Every time you take your hand off the keyboard to grab the mouse, you lose a couple of seconds. It sounds like nothing, but multiplied by hundreds of times a day it adds up to hours every month. Advanced Excel users are not faster because they know more formulas, but because they move around sheets without thinking. In this article we collect the 20 most useful keyboard shortcuts, grouped by task, for Windows. On a Mac, in most cases, replace Ctrl with Cmd.
Moving around the sheet
1. Ctrl + Arrow
Jumps to the edge of the data block in the direction of the arrow. With Ctrl+Down Arrow you reach the last row of a 50,000-record table instantly. If there are blank cells, it stops at them, so it also helps you find gaps.
2. Ctrl + Home and Ctrl + End
Ctrl+Home takes you to cell A1. Ctrl+End takes you to the last used cell on the sheet. If Ctrl+End jumps far beyond your data, you have a “phantom range” that inflates the file size.
3. Ctrl + Page Down / Page Up
Moves to the next or previous sheet in the workbook. Essential in workbooks with lots of tabs.
4. F5 or Ctrl + G
Opens the Go To box, to jump to a specific cell (for example, Z5000) or to special cells such as blanks or cells containing formulas.
Selecting
5. Ctrl + Shift + Arrow
Selects from the current cell to the edge of the block. Combined with Right Arrow and Down Arrow, it selects a whole table in two keystrokes.
6. Ctrl + A
Selects the current data region; pressing it again selects the whole sheet.
7. Ctrl + Space and Shift + Space
Ctrl+Space selects the entire column. Shift+Space selects the entire row. Very useful before inserting or deleting.
Editing
8. F2
Enters edit mode in the cell without clearing its content. Perfect for fixing a formula.
9. Ctrl + Enter
Enters the same value or formula in every selected cell at once. Select a range, type and press Ctrl+Enter.
10. Ctrl + D and Ctrl + R
Ctrl+D fills down the content of the cell above. Ctrl+R fills right.
11. Ctrl + Alt + V
Opens Paste Special, to paste only values, formats, formulas or validation. Pasting as values is the way to lock in results and remove unnecessary formulas.
12. Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y
Undo and redo. The most used shortcuts in the world, but remember Excel lets you undo many actions in a row.
13. Ctrl + F and Ctrl + H
Find and Find and Replace. Essential for normalizing data: changing “Inc.” to “Inc”, removing double spaces or fixing repeated mistakes.
Formatting
14. Ctrl + 1
Opens Format Cells. From here you change number formats, dates, alignment, borders and protection.
15. Ctrl + Shift + $ and Ctrl + Shift + %
Apply currency and percentage formatting respectively.
16. Alt + Enter
Inserts a line break inside the same cell. Useful for addresses or long notes.
Working with data
17. Ctrl + T
Turns the range into a table. Tables automatically extend formulas and formatting, and they are the best source for PivotTables.
18. Ctrl + Shift + L
Turns filters on or off in the header row.
19. Alt + =
Inserts an AutoSum below a column of numbers.
20. F4
Two very handy uses: while typing a formula, it cycles between relative and absolute references (A1, $A$1, A$1, $A1); outside edit mode, it repeats the last action, such as inserting a row or applying a format.
Tips to memorize them
- Do not try to learn them all at once. Pick three this week and use them every chance you get.
- Stick a cheat sheet next to your screen for a few days.
- Use the Alt key: when you press it, Excel shows letters over the ribbon. Following those letters you can reach any command without the mouse.
- Mind the language: some shortcuts differ between Excel in English and other languages. If a shortcut does not work, the localized version may use a different key.
Shortcuts and tools: the winning combination
Shortcuts make you faster at tasks you do inside Excel. For repetitive tasks involving several files, such as comparing versions, merging workbooks, removing duplicates or converting formats, a dedicated tool is even faster. Use the tools on our Excel tools page and save your shortcuts for what really needs your attention.
Frequently asked questions
Do shortcuts work in Excel for the web?
Many do, although some may clash with browser shortcuts. In that case, the Alt key and the ribbon are still an alternative.
What about Google Sheets?
Google Sheets shares many shortcuts with Excel. Press Ctrl+/ to see the full list.
Can I create my own shortcuts?
Yes, in two ways: add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar, where each one gets an Alt+number shortcut, or record a macro and assign it a key combination. Keep in mind macros require saving the file as XLSM.
Which shortcut saves the most time?
For most people, Ctrl+Arrow and Ctrl+Shift+Arrow. Moving and selecting are what we do most often, and these two replace endless scrolling and dragging with the mouse.
Conclusion
Twenty well-learned shortcuts can save you dozens of hours a year. Start with movement and selection, move on to editing and finish with formatting and data. In a few weeks you will work with Excel much more smoothly. And for everything that goes beyond a single file, visit our Excel tools page.
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