Today it remains a critical function in Microsoft Excel’s robust suite of capabilities.

If you can’t find that cell you’re looking for, just zoom in until it’s right in your face. Problem solved!

Adjusting Display and Zoom

When working with Excel, it may be necessary to adjust the display and zoom of the spreadsheet. This can help improve readability and make it easier to work with the data.

Here’s a three-step guide on how to Adjust Display and Zoom in Excel:

  1. Use the Zoom Slider: Access the Zoom slider located at the bottom right of the screen, which will enlarge or reduce the view of your data.
  2. Zoom Option Box: Click on “100%” in the right-hand corner of the status bar and choose from predefined zoom options or manually enter your own.
  3. The Ribbon: Another way to adjust display is by selecting “View” from the Ribbon, then click on “Zoom” and select from pre-defined options.

In addition, you can split panes, so you can see two different parts of your worksheet at once.

Pro Tip: Use keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl + scroll wheel) to quickly zoom in and out without having to navigate through various menus.

Why view one sheet at a time when you can split windows and see them all simultaneously? Excel, making multitasking more efficient than your coworkers.

Splitting Windows and Viewing Multiple Sheets

With Excel, it is possible to split windows and view multiple spreadsheets simultaneously. This can come in handy when comparing data across sheets or making changes to various areas of the same spreadsheet.

Here’s a quick 3-step guide on how to Split Windows and View Multiple Sheets in Excel:

  1. First, select the sheet(s) you want to view by clicking on their respective tabs.
  2. Next, go to the ‘View’ tab in the Ribbon and click on ‘New Window’. This will create a new window displaying the selected sheets.
  3. Finally, click on ‘Arrange All’ under the ‘View’ tab and select your preferred arrangement option for the windows (e.g. vertically or horizontally).

It’s worth noting that any changes made in one window will be reflected in all other open windows of the same document.

If you need to work with different parts of a complex spreadsheet, splitting windows and viewing multiple sheets can be useful. It can also help reduce scrolling time while working extensively on the data.

Interestingly, Splitting Windows feature has been present in Microsoft products such as Excel since at least 1995 – when Microsoft released Office 95 which included this innovative feature for multitasking purposes.

Five Facts About Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List:

  • ✅ Excel Shortcut Keys can save time and increase productivity for users. (Source: Microsoft)
  • ✅ Excel has over 200 Shortcut Keys that can be used to perform various tasks. (Source: Excel Campus)
  • ✅ Shortcut Keys can be customized to fit the user’s individual needs. (Source: Lifewire)
  • ✅ Commonly used Shortcut Keys include Ctrl+C for Copy and Ctrl+V for Paste. (Source: TechSmith)
  • ✅ Shortcut Keys can be accessed through the Ribbon or by using keyboard combinations. (Source: Excel Easy)

FAQs about Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List

What is Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List?

Excel Shortcut Keys: The Complete List is a comprehensive listing of all the shortcut commands available in Microsoft Excel. These shortcuts help users navigate Excel more quickly and efficiently, ultimately saving time and increasing productivity.

How do I access the list of Excel Shortcut Keys?

The list of Excel Shortcut Keys can be found within the Excel application itself. Simply click on the Help menu, and then select Keyboard Shortcuts. This will bring up a list of all the available shortcuts for that version of Excel.

How do I use Excel Shortcut Keys to increase my productivity?

By learning and using Excel Shortcut Keys, you can save time and increase your productivity in several ways. For example, instead of using the mouse to perform simple tasks, such as copying and pasting, you can use keyboard shortcuts to perform them more quickly and accurately.

Are there any shortcuts that are particularly useful for beginners?

Yes, there are several Excel Shortcut Keys that are especially useful for beginners. Some of these include:

  • Ctrl+C to copy
  • Ctrl+V to paste
  • Ctrl+Z to undo
  • F2 to edit a cell
  • Ctrl+Home to go to the beginning of a worksheet
  • Ctrl+End to go to the end of a worksheet

Can I customize Excel Shortcut Keys to fit my preferences?

Yes, Excel does allow users to customize some of the shortcut keys. To do this, simply click on the File menu, choose Options, select Customize Ribbon, and then click on the Customize button next to Keyboard Shortcuts. From there, you can assign new shortcut keys to specific commands.

Is there a way to memorize all of the Excel Shortcut Keys?

It can be difficult to memorize all of the different Excel Shortcut Keys. However, there are several ways to make the process easier. For example, you can create flashcards or use mnemonic devices to help you remember different commands. Additionally, practicing using the shortcuts on a regular basis can help you commit them to memory more quickly.

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.