Frequently used shortcuts
This table lists the most frequently used shortcuts in Excel.
To do this Press
Close a workbook. Ctrl+W
Open a workbook. Ctrl+O
Go to the Home tab. Alt+H
Save a workbook. Ctrl+S
Copy selection. Ctrl+C
Paste selection. Ctrl+V
Undo recent action. Ctrl+Z
Remove cell contents. Delete
Choose a fill color. Alt+H, H
Cut selection. Ctrl+X
Go to the Insert tab. Alt+N
Apply bold formatting. Ctrl+B
Center align cell contents. Alt+H, A, C
Go to the Page Layout tab. Alt+P
Go to the Data tab. Alt+A
Go to the View tab. Alt+W
To do this Press
Open the context menu. Shift+F10 or
Windows Menu key
Add borders. Alt+H, B
Delete column. Alt+H, D, C
Go to the Formula tab. Alt+M
Hide the selected rows. Ctrl+9
Hide the selected columns. Ctrl+0
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Ribbon keyboard shortcuts
The ribbon groups related options on tabs. For example, on the Home tab, the Number group
includes the Number Format option. Press the Alt key to display the ribbon shortcuts, called Key Tips,
as letters in small images next to the tabs and options as shown in the image below.
You can combine the Key Tips letters with the Alt key to make shortcuts called Access Keys for the
ribbon options. For example, press Alt+H to open the Home tab, and Alt+Q to move to the Tell
me or Search field. Press Alt again to see KeyTips for the options for the selected tab.
Depending on the version of Microsoft 365 you are using, the Search text field at the top of the app
window might be called Tell Me instead. Both offer a largely similar experience, but some options and
search results can vary.
In newer versions of Office, most of the old Alt key menu shortcuts still work, too. However, you need
to know the full shortcut. For example, press Alt, and then press one of the old menu keys, for
example, E (Edit), V (View), I (Insert), and so on. A notification pops up saying you're using an access
key from an earlier version of Microsoft 365. If you know the entire key sequence, go ahead, and use it.
If you don't know the sequence, press Esc and use Key Tips instead.
Use the Access keys for ribbon tabs
To go directly to a tab on the ribbon, press one of the following access keys. Additional tabs might
appear depending on your selection in the worksheet.
To do this Press
Move to the Tell me or Search field on the Alt+Q,
ribbon and type a search term for assistance then enter
or Help content. the search
term.
Open the File menu. Alt+F
Open the Home tab and format text and Alt+H
numbers and use the Find tool.
Open the Insert tab and insert PivotTables, Alt+N
charts, add-ins, Sparklines, pictures, shapes,
headers, or text boxes.
Open the Page Layout tab and work with Alt+P
themes, page setup, scale, and alignment.
Open the Formulas tab and insert, trace, Alt+M
and customize functions and calculations.
Open the Data tab and connect to, sort, Alt+A
filter, analyze, and work with data.
To do this Press
Open the Review tab and check spelling, Alt+R
add notes and threaded comments, and
protect sheets and workbooks.
Open the View tab and preview page Alt+W
breaks and layouts, show and hide gridlines
and headings, set zoom magnification,
manage windows and panes, and view
macros.
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Work in the ribbon with the keyboard
To do this Press
Select the active tab on Alt or F10. To move to a
the ribbon and activate different tab, use access keys
the access keys. or the arrow keys.
Move the focus to Tab key or Shift+Tab
commands on the
ribbon or add-in pane.
Move down, up, left, or Arrow keys
right, respectively,
among the items on the
ribbon.
To do this Press
Show the tooltip for the Ctrl+Shift+F10
ribbon element
currently in focus.
Activate a selected Spacebar or Enter
button.
Open the list for a Down arrow key
selected command.
Open the menu for a Alt+Down arrow key
selected button.
When a menu or Down arrow key
submenu is open, move
to the next command.
Expand or collapse the Ctrl+F1
ribbon.
Open a context menu. Shift+F10
Or, on a Windows keyboard,
the Windows Menu key
(usually between the Alt Gr
and right Ctrl keys)
Move to the submenu Left arrow key
when a main menu is
To do this Press
open or selected.
Move from one group Ctrl+Left or Right arrow key
of controls to another.
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Keyboard shortcuts for navigating in cells
To do this Press
Move to the previous cell in a Shift+Tab
worksheet or the previous option
in a dialog box.
Move one cell up in a worksheet. Up arrow key
Move one cell down in a Down arrow key
worksheet.
Move one cell left in a worksheet. Left arrow key
Move one cell right in a Right arrow key
worksheet.
Move to the edge of the current Ctrl+Arrow key
data region in a worksheet.
Enter the End mode, move to the End, Arrow key
next nonblank cell in the same
column or row as the active cell,
To do this Press
and turn off End mode. If the
cells are blank, move to the last
cell in the row or column.
