Excel Reference - Keyboard Shortcuts

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Excel has literally hundreds of predefined key combinations that let users who prefer to use the keyboard perform a wide variety of tasks. The most common shortcuts—Ctrl-S to save a workbook, and Ctrl-P to print—are there, as are many others.

The following tables are grouped to make finding shortcuts easier. Each group concentrates on a related set of activities, such as navigating a workbook, entering data, or selecting and editing data.

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NOTE

If you define custom keyboard shortcuts using any of the listed combinations, your custom shortcut will override the default shortcut.

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Table 4-7. General program shortcuts

Key	Action
Ctrl-N	Create a new workbook.
Ctrl-O or Ctrl-F12	Open a workbook.
Ctrl-S or Shift-F12	Save a workbook (the Save As dialog box appears if this is the first time you’re saving the workbook).
F12	Open the Save As dialog box to specify the name and location of the workbook.
Ctrl-W or Alt-F4	Close the active workbook. If it is the only open workbook, close Excel as well.
F1	Open Help, display the Microsoft Excel Help task pane, or open the Office Assistant.
F7	Run the Spelling checker.
F10	Display keyboard shortcuts for the visible Ribbon commands.
Shift-F10	Open a shortcut menu.
Ctrl-F9	Minimize the workbook.
Ctrl-F10	Restore or maximize the workbook.
Ctrl-P or Ctrl-Shift-F12	Open the Print dialog box.
Alt-Tab	Switch to the next program.
Alt-Shift-Tab	Switch to the previous program.
Ctrl-Esc	Open the Windows Start menu.
Prtscn	Copy a picture of the screen to the clipboard.
Alt-Prtscn	Copy a picture of the active window to the clipboard.

Table 4-8. Navigate a worksheet

Key	Action
Up arrow	Move the active cell up one row.
Down arrow	Move the active cell down one row.
Left arrow	Move the active cell left one column.
Right arrow	Move the active cell right one column.
Home	Move to the beginning of the current row.
Ctrl-Home	Move to the beginning of the worksheet (usually cell A1).
Ctrl-End	Move the last cell in the worksheet (at the intersection of the last used row and last used column).
Page Up	Scroll up one screen.
Page Down	Scroll down one screen.
Alt-Page Up	Scroll right one screen.
Alt-Page Down	Scroll left one screen.
Ctrl-Page Up	Move to the previous worksheet in the workbook.
Ctrl-Page Down	Move to the next worksheet in the workbook.
Shift-F11	Insert a new worksheet.
Ctrl-Shift-Page Down	Select the current and next sheet.
Ctrl-Shift-Page Up	Select the current and previous sheet.
Ctrl-F6	Go to the next open workbook.
Ctrl-Shift-F6	Go to the previously viewed open workbook.
F6	Move between the split panes of a workbook.
Shift-F6	Move back to the previously viewed pane of a split workbook.
Ctrl-G	Open the GoTo dialog box.
Ctrl-F	Open the Find page of the “Find and Replace” dialog box.
Ctrl-H	Open the Replace page of the “Find and Replace” dialog box.
Ctrl-Alt-Right arrow	Move clockwise between nonadjacent selections.
Ctrl-Alt-Left arrow	Move counterclockwise between nonadjacent selections.

Table 4-9. Selecting data and cells

Key	Action
Ctrl-C	Copy a cell’s contents or the selection on the formula bar.
Ctrl-X	Cut a cell’s contents or the selection on the formula bar.
Ctrl-V	Paste the contents of the clipboard into the cell or onto the formula bar.
Ctrl-Space	Select the entire column.
Shift-Space	Select the entire row.
Ctrl-A	Select the entire worksheet.
Shift-Backspace	With multiple cells selected, select only the active cell.
Ctrl-Shift-Space	With an object selected, select all objects on a sheet. With a cell selected, select all cells.
Ctrl-6	Alternate between hiding objects, displaying objects, and displaying placeholders for objects.
Ctrl-Shift-8 or Ctrl-*	Select the current region around the active cell (the data area enclosed by blank rows and blank columns). In a PivotTable report, select the entire PivotTable report.
Ctrl-Shift-O	Select all cells that contain comments.
Ctrl-\	In a selected row, select all cells with different values than the active cell.
Ctrl-Shift-|	In a selected column, select all cells with different values than the active cell.
Ctrl-[	Select all cells that contain a value that affects the value of any cell in the selection.
Ctrl-Shift-{	Select all cells that contain a value that directly or indirectly affects any cell in the selection.
Ctrl-]	Select all cells that contain a formula that directly references the active selection.
Ctrl-Shift-}	Select all cells that contain formulas that directly or indirectly reference the active cell.
Alt-;	Select the visible cells in the current selection.
Shift-Right arrow	Expand the selection one cell to the right.
Shift-Left arrow	Expand the selection one cell to the left.
Shift-Up arrow	Expand the selection up one cell.
Shift-Down arrow	Expand the selection down one cell.

