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Excel Shortcut Practice

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Excel Keyboard Shortcuts: Full List (71 shortcuts)

Every Excel keyboard shortcut used in the practice above, listed in full. Each row shows the Windows and Mac keys plus a short explanation of what the shortcut does. Find one you want to learn, then drill it above until your fingers remember it.

Basic operations

Excel — Basic operations
Action Windows Mac What it does
Open book Ctrl+O ⌘+O Opens a saved Excel workbook. It brings up the file picker instantly when you want to resume work or reference another file, saving you from navigating through menus.
Save the book Ctrl+S ⌘+S Saves the workbook you are currently working on. Getting into the habit of pressing it after each round of edits reduces the risk of losing data to a freeze or power outage.
copy Ctrl+C ⌘+C Copies the contents of the selected cell or range to the clipboard. Use it whenever you want to duplicate the same value or formula elsewhere; it is normally paired with pasting.
pasting Ctrl+V ⌘+V Pastes the content copied or cut to the clipboard into the selected cell. Since values, formulas, and formatting can all be applied at once, it greatly cuts down on manual data entry.
Undo Ctrl+Z ⌘+Z Undoes the most recent action and reverts to the previous state. It lets you recover instantly after accidentally deleting a value or applying an unwanted formatting change.
Cut out Ctrl+X ⌘+X Removes the content of the selected cells while saving it to the clipboard. Paired with paste, it lets you move cell contents to another location intact.
pasting Ctrl+V ⌘+V Pastes the content copied or cut to the clipboard into the selected cell. Since values, formulas, and formatting can all be applied at once, it greatly cuts down on manual data entry.
Search for Ctrl+F ⌃+F Searches the workbook or sheet for a specific string or number. Use it when you need to quickly locate particular data within a large table.
Replace Ctrl+H ⌃+H Replaces a specified string with another one in bulk. It handles fixing inconsistent notation or bulk-updating data faster and more accurately than doing it by hand.
Break in the same cell Alt+Enter ⌥+Enter Breaks text into multiple lines within a single cell. Use it to make long text such as an address or a note easier to read inside one cell.

Formatting

Excel — Formatting
Action Windows Mac What it does
Make text bold (or remove bold formatting) Ctrl+B ⌘+B Makes the selected text bold, or removes bold formatting. Use it to make headings or important figures stand out.
Make text italic (or delete italic) Ctrl+I ⌘+I Makes the selected text italic, or removes italic formatting. Use it to visually distinguish notes or supplementary information from regular text.
Underline (or remove underline) text Ctrl+U ⌘+U Underlines the selected text, or removes the underline. Use it to emphasize an important item or to give text a link-like appearance.
Strikethrough (or remove strikethrough) Ctrl+5 ⌃+5 Applies strikethrough to the selected text, or removes it. Use it to mark a completed task or an item no longer needed as done, without deleting it.
Apply outline border to selected cells Ctrl+Shift+& ⌘+⌥+0 Applies a border only around the outside of the selected range. Use it to frame a whole table or a heading section to make it easier to read.
Remove the outer border from the selected cells. Ctrl+Shift+_ ⌘+⌥+- Removes all borders from the selected range. Use it when you want to redraw the borders or return to a simpler look.

Navigation

Excel — Navigation
Action Windows Mac What it does
Move to right cell Tab Tab Moves from the current cell to the one on its right. When entering data horizontally across a table, it lets you advance to the next field efficiently without touching the mouse.
Move to left cell Shift+Tab ⇧+Tab Moves from the current cell to the one on its left. Use it when you have tabbed too far or want to move back to check or fix an entry.
Move to the first line in the current data area Ctrl+↑ ⌘+↑ Jumps to the first row of the range containing data. It moves you straight to the top of a long table without having to scroll.
Move to the leftmost column in the current data area Ctrl+← ⌘+← Jumps to the leftmost column of the range containing data. Use it to return in one step to the first column of a wide table.
Move to the last line in the current data area Ctrl+↓ ⌘+↓ Jumps to the last row of the range containing data. It takes you straight to the bottom of a table full of data without scrolling.
Move to the rightmost column in the current data area Ctrl+→ ⌘+→ Jumps to the rightmost column of the range containing data. Use it to quickly reach the last column of a wide table.

