Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

Updated November 20, 2023

What is Excel Keyboard Shortcuts?

Excel Keyboard Shortcuts are operative alternatives where users can use keyboard key combinations to accomplish tasks usually performed with a click of the mouse.

Keyboard shortcuts can simplify and quicken the process of simple functions, like saving a document to performing calculations across multiple workbooks without using the mouse.

For example, when we use the shortcut keys CTRL + B for cell A1, it makes the content Bold, as displayed in cell C1.

These shortcuts help save time while working with large data files in business accounting, equity research, or building financial models. They increase efficiency and speed, ultimately leading to increased productivity.

Key Highlights

• The ALT key on the keyboard is the master key, which is present on both sides of the Spacebar key.
• Keyboard shortcuts are essential alternatives to the mouse.
• We can use the keyboard shortcuts in Excel using ALT, CTRL, SHIFT, Function key, and Windows key.
• The shortcut keys for the Windows keyboard and Mac keyboard are different.

How to Find Excel Keyboard Shortcuts?

To find the keyboard shortcuts press the ALT key on the keyboard. The Excel ribbon displays the below shortcuts for the menus in the toolbar.

When we press ALT + H, Microsoft Excel displays the keyboard shortcuts for every function in the toolbar except the menus, as shown below.

How to Use Excel Keyboard Shortcuts?

The various shortcuts for the Windows keyboard are given below:

1. CTRL + Letters Shortcuts

Shortcut Key	Action
	Select All
	Bold
	Copy
	Fill Down
	Find
	Go to
	Replace
	Italic
	Insert Hyperlink
	Displays the Create Table dialog box
	New Workbook
	Open
	Print
	Fill Right
	Save
	Underline
	Paste
	Close
	Cut
	Repeat the last worksheet action
	Undo

2. CTRL + Numbers Shortcuts

Shortcut Key	Action
	Hide columns
	Format Cells dialog box
	Bold
	Italic
	Underline
	Strikethrough
	Show or Hide objects
	Show or Hide Standard toolbar
	Toggle Outline symbols
	Hide rows
	It Unhides the columns in the current selection
	It Enters the value from the cell directly above into the active cell
	It Selects the current region (associated with blank rows and columns)
	It will Unhide the rows in the current selection

3. Function Keys Shortcut

Shortcut Key	Action
	Microsoft Excel Help
	Edit
	Paste Name
	Repeat the last worksheet action Switch between relative and absolute refs
	Go To
	Next Pane
	Spell check
	Extend mode
	To recalculate all workbooks
	Activate Menu Bar
	New Chart
	Save As

4. CTRL + Function Keys Shortcut

Shortcut Key	Action
	Expand or collapse the Ribbon
	Display the Print Preview area on the Print tab of Backstage View
	Display the Name Manager dialog box
	Close the currently selected workbook window
	Alternate between the currently active workbook window and the next workbook window
	Apply the Move command on the active workbook window
	Apply Resize command on the active workbook window
	Minimize the currently selected workbook window
	Maximize or restore the currently selected workbook window
	New Macro sheet
	Display the Open dialog box

5. SHIFT + Function Keys Shortcut

Shortcut Key	Action
	Edit cell comment
	Displays formula box to Paste function into the formula
	Find Next
	Find
	Moves to the Previous Pane in a workbook
	Add to selection
	Calculate active worksheet
	Display shortcut menu
	Insert New worksheet
	Save

6. ALT + Function Keys Shortcut

Shortcut Key	Action
	Insert Chart (Creates a chart of the data in the current range)
	Save As
	Closes all workbooks & Exits Excel
	Macro dialog box
	Displays Visual Basic Editor

 7. ALT + SHIFT + Function Keys Shortcut

Shortcut Key	Action
	Inserts a new worksheet into the active workbook
	Displays the Save As dialog box
	Closes all the workbooks and exits Excel
	Displays the drop-down menu for the corresponding smart tag
	Displays the drop-down menu for the corresponding smart tag

