Instead of relying on the mouse to access the toolbar, you can perform significant functions using Excel Shortcut keys. These shortcuts are used by individuals and organizations alike, from big companies to small firms, and even students. They facilitate tasks such as data recording and analysis, mathematical operations, and creating charts and graphs.
While the list of Excel Shortcut keys may seem extensive, becoming proficient in MS Excel requires familiarity with these shortcuts. Therefore, a downloadable PDF format of Excel Shortcut keys is available.
Most used Excel Shortcut keys
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Copy selected cells
Ctrl + C
Command + C
Paste content from the clipboard
Ctrl + V
Command + V
Cut selected cells
Ctrl + X
Command + X
Undo the last action
Ctrl + Z
Command + Z
Redo the last action
Ctrl + Y
Command + Y
Repeat the last action
F4
F4
Paste a Special dialog box
Ctrl + Alt + V
Command + Option + V
Find and Replace
Ctrl + F
Command + F
Replace selected
Ctrl + H
Command + H
Find the previous match
Ctrl + Shift + F4
Command + Shift + F4
Find next match
Shift + F4
Shift + F4
Create embedded chart
Alt + F1
Option + F1
Create a chart in the new worksheet
F11
F11
Open Options
Alt, F, T
Option, F, T
Open help
F1
F1
Expand or collapse the ribbon
Ctrl + F1
Command + F1
Activate access keys
Alt
Option
Move to the next ribbon control
Tab
Tab
Activate or open selected control
Spacebar
Spacebar
Confirm control change
Enter
Return
Get help on selected control
F1
F1
Open the spelling dialog box
F7
F7
Open the Thesaurus dialog box
Shift + F7
Shift + F7
Open the Macro dialog box
Alt + F8
Option + F8
Open VBA Editor
Alt + F11
Option + F11
Duplicate object
Ctrl + D
Command + D
Snap to grid
Alt
Option
Hide or show objects
Ctrl + F6
Command + F6
Display modified cell-style dialog box
Alt + ‘
Option + ‘
Display right-click menu
Shift + F10
Shift + F10
Delete comment
Shift + F10, D
Shift + F10, D
Display control menu
Alt + Spacebar
Option + Spacebar
File Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Create New Workbook
Ctrl + N
Command + N
Open workbook
Ctrl + O
Command + O
Save workbook
Ctrl + S
Command + S
Save as
F12
F12
Print file
Ctrl + P
Command + P
Open print preview window
Ctrl + F2
Command + F2
Close current workbook
Ctrl + F4
Command + F4
Close Excel
Alt + F4
Option + F4
Text Formatting Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Apply or remove bold formatting
Ctrl + B
Command + B
Apply or remove italic formatting
Ctrl + I
Command + I
Apply or Remove underscoring
Ctrl + U
Command + U
Apply or remove strikethrough formatting
Ctrl + 5
Command + 5
Align center
Alt, H, A, C
Option, H, A, C
Align left
Alt, H, A, L
Option, H, A, L
Align right
Alt, H, A, R
Option, H, A, R
Indent
Alt, H, 6
Option, H, 6
Remove indent
Alt, H, 5
Option, H, 5
Increase font size one step
Alt, F, FG
Option, F, FG
Decrease font size one step
Alt, H, FK
Option, H, FK
Format Cells
Ctrl + 1
Command + 1
Display Format cells with font tab selected
Ctrl + Shift + F
Command + Shift + F
Number Formatting Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Apply general format
Ctrl + Shift + ~
Command + Shift + ~
Apply currency format
Ctrl + Shift + $
Command + Shift + $
Apply percentage format
Ctrl + Shift + %
Command + Shift + %
Apply scientific format
Ctrl + Shift + ^
Command + Shift + ^
Apply date format
Ctrl + Shift + #
Command + Shift + #
Apply time format
Ctrl + Shift + @
Command + Shift + @
Apply number format
Ctrl + Shift + !
Command + Shift + !