Table 4-9. Selecting data and cells (continued)

Key	Action
Ctrl-Shift-Right arrow	Expand the selection right to the last nonblank cell on the row.
Ctrl-Shift-Left arrow	Expand the selection left to the last nonblank cell on the row.
Ctrl-Shift-Up arrow	Expand the selection up to the last nonblank cell in the column.
Ctrl-Shift-Down arrow	Expand the selection down to the last nonblank cell in the column.
Shift-Home	Expand the selection to the beginning of the row.
Ctrl-Shift-Home	Expand the selection to the beginning of the worksheet.
Ctrl-Shift-End	Expand the selection to the end of the worksheet.
Shift-Page Down	Extend the selection down one screen.
Shift-Page Up	Extend the selection up one screen.
Ctrl-F1	Show or hide the Ribbon toolbar.
Shift-F8	Add another range of cells to the selection.

Table 4-10. Data entry

Key	Action
Enter	Add data to a cell and move to the cell below the active cell.
Alt-Enter	Insert a line break in the active cell.
Ctrl-Enter	Fill selected cells with the value in the active cell if the formula bar is active.
Shift-Enter	Add data to a cell and move to the cell above the active cell.
Tab	Add data to a cell and move to the cell to the right of the active cell.
Shift-Tab	Add data to a cell and move to the cell to the left of the active cell.
Esc	Cancel cell entry.
Arrow keys	When a cell is selected, move to an adjacent cell. When editing within a cell, move one character in the direction of the arrow.
Home	Move to the beginning of the line.

Table 4-10. Data entry (continued)

Key	Action
F4 or Ctrl-Y	Repeat the last action.
Ctrl-D	Fill from the active cell down to the last cell in a selection.
Ctrl-R	Fill from the active cell to the right-most cell in a selection.
Ctrl-K	Insert a hyperlink.
Ctrl-;	Insert the date.
Ctrl-Shift-:	Insert the time.
Ctrl-Z	Undo the last action.

Table 4-11. Working with formulas

Key	Action
=	Begin entering a formula.
Enter	Complete cell entry and move to the cell below the active cell.
Esc	Cancel cell entry.
Shift-F3	When entering a formula, display the Insert Function dialog box.
Ctrl-A	When the insertion point is to the right of a function name, display the Function Arguments dialog box for that function.
Ctrl-Shift-A	When the insertion point is to the right of a function name, insert the argument names and parentheses into the formula.
F3	Paste the name of a named range into the formula.
Alt-=	Insert a SUM formula into the cell.
F9	Recalculate all formulas in all open workbooks.

Table 4-12. Edit data

Key	Action
F2	Position the insertion point after the last character in the selected cell.
Backspace	Clear the contents of the active cell, or delete one character to the left of the insertion point.

Table 4-12. Edit data (continued)

Key	Action
Delete	Delete the character to the right of the insertion point, or delete the contents of the active cell.
Ctrl-Delete	Delete text to the end of the line.
F7	Open the Spelling dialog box.
Shift-F2	Edit a cell comment.

Table 4-13. Format data

Key	Action
Alt-’	Open the Style dialog box.
Ctrl-1	Open the Format Cells dialog box.
Ctrl-Shift-~	Format the cell’s contents with the General number format.
Ctrl-Shift-$	Format the cell’s contents with the Currency number format.
Ctrl-Shift-%	Format the cell’s contents with the Percentage number format.
Ctrl-Shift-#	Apply the Date format as day, month, and year.
Ctrl-Shift-@	Apply the Time format with hour, minutes, and AM or PM.
Ctrl-Shift-!	Apply the Number format with two decimal places, thousands separator, and minus sign for negative values.
Ctrl-B	Apply or remove bold formatting.
Ctrl-I	Apply or remove italics.
Ctrl-U	Apply or remove underlining.
Ctrl-5	Apply or remove strikethrough.
Ctrl-9	Hide selected rows.
Ctrl-Shift-(	Unhide hidden rows within the selection.
Ctrl-0	Hide selected columns.
Ctrl-Shift-)	Unhide hidden columns within the selection.
Ctrl-Shift-&	Add an outline border to the selected cells.
Ctrl-Shift-_	Remove all borders from the selected cells.

Next: Keyboard Shortcuts continued >>
 

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