Move to the last cell on a Ctrl+End
worksheet, to the lowest used
row of the rightmost used
column.
Extend the selection of cells to Ctrl+Shift+End
the last used cell on the
worksheet (lower-right corner).
Move to the cell in the upper-left Home+Scroll lock
corner of the window when Scroll
lock is turned on.
Move to the beginning of a Ctrl+Home
worksheet.
Move one screen down in a Page down
worksheet.
Move to the next sheet in a Ctrl+Page down
workbook.
Move one screen to the right in a Alt+Page down
worksheet.
To do this Press
Move one screen up in a Page up
worksheet.
Move one screen to the left in a Alt+Page up
worksheet.
Move to the previous sheet in a Ctrl+Page up
workbook.
Move one cell to the right in a Tab key
worksheet. Or, in a protected
worksheet, move between
unlocked cells.
Open the list of validation Alt+Down arrow key
choices on a cell that has data
validation option applied to it.
Cycle through floating shapes, Ctrl+Alt+5, then the
such as text boxes or images. Tab key repeatedly
Exit the floating shape navigation Esc
and return to the normal
navigation.
Scroll horizontally. Ctrl+Shift, then scroll
your mouse wheel up
to go left, down to
go right
To do this Press
Zoom in. Ctrl+Alt+Equal sign (
=)
Zoom out. Ctrl+Alt+Minus sign
(-)
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Keyboard shortcuts for formatting cells
To do this Press
Open the Format Cells dialog Ctrl+1
box.
Format fonts in the Format Ctrl+Shift+F or
Cells dialog box. Ctrl+Shift+P
Edit the active cell and put the F2
insertion point at the end of its
contents. Or, if editing is turned
off for the cell, move the
insertion point into the formula
bar. If editing a formula, toggle
Point mode off or on so you
can use the arrow keys to
create a reference.
To do this Press
Insert a note. Shift+F2
Open and edit a cell note. Shift+F2
Insert a threaded comment. Ctrl+Shift+F2
Open and reply to a threaded Ctrl+Shift+F2
comment.
Open the Insert dialog box to Ctrl+Shift+Plus sign
insert blank cells. (+)
Open the Delete dialog box to Ctrl+Minus sign (-)
delete selected cells.
Enter the current time. Ctrl+Shift+Colon (:)
Enter the current date. Ctrl+Semicolon (;)
Switch between displaying cell Ctrl+Grave accent (`)
values or formulas in the
worksheet.
Copy a formula from the cell Ctrl+Apostrophe (')
above the active cell into the
cell or the formula bar.
Move the selected cells. Ctrl+X
Copy the selected cells. Ctrl+C
To do this Press
Paste content at the insertion Ctrl+V
point, replacing any selection.
Open the Paste Special dialog Ctrl+Alt+V
box.
Italicize text or remove italic Ctrl+I or Ctrl+3
formatting.
Bold text or remove bold Ctrl+B or Ctrl+2
formatting.
Underline text or remove Ctrl+U or Ctrl+4
underline.
Apply or remove strikethrough Ctrl+5
formatting.
Switch between hiding objects, Ctrl+6
displaying objects, and
displaying placeholders for
objects.
Apply an outline border to the Ctrl+Shift+Ampersand
selected cells. sign (&)
Remove the outline border Ctrl+Shift+Underscore
from the selected cells. (_)
Display or hide the outline Ctrl+8
symbols.
To do this Press
Use the Fill Down command to Ctrl+D
copy the contents and format
of the topmost cell of a
selected range into the cells
below.
Apply the General number Ctrl+Shift+Tilde sign
format. (~)
Apply the Currency format with Ctrl+Shift+Dollar sign
two decimal places (negative ($)
numbers in parentheses).
Apply the Percentage format Ctrl+Shift+Percent sign
with no decimal places. (%)
Apply the Scientific number Ctrl+Shift+Caret sign
format with two decimal places. (^)
Apply the Date format with the Ctrl+Shift+Number
day, month, and year. sign (#)
Apply the Time format with the Ctrl+Shift+At sign (@)
hour and minute, and AM or
PM.
Apply the Number format with Ctrl+Shift+Exclamation
two decimal places, thousands point (!)
To do this Press
separator, and minus sign (-) for
negative values.
Open the Insert Ctrl+K
hyperlink dialog box.
Check spelling in the active F7
worksheet or selected range.
Display the Quick Ctrl+Q
Analysis options for selected
cells that contain data.
Display the Create Table dialog Ctrl+L or Ctrl+T
box.
Open the Workbook Ctrl+Shift+G
Statistics dialog box.
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Keyboard shortcuts in the Paste Special dialog box in Excel
In Excel, you can paste a specific aspect of the copied data like its formatting or value using the Paste
Special options. After you've copied the data, press Ctrl+Alt+V, or Alt+E+S to open the Paste
Special dialog box.
Tip: You can also select Home > Paste > Paste Special.