Filter Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Activate filter
Alt + Down Arrow key
Option + Down Arrow key
Toggle Autofilter
Ctrl + Shift + L
Command + Shift + L
Clear slicer filter
Alt + C
Option + C
Select the next item in the AutoFilter list
Down Arrow key
Down Arrow key
Select the previous item in the AutoFilter list
Up Arrow key
Up Arrow key
Close the AutoFilter list for the current column
Alt + Up Arrow key
Option + Up Arrow key
Select the first item in the AutoFilter list
Home key
Home key
Select the last item in the AutoFilter list
End key
End key
Active Cell Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Select active cell only
Shift + Backspace
Shift + Backspace
Show the active cell on the worksheet
Ctrl + Backspace
Command + Backspace
Move active cell clockwise in selection
Ctrl + .
Command + .
Move active cells down in the selection
Enter
Return
Move active cells up in the selection
Shift + Enter
Shift + Return
Move active cells right in a selection
Tab
Tab
Move active cells left in a selection
Shift + Tab
Shift + Tab
Drag and Drop Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Drag and cut
Drag
Drag
Drag and Copy
Ctrl + Drag
Command + Drag
Drag and insert
Shift + Drag
Shift + Drag
Drag and insert a copy
Ctrl + Shift + Drag
Command + Shift + Drag
Drag to worksheet
Alt + Drag
Option + Drag
Drag to duplicate worksheet
Ctrl + Drag
Command + Drag
Cell Borders Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Add or remove border-right
Alt, H, B, R
Option, H, B, R
Add or remove border-left
Alt, H, B, L
Option, H, B, L
Add or remove the border top
Alt, H, B, T
Option, H, B, T
Add or remove border-bottom
Alt, H, B, B
Option, H, B, B
Add or remove the border upward diagonal
Alt, H, B, D
Option, H, B, D
Add or remove the border horizontal interior
Alt, H, B, H
Option, H, B, H
Add or remove border vertical interior
Alt, H, B, V
Option, H, B, V
Add border outline
Ctrl + Shift + &
Command + Shift + &
Remove borders
Ctrl + Shift + _
Command + Shift + _
Data Entering Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcut keys Windows
Excel Shortcut keys Mac
Enter and move down
Enter
Return
Enter and move up
Shift + Enter
Shift + Return
Enter and move right
Tab
Tab
Enter and move left
Shift + Tab
Shift + Tab
Complete entry and stay in the same cell
Ctrl + Enter
Command + Return
Enter the same data in multiple cells
Ctrl + Enter
Command + Return
Insert current date
Ctrl + ;
Command + ;
Insert current time
Ctrl + Shift + :
Command + Shift + :
Fill down from the cell above
Ctrl + D
Command + D
Fill right from cell left
Ctrl + R
Command + R
Copy the formula from the cell above
Ctrl + `
Command + `
Copy value from the cell above
Ctrl + Shift + “
Command + Shift + “
Add hyperlink
Ctrl + K
Command + K
Display AutoComplete list
Alt + Down Arrow key
Option + Down Arrow key
Flash Fill
Ctrl + E
Command + E
Cell Edit Mode Shortcuts
Action
MS Excel Shortcuts Windows
MS Excel Shortcuts Mac
Edit the active cell
F2
F2
Insert or edit the comment
Shift + F2
Shift + F2
Cancel entry
Esc
Esc
Select one character right
Shift + Right Arrow key
Shift + Right Arrow key
Select one character left
Shift + Left Arrow key
Shift + Left Arrow key
Move one word right
Ctrl + Right Arrow key
Command + Right Arrow key
Move one word left
Ctrl + Left Arrow key
Command + Left Arrow key
Select one word right
Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow key
Command + Shift + Right Arrow key
Select one word left
Ctrl + Shift + Left Arrow key
Command + Shift + Left Arrow key
Select the beginning of the cell
Shift + Home
Shift + Home
Select to end of the cell
Shift + End
Shift + End
Delete to end of line
Ctrl + Delete
Command + Delete
Delete the character to the left of the cursor
Backspace
Backspace
Delete the character to the right of the cursor
Delete
Delete
Start a new line in the same cell
Alt + Enter
Option + Return
Dialog boxes Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcuts Windows
