Keyboard shortcuts are the cheapest productivity gain in Excel. Learn the twenty below first, then work through the eight chapters one shortcut group at a time: navigation, editing and Paste Special, formatting, formulas, data tools, workbooks and windows, Alt ribbon sequences, and the Mac equivalents with a printable cheat sheet. Windows keys are shown; on a Mac use ⌘ where Ctrl is written.
Course curriculum
Each chapter covers one group of shortcuts with a full Windows and Mac table, a worked example, five shortcuts to practise that week, common mistakes and answers to the questions people search for most. The quick-reference tables further down this page stay here for when you just need to look a key up.
- Excel Navigation and Selection Shortcuts: Move Around FasterCtrl + Arrow, Ctrl + Shift + Arrow, Ctrl + A, Ctrl + Home and Ctrl + End, Go To, and selecting visible cells only.
- Excel Editing, Copy-Paste and Paste Special ShortcutsF2, Ctrl + Enter, Ctrl + D and Ctrl + R, Find and Replace, and Ctrl + Alt + V for values, formats, transpose and multiply.
- Excel Formatting Shortcuts: Ctrl+1 and the Number Format KeysCtrl + 1 Format Cells, the Ctrl + Shift + 1 to 7 number format keys, font and border chords, and hiding rows and columns.
- Excel Formula Shortcuts: F2, F4, F9, Ctrl+` and Alt+= ExplainedF4 to lock references, F9 to recalculate or evaluate part of a formula, Ctrl + ` to show formulas and Alt + = for AutoSum.
- Excel Data Shortcuts: Sort, Filter, Tables, Pivot Tables and ChartsCtrl + Shift + L for filters, Ctrl + T for Tables, the pivot table and chart keys, and the Alt sequences for sorting and grouping.
- Excel Workbook, Worksheet and Window ShortcutsSwitch sheets and workbooks, insert and group sheets, freeze panes, and manage windows and the ribbon from the keyboard.
- Excel Alt Key Ribbon Sequences and the Quick Access ToolbarHow KeyTips work, the sequences worth memorising such as Alt, H, O, I, and Alt + 1 to 9 for your own Quick Access Toolbar buttons.
- Excel Shortcuts on a Mac and a Printable Cheat SheetThe Windows to Mac key table, the function keys that change, why there are no Alt sequences, and a cheat sheet for both platforms.
The twenty to learn first
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select the whole data region | Ctrl + A |
| Jump to the edge of data | Ctrl + Arrow |
| Select to the edge of data | Ctrl + Shift + Arrow |
| Go to first cell / last used cell | Ctrl + Home / Ctrl + End |
| Format Cells dialog | Ctrl + 1 |
| Insert rows, columns or cells | Ctrl + Shift + + |
| Delete rows, columns or cells | Ctrl + − |
| Fill down / fill right | Ctrl + D / Ctrl + R |
| Flash Fill | Ctrl + E |
| AutoSum | Alt + = |
| Toggle absolute reference ($) in a formula | F4 |
| Edit the active cell | F2 |
| Insert today’s date / current time | Ctrl + ; / Ctrl + Shift + ; |
| Find / Replace | Ctrl + F / Ctrl + H |
| Filter on / off | Ctrl + Shift + L |
| Create an Excel Table | Ctrl + T |
| New chart on the same sheet | Alt + F1 |
| Next / previous worksheet | Ctrl + Page Down / Ctrl + Page Up |
| Paste Special | Ctrl + Alt + V |
| Open the VBA editor | Alt + F11 |
File and general
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New workbook | Ctrl + N |
| Open | Ctrl + O |
| Save / Save As | Ctrl + S / F12 |
| Ctrl + P | |
| Switch between open workbooks | Ctrl + F6 |
| Close workbook | Ctrl + F4 |
| Undo / Redo | Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y |
| Insert a new worksheet | Shift + F11 |
Navigation and selection
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Next / previous cell in the row | Tab / Shift + Tab |
| Up / down one screen | Page Up / Page Down |
| Select entire row | Shift + Space |
| Select entire column | Ctrl + Space |
| Extend selection by one cell | Shift + Arrow |
| Go To dialog | F5 or Ctrl + G |
| Name box (jump to a named range) | Alt + F3 |
Formatting
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Bold / Italic / Underline | Ctrl + B / Ctrl + I / Ctrl + U |
| Strikethrough | Ctrl + 5 |
| Number format | Ctrl + Shift + 1 |
| Time format | Ctrl + Shift + 2 |
| Date format | Ctrl + Shift + 3 |
| Currency format | Ctrl + Shift + 4 |
| Percentage format | Ctrl + Shift + 5 |
| Outline border / remove borders | Ctrl + Shift + 7 / Ctrl + Shift + _ |
| New line inside a cell | Alt + Enter |
| Change font / font size | Ctrl + Shift + F / Ctrl + Shift + P |
Editing and formulas
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Cut / Copy / Paste | Ctrl + X / Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V |
| Copy value from the cell above | Ctrl + ' |
| Show formulas instead of results | Ctrl + ` |
| Insert function dialog | Shift + F3 |
| Recalculate all | F9 |
| Edit a cell comment / note | Shift + F2 |
| Create a chart on a new sheet | F11 |
| Hide row / hide column | Ctrl + 9 / Ctrl + 0 |
| Group / ungroup rows or columns | Alt + Shift + → / Alt + Shift + ← |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alt key sequence?
Press and release Alt to show letters on the ribbon, then type the letters shown. For example Alt, H, O, I auto-fits column width. It works for every ribbon command. Chapter 7 lists the sequences worth memorising.
Are the shortcuts the same on a Mac?
Most are, with ⌘ instead of Ctrl. A few differ: Format Cells is ⌘ + 1, and Flash Fill is Ctrl + E on both. Chapter 8 has the full Windows to Mac table.
How long does it take to learn Excel shortcuts?
Reading the tables takes fifteen minutes. Making twenty shortcuts automatic takes about two months of deliberate practice, five at a time. Work through one chapter a week and use its practice table.