Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

95+ Microsoft Excel shortcuts for navigation, formatting, formulas, and data analysis. Searchable and printable reference.

88 shortcuts 8 categories

Navigation

Action Shortcut
Go to cell A1
Go to last used cell
Jump to edge of data region
Go To dialog
Find
Find and Replace
Next worksheet tab
Previous worksheet tab
Scroll one screen right
Scroll one screen left
Go To / Name Box
Switch between open workbooks

Selection

Action Shortcut
Select all (or current region)
Extend selection to edge of data
Extend selection by one cell
Select entire column
Select entire row
Select to last used cell
Select to cell A1
Select non-adjacent cells
Extend selection to clicked cell
Select current region

Editing

Action Shortcut
Edit active cell
Confirm entry and move down
Confirm entry and move right
Cancel entry
Clear cell contents
Undo
Redo
Copy
Cut
Paste
Paste Special dialog
Fill Down (copy cell above)
Fill Right (copy cell left)
Fill all selected cells with entry
Insert current date
Insert current time
Copy formula from cell above
Copy value from cell above

Formatting

Action Shortcut
Bold
Italic
Underline
Strikethrough
Format Cells dialog
General number format
Currency format
Percentage format
Date format
Number format (2 decimals)
Add borders
New line within a cell
Apply outline border
Remove all borders

Rows & Columns

Action Shortcut
Insert cells/rows/columns
Delete cells/rows/columns
Insert row or column
Auto-fit column width
Fill color
Hide selected rows
Unhide selected rows
Hide selected columns
Unhide selected columns

Formulas

Action Shortcut
Start a formula
Toggle absolute/relative reference ($)
Show/hide all formulas
Enter array formula
Auto-SUM selected range
Insert function arguments
Calculate all workbooks
Insert Function dialog
Trace precedents (go to source cells)
Trace dependents

Data

Action Shortcut
Create Table
Toggle AutoFilter
Sort dialog
Filter (toggle)
Create names from selection
Insert chart from selected data
Insert chart on new sheet

File

Action Shortcut
New workbook
Open workbook
Save
Save As
Print
Close workbook
Insert new worksheet
Quit Excel

Pro tips

F4 for Absolute References

When editing a formula, press F4 to cycle through reference types: A1 → $A$1 → A$1 → $A1 → A1. This is the fastest way to lock cell references when copying formulas.

Ctrl+Enter for Multi-Cell Entry

Select multiple cells, type a value, then press Ctrl+Enter. The same value fills ALL selected cells at once. Works with formulas too - huge time saver for data entry.

Double-Click to Auto-Fill

Enter a formula in the first row, then double-click the fill handle (bottom-right corner). Excel auto-fills the formula down to match adjacent data - no dragging needed.

Alt+= for Instant SUM

Select a range (or click below a column of numbers) and press Alt+=. Excel inserts a SUM formula automatically. Works for rows too - select to the right of a row.

Ctrl+Shift+L for Quick Filters

Select your data and press Ctrl+Shift+L to toggle AutoFilter dropdowns. Filter by value, color, or condition. Press again to remove filters. Essential for large datasets.

Navigate with Ctrl+Arrow

Ctrl+Arrow jumps to the edge of the current data region. Add Shift to select as you go. Ctrl+Shift+End selects from cursor to the last used cell - perfect for large datasets.

Frequently asked questions

What's the fastest way to select a large range?

Click the first cell, then Ctrl+Shift+End to select to the last used cell. Or click cell A1, then Ctrl+Shift+End for everything. For a specific range, use Ctrl+G (Go To) and type the range like A1:Z1000.

How do I fill a formula down a column quickly?

Enter the formula in the first cell, then double-click the fill handle (small square at bottom-right of cell). Excel fills down automatically matching adjacent column length. Or select the range first and press Ctrl+D.

What's the difference between Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V and Ctrl+D?

Ctrl+C/V is standard copy-paste. Ctrl+D 'fills down' - it copies the cell above into the current cell. It's faster for replicating formulas because you don't need to copy first. Ctrl+R does the same from left.

How do I paste only values without formatting?

Use Ctrl+Shift+V to open Paste Special, then select 'Values'. Or after pasting normally, press Ctrl, then V for values only. In newer Excel, Ctrl+Alt+V opens Paste Special directly.

How do I quickly insert today's date?

Ctrl+; inserts the current date as a static value. Ctrl+Shift+; inserts the current time. For a dynamic date that updates, use the =TODAY() formula instead.

How do I navigate between multiple worksheets?

Ctrl+PgDn moves to the next sheet tab, Ctrl+PgUp to the previous. Right-click the navigation arrows at the bottom-left to see a list of all sheets and jump directly.

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