Excel Shortcuts Mac
Move to the next control
Tab
Tab
Move to the previous control
Shift + Tab
Shift + Tab
Move to the next tab
Ctrl + Tab
Command + Tab
Move to the previous tab
Ctrl + Shift + Tab
Command + Shift + Tab
Accept and apply
Enter
Return
Check and uncheck the box
Spacebar
Spacebar
Cancel and close the dialogue box
Esc
Esc
Navigation Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcuts Windows
Excel Shortcuts Mac
Move one cell right
Right Arrow key
Right Arrow key
Move one cell left
Left Arrow key
Left Arrow key
Move one cell up
Up Arrow key
Up Arrow key
Move one cell down
Down Arrow key
Down Arrow key
Move one screen right
Alt + Page Down key
Option + Page Down key
Move one screen left
Alt + Page Up key
Option + Page Up key
Move one screen up
Page Up key
Page Up key
Move one screen down
Page Down key
Page Down key
Move to the right edge of the data region
Ctrl + Right Arrow key
Command + Right Arrow key
Move to the left edge of the data region
Ctrl + Left Arrow key
Command + Left Arrow key
Move to the top edge of the data region
Ctrl + Up Arrow key
Command + Up Arrow key
Move to the bottom edge of the data region
Ctrl + Down Arrow key
Command + Down Arrow key
Move to the beginning of the row
Home key
Home key
Move to the last cell in the worksheet
Ctrl + End key
Command + End key
Move to the first cell in the worksheet
Ctrl + Home key
Command + Home key
Turn End Mode on
End key
End key
Selection Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcuts Windows
Excel Shortcuts Mac
Select entire row
Shift + Spacebar
Shift + Spacebar
Select entire column
Ctrl + Spacebar
Command + Spacebar
Select entire worksheet
Ctrl + A
Command + A
Add adjacent cells to the selection
Shift + Click
Shift + Click
Add non-adjacent cells to the selection
Ctrl + Click
Command + Click
Move right between non-adjacent selections
Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow key
Command + Option + Right Arrow key
Move left between non-adjacent selections
Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow key
Command + Option + Left Arrow key
Toggle add to selection mode
Shift + F8
Shift + F8
Cancel selection
Esc
Esc
Extend Selection Shortcuts
Action
Excel Shortcuts Windows
Excel Shortcuts Mac
Extend selection by one cell right
Shift + Right Arrow key
Shift + Right Arrow key
Extend selection by one cell left
Shift + Left Arrow key
Shift + Left Arrow key
Extend selection by one cell up
Shift + Up Arrow key
Shift + Up Arrow key
Extend selection by one cell down
Shift + Down Arrow key
Shift + Down Arrow key
Extend the selection to the last cell right
Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow key
Command + Shift + Right Arrow key
Extend the selection to the last cell left
Ctrl + Shift + Left Arrow key
Command + Shift + Left Arrow key
Extend the selection to the last cell up
Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow key
Command + Shift + Up Arrow key
Extend the selection to the last cell down
Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow key
Command + Shift + Down Arrow key
Extend selection up one screen
Shift + Page Up key
Shift + Page Up key
Extend selection down one screen
Shift + Page Down key
Shift + Page Down key
Extend selection right one screen
Alt + Shift + Page Down key
Option + Shift + Page Down key
Extend selection left one screen
Alt + Shift + Page Up key
Option + Shift + Page Up key
Extend selection to the start of the row
Shift + Home
Shift + Home
Extend selection to End of row
Shift + End
Shift + End
Extend selection to the first cell in the worksheet
Ctrl + Shift + Home
Command + Shift + Home
Extend selection to the last cell in the worksheet
Microsoft Excel remains a popular choice for data analysis despite the many alternatives available. However, if you’re looking for a free option, Google Sheets is a great alternative. Take a look at the Google Sheets Shortcuts list to streamline your workflow.