Cell selection

Excel — Cell selection
Action Windows Mac What it does
Select cell below Enter Enter Moves to the cell below after entering data. It keeps a good rhythm when building a list or ledger where you enter data vertically down a column.
Select top cell Shift+Enter ⇧+Enter Moves up to the cell above, the opposite of pressing Enter. It is handy when you have advanced too far downward and want to check or correct what you just entered.
Extend selection up one level Shift+↑ ⇧+↑ Extends the current selection up by one row. Combining Shift with the arrow keys lets you select an exact range without dragging the mouse.
Extend selection to the right Shift+→ ⇧+→ Extends the current selection one column to the right. It lets you specify a range faster than with the mouse when formatting or copying part of a table at once.
Extend selection down one Shift+↓ ⇧+↓ Extends the current selection down by one row. It lets you specify an exact range using only the keyboard when selecting vertical data at once.
Extend selection to the left Shift+← ⇧+← Extends the current selection one column to the left. Use it to fine-tune a selection made too wide to the right, or to select a range toward the left.
Extend selection to the first row in the current data area Ctrl+Shift+↑ ⌘+⇧+↑ Selects everything from the current position up to the first row of the data area in one step. It is convenient for copying or formatting from partway through a table up to the top all at once.
Extend selection to the leftmost column in the current data area Ctrl+Shift+← ⌘+⇧+← Selects everything from the current position to the leftmost column of the data area in one step. Use it when you want to select a horizontal range all at once.
Extend selection to last row in current data area Ctrl+Shift+↓ ⌘+⇧+↓ Selects everything from the current position down to the last row of the data area in one step. It is handy for selecting down to the bottom of a large dataset at once to delete or format it.
Extend selection to rightmost column in current data area Ctrl+Shift+→ ⌘+⇧+→ Selects everything from the current position to the rightmost column of the data area in one step. Use it to select all the way to the right edge of a wide table in one go.

Row/column operations

Excel — Row/column operations
Action Windows Mac What it does
Hide the cursor line Ctrl+9 ⌘+9 Hides the currently selected row. Use it when you want to temporarily conceal a row you do not want shown, such as when printing or summarizing data.
Hide the cursor column Ctrl+0 ⌘+0 Hides the currently selected column. Use it to temporarily conceal a helper column or one containing personal data without deleting it.
Extend the selection to the entire column. Ctrl+Space ⌃+Space Selects the entire column containing the active cell. Use it when you want to apply formatting to a whole column, or delete or copy the column as a unit.
[With columns selected] Add a blank column Ctrl+Shift++ ⌘+⇧+; When a column is selected, this inserts a blank column to its left. Use it when you need to add a new item column partway through a table.
Extend the selection to the entire column. Ctrl+Space ⌃+Space Selects the entire column containing the active cell. Use it when you want to apply formatting to a whole column, or delete or copy the column as a unit.
[With column selected] Delete column Ctrl+- ⌘+- Deletes the entire selected column. Use it when you want to remove a column you no longer need from the table.
Extend the selection to the entire row. Shift+Space ⇧+Space Selects the entire row containing the active cell. Use it when you want to apply formatting to a whole row, or delete or copy the row as a unit.
[With line selected] Add a blank line Ctrl+Shift++ ⌘+⇧+; When a row is selected, this inserts a blank row above it. Use it when you need to make space to add data partway through a table.
Extend the selection to the entire row. Shift+Space ⇧+Space Selects the entire row containing the active cell. Use it when you want to apply formatting to a whole row, or delete or copy the row as a unit.
[With line selected] Delete line Ctrl+- ⌘+- Deletes the entire selected row. Use it when you want to remove an unneeded record or a blank row from the table.
Group rows/columns Alt+Shift+→ ⌥+⇧+→ Groups the selected rows or columns so they can be collapsed or expanded. Use it when you want to temporarily hide detailed data and show only the summary rows.
Ungroup rows / columns Alt+Shift+← ⌥+⇧+← Removes the grouping from rows or columns. Use it when the collapsible view is no longer needed, or when you want to rebuild the grouping structure.