8. ALT + Letter Keys Shortcut

Shortcut Key	Action
	Convert Text to Columns Wizard
	Hide grouped columns or rows
	Show grouped columns or rows
	Displays the Remove Duplicates dialog box
	Advanced Filter
	Sort smallest to largest
	Sort largest to smallest
	Displays the Sort dialog box
	Add or Remove the bottom border
	Add or Remove the downward diagonal border
	Go to Backstage View
	Add or Remove the horizontal interior border
	Align text to the bottom of the cell
	Align text to the center of the cell
	Align text to the left of the cell
	Align text to the middle of the cell
	Choose accounting format
	Align text to the right of the cell
	Align text to the top of the cell
	Expand Borders drop-down menu
	Choose font color
	Expand Font Color drop-down menu
	Change the font face
	Increase the font size by 1 point
	Decrease the font size by 1 point
	Format Cells dialog box with the Number tab selected
	Format Cells dialog box with the Font tab selected
	Clipboard task pane
	Activates Format Painter
	Change the font size
	Expand the Fill Color drop-down menu
	Expand the Cell Styles menu
	Format number with a thousand’s comma (,) separator
	Choose number format
	Expand Format as Table drop-down menu
	Expand the Format as Table menu
	Wrap text
	Go to the Layout tab of the Ribbon
	Go to the Design tab of the Ribbon
	Expand Add Chart Element drop-down menu
	Add/ Remove the left border
	Expand the Insert Form Controls and ActiveX Controls drop-down menu
	Trace Dependents
	Trace Precedents
	Insert Bar Chart
	Insert Column Chart
	Insert Line Chart
	Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart
	Recommended Charts
	Insert Combo Chart
	Pivot Table
	Insert Text Box
	Add or Remove the right border
	Show all comments
	Delete comment
	Add or Remove the top border
	Display Excel Options dialog box
	Add or Remove the vertical interior border
	Page Break Preview
	Normal View
	Zoom dialog box
	View or hide gridlines

What are the most Common Excel Keyboard Shortcuts?

	Move to the beginning of a worksheet
	Move to the next sheet in a workbook
	Move to the previous sheet in a workbook
	Move one screen to the right in a worksheet
	Move one screen to the left in a worksheet
	Move to the edge of the current data region in a worksheet

Things to Remember

• Excel Keyboard Shortcuts help provide a quicker method to direct and finish commands.
• Excel Keyboard Shortcuts also help out or reduce the usage of the mouse and the number of clicks.
• The ALT key on the keyboard helps to use the shortcut key for various tasks.
• A good Excel course can also be beneficial in enhancing your Excel shortcut skills.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the F1 shortcut key in Excel?

Answer: The F1 key is a function key in Excel that displays the Help task pane. If we press CTRL + F1, it displays/ hides the Excel ribbon. Excel creates an embedded chart if we press ALT + F1 for a selected data/ range.

Q2. What are the 7 special keys on the keyboard?

Answer: The 7 special keys are-

CTRL + O: To open a document
CTRL + N: To create a New document
CTRL + S: To save a document
CTRL + C: To copy data from a cell or range of cells
CTRL + V: To paste a data
CTRL + X: To cut data from a cell or range of cells
CTRL + Z: To undo a task

Q3. How do I get a list of shortcuts in Excel?

Answer: To get a list of shortcuts in Excel, press the ALT key. The ALT key will display all the ribbon shortcuts, which are also called Key Tips. These tips appear as small letters next to the function they represent.

Q4. What is F7 used for in Excel?

Answer: The function key F7 displays the Spelling dialog box, which checks the spelling of the active Excel worksheet or a selected cell range. If we press CTRL + F7, it performs the Move command on the Excel workbook window.

Q5. What is F4 in Excel?

Answer: The function key F4 repeats the last action or command. It is helpful when performing multiple tasks and not remembering the last action. It helps save time too.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to Excel Keyboard Shortcuts. EDUCBA recommends learning more about Excel from the following articles

1. Excel Shortcut For Merge Cells
2. Excel Filter Shortcuts
3. Excel Insert Row Shortcut
4. VBA Insert Row