KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS FOR MS EXCEL

(USER – MAY’07)

Data
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Entry Return Complete cell entry and move to cell below.
Entry Tab Complete a cell entry and move to cell right.
Entry Ctrl+ Return Complete a cell entry and remain in the cell.
Entry Shift+ Return Complete cell entry and move to cell above.
Entry Shift+ Tab Complete cell entry and move to cell left.
Date Ctrl+ ; Enter current Date.
Time Ctrl+ : Enter the current time.

Navigate
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Cell Arrow Navigate among cells. Also for movement of cursor in
keys the formula bar.
Cell Ctrl + ↑ Move to nearest data cell Up/edge of region.
Cell Ctrl + → Move to nearest data cell Right/edge of region.
Cell Ctrl + ↓ Move to nearest data cell Down/edge of region.
Cell Ctrl + ← Move to nearest data cell Left/edge of region.
Cell Ctrl+ Back Scroll to display the active cell
space
Pane F6 Move to next pane in a split workbook
Row Home Move to the beginning of the row.
Page Ctrl+ Home Move to the beginning of the worksheet.
Page Ctrl+ End Move to the last cell on worksheet, in bottom-most
used row of rightmost used column.
Page Alt+ Page Dn Move one screen to the right.
Page Alt+ Page Up Move one screen to the left.
Page Page Dn Move one screen down.
Page Page Up Move one screen up.
Sheet Ctrl+ Page Dn Go to the next sheet in the same work book
Sheet Ctrl+ Page Up Go to the previous sheet in the same work book

Select
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Cell Shift+ ↑ Select one more cell up from the active cell.
Cell Shift+ → Select one more cell right from the active cell.
Cell Shift+ ↓ Select one more cell down from the active cell.
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Cell Shift+ ← Select one more cell left from the active cell.
Cells Ctrl+Shift+ End Selection up to the last used cell on the worksheet
(lower-right corner).
Cells Ctrl+Shift+ Home Selection up to the beginning of the worksheet.
Cells End+Shift+ Arrow Selection up to last nonblank cell in the same column
key or row as the active cell.
Collapse Shift+ Backspace Collapse selection to active cell.
Column Ctrl+ Space bar Select entire column.
Column Ctrl+Shift+ ↑ Select column above active cell till nonblank cell.
Column Ctrl+Shift+ ↓ Select column below active cell till nonblank cell.
Column Shift+ Page Dn Select column down one screen
Column Shift+ Page Up Select column up one screen
Region Ctrl+ * Select active spreadsheet data region.
Row Alt+Shift+ Page Dn Selects the row right from active cell.
Row Alt+Shift+ Page Up Selects the row left from active cell.
Row Ctrl+Shift+ → Select row right of active cell till nonblank cell.
Row Ctrl+Shift+ ← Select row left of active cell till nonblank cell.
Row Shift+ Home Selection up to the beginning of the row.
Row Shift+ Space bar Select entire row.

Edit
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Cell edit F2 Edit the active cell.
Copy Ctrl+ R Copy data or formula from cell left. (Same as
drag right from right-bottom corner of the cell.)
Copy Ctrl+ D Copy data or formula from cell above. (Same as
drag down from right-bottom corner of the cell or
Copy, Paste)
Copy content Ctrl+ Copy content from cell above (different from
’ Ctrl+D).
Copy value Ctrl+ “ Copy value from cell above (different from
Ctrl+’).
Cut Ctrl+ X Cut selected text. (or Shift+Del)
Paste Ctrl+ V Paste copied text. (or Shift+Insert)
Paste Format Ctrl+Shift+ V Paste copied format.
Delete Back Delete active cell or left-top corner cell in
space selection. In Formula Bar, delete one character
left.
Delete Del Delete active cell or selection. In the Formula
Bar, delete one character right.
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Delete Ctrl+ - ‘Delete’ dialogue box. Cell, column or row.
Delete Ctrl+ Del Delete active cell or selection. In the Formula
Bar, delete till the end of the line.
Go to F5 Open ‘Go to’ dialogue box.
Find and Shift+ F5 ‘Find and Replace’ dialogue box.
Replace
Search Replace Ctrl+ H Open ‘Replace’ in ‘Find and Replace’ dialogue
box.
Search Find Ctrl+ F Open ‘Find’ in ‘Find and Replace’ dialogue box.
Search results WL+ F Open ‘Search Results’ dialogue box.
Delete sheet Alt+ EL Delete the current sheet.
Move sheet Alt+ EM Move sheet. (same as click, hold, drag and drop)
New sheet Shift+ F11 New sheet. (or Alt+Shift+F1)
Rename sheet Alt+ OHR Rename the sheet. (same as double click on the
sheet name)
Text Repeat Alt+ ↓ Autocomplete list. Display drop-down list of text
items in current column. Scroll and press Return
on a text to repeat.
Redo Ctrl+ Y Redo the previous command.
Undo Esc Undo last operation in cell/Formula Bar. Cancel
cell entry.
Undo Ctrl+ Z Undo the previous command.