Techniques

Excel — Techniques
Action Windows Mac What it does
Open list of validation rule options Alt+↓ ⌥+↓ Opens the drop-down list of choices when a cell has data validation set up. It lets you pick a value from the list using only the keyboard, without clicking with the mouse.
Edit active cell and move cursor to end of cell content F2 F2 Switches the selected cell into edit mode and moves the cursor to the end of its text. Use it when you want to add more text after what is already entered.
If possible, repeat the previous command or operation. (The last operation is to combine cells) Ctrl+Y ⌘+Y Repeats the last command or action performed. For example, if you need to merge cells in another location too, it saves you from redoing the same steps manually.
Insert new sheet Shift+F11 ⇧+F11 Adds a new worksheet to the current workbook. Use it when you want to manage data by month or category on separate sheets.
Expand or collapse the formula bar. Ctrl+Shift+U ⌃+⇧+U Expands the formula bar to show more lines, or collapses it back. Use it when you need to view and edit a long formula or multi-line text in full.
Cancel input in cell or formula bar. Esc Esc Cancels the entry currently being typed in a cell or the formula bar without confirming it. Use it when you notice a mistake or want to stop editing and revert to the original content.
Enter the same data as the cell above Ctrl+D ⌘+D Copies the content of the top cell in the selected range down into each cell below it. Use it to enter the same value or formula down a column all at once.
Enter the same data as the cell on the left Ctrl+R ⌘+R Copies the content of the leftmost cell in the selected range into each cell to its right. Use it to enter the same value or formula across a row all at once.
Switch to absolute reference F4 F4 Cycles a cell reference in a formula between relative, absolute, and mixed reference. Use it when you want a reference to stay fixed even after copying the formula.
Check the worksheet you are working on or spelling in the selected range. F7 F7 Checks the active sheet or selected range for spelling mistakes. Use it before distributing a document to catch typos and input errors.
Enter the current time Ctrl+: ⌘+; Enters the current time into the selected cell as a fixed value. Use it when you want to quickly record a timestamp in a work log or record.
Enter the current date Ctrl+; ⌃+; Enters the current date into the selected cell as a fixed value. Use it to quickly fill in the date field of a daily report or log.
Add a cell comment. Shift+F2 ⇧+F2 Adds a comment (note) to the selected cell. Use it when you want to jot down the reasoning behind a figure or a caution, without changing the cell's own value.
Create an embedded graph from the current range of data. Alt+F1 ⌥+F1 Creates an embedded chart on the same sheet from the selected range of data. Use it when you want to quickly visualize a trend or comparison in the numbers.

Window/dialog

Excel — Window/dialog
Action Windows Mac What it does
Open Cell Format dialog box Ctrl+1 ⌘+1 Opens the Format Cells dialog, where you can set the number format, font, borders, and fill of the selected cells all in one place. It is commonly used when you need to fine-tune formatting.
Open the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog box Ctrl+Shift+P ⌃+⇧+P Opens the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog directly. Use it when you only need to quickly change the font size or style.
Open Insert dialog Ctrl+Shift++ ⌘+⇧+; Opens the dialog for inserting cells, rows, or columns before the current selection. It lets you add an item later without opening the menu.
Open the Delete dialog box Ctrl+- ⌘+- Opens the dialog for deleting the selected cells, rows, or columns. It lets you remove items you no longer need right away without hunting through menus.
[Select format and paste] Open dialog box Ctrl+Alt+V ⌘+⌥+V Opens the Paste Special dialog, which lets you choose to paste only values, only formatting, or only formulas from copied data. Use it, for example, when you want to paste just the calculated result of a formula elsewhere.
Open the Insert Hyperlink dialog Ctrl+K ⌘+K Opens the dialog for setting a hyperlink on the selected cell. Use it when you want to embed a link to another sheet, an external website, or a file.

Filter

Excel — Filter
Action Windows Mac What it does
Apply filter Ctrl+Shift+L ⌘+⇧+F Displays filter buttons on the header row of the selected table. Use it when you want to narrow down the data shown by specifying conditions.
Remove filter Ctrl+Shift+L ⌘+⇧+F Removes the filter set on a table and hides the filter buttons. Use it when you want to stop narrowing the data and show everything again.

Number formatting

Excel — Number formatting
Action Windows Mac What it does
Apply the Currency display format. Ctrl+Shift+$ ⌃+⇧+4 Applies a currency display format, complete with a currency symbol and digit grouping, to the selected cells. Use it when you want to make numbers in a table of monetary amounts easier to read.
Apply the Percentage display format. Ctrl+Shift+% ⌃+⇧+5 Converts the number in the selected cell to a percentage display. Use it when you want to present data such as ratios or achievement rates clearly.
Apply the Date format for dates, months, and years. Ctrl+Shift+# ⌃+⇧+3 Displays the number in the selected cell as a date (year, month, day). Use it to turn a date stored as a plain serial number into an easy-to-read format.

Macros

Excel — Macros
Action Windows Mac What it does
Create, run, edit, or delete macros. Alt+F8 ⌥+F8 Opens the dialog listing macros, from which you can run, edit, or delete them. Use it to manage and run macros that automate repetitive tasks.
Open Microsoft Visual Basic For Applications Editor Alt+F11 ⌥+F11 Opens the built-in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor in Excel. Use it when you want to write or edit macro code directly to build more advanced automation.

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