Format
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Chart F11 Create chart automatically on new sheet. (Same as
Alt+F1)
Style Alt+ ’ ‘Style’ dialogue box – for formatting cell.
Outline Alt+ Return Apply outline borders on selection (same as Ctrl+&).
Borders To remove outline borders: Ctrl+_
Wrap Alt+ Return Start a new line in the same cell while typing (manual
wrap text).
Date Ctrl + # Format date in DD/MM/YY.
Number Ctrl + % Apply Percentage format with no decimal places.
Number Ctrl+ ! Apply Number format with two decimal places,
thousands separator, and minus sign for negative
values.
Number Ctrl+ $ Apply the Currency format with two decimal places
(negative numbers in parentheses).
Number Ctrl+ @ Format number in time format.
Number Ctrl+ ^ Apply the Exponential number format with two
decimal places.
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Number Ctrl+ ~ Format number in general format.
Format Cell Ctrl+ 1 ‘Format Cell’ dialogue box.
Strike Ctrl+ 5 Apply or remove strikethrough.
Bold Ctrl+ B Apply/ remove Bold (or Ctrl+2)
Define Ctrl+ F3 Define a name in the name box.
Italic Ctrl+ I Apply or remove italics (Same as Ctrl+3).
Underline Ctrl+ U Apply or remove Underline (Same as Ctrl+4).
Font Ctrl+Shift+ F Change font
Font Ctrl+Shift+ P Change font size

File
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Save as F12 Opens ‘Save As’ dialogue box.
Save Ctrl+ S Save document. (Or Shift+F12)
Print Preview Ctrl+ F2 Print preview.
New Ctrl+ N Open new work book.
Open Ctrl+ O Open document menu. (Or Ctrl+F12)
Print Ctrl+ P Open ‘Print’ dialogue box. (Or Ctrl+Shift+F12)

Insert
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Ctrl+ + ‘Insert’ dialogue box. Cell, column or row.
Chart Alt+ F1 Create chart automatically on new sheet (same as F11).
Comment Shift+ F2 Insert/Edit cell ‘comment’.
Formula = Formula mode
Formula Sum Alt + = AutoSum formula. Sum of cells above.
Function Shift+ F3 ‘Insert Function’ dialogue box.
Group Alt+Shift+ → To group
Hyperlink Ctrl+ K Insert hyperlink.
Ungroup Alt+Shift+ ← To ungroup

Menu
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Alt Pull down menus on top of the windows. Navigate with →,
←, ↑or↓ for options and press Return on desired menu.
Data Alt + D Pull down menu “Data”
Edit Alt + E Pull down menu “Edit”
File Alt + F Pull down menu “File”
Help Alt + H Pull down menu “Help”
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Insert Alt + I Pull down menu “Insert”
Format Alt + O Pull down menu “Format”
Tools Alt + T Pull down menu “Tools”
View Alt + V Pull down menu “View”
Window Alt+ W Pull down menu “Window”
Shortcut Shift+ F10 Display right click options (short menu).
Start WL Display/hide Start menu. (Or Ctrl+Esc)

Tools
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Language F7 Spell check
VB Alt+ F11 Open Visual Basic

View
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Formula Auditing Ctrl+ ` Show/hide cell values and cell formulas.
Highlight Dependants Ctrl+ [ Direct dependants. Highlight all cells affecting
the formula in the selected cell. Continue to
highlight next reference.
Highlight Dependants Ctrl+ ] All dependants. Highlight all formula filled
cells affected by the selected cell. Continue to
highlight next reference.
Highlight Precedents Ctrl+ { Direct precedents.
Highlight Precedents Ctrl+ } All precedents. Highlight all formula filled
cells in the selection.
Hide column Ctrl+ 0 Hide selected columns. Ctrl+Shift+0 to undo.
Hide row Ctrl+ 9 Hide selected rows. Ctrl+( to undo.
Unhide column Ctrl+ ) Unhide columns in the region.
Unhide row Ctrl+ ( Unhide rows in the region.
Show/ Hide Ctrl+ 7 Show/hide standard tool bar.
Show/ Hide Ctrl+ 8 Show/ hide margins.

Window
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
Maximise Ctrl+ F10 Maximize restored window
Maximise WL+Shift+ M Maximise all the active windows.
Minimise Ctrl+ F9 Minimize current window.
Minimise WL+ M Minimise all active windows. To undo: WL+Shift+M
Help F1 Office assistant, help.
Lock WL+ L Lock computer. Same as Ctrl+Alt+Del +Return
Command Modifiers Key Description / Remarks
My WL+ E Open ‘My Computer’.
Computer
Run WL+ R Open “Run” dialogue box.
Screen Style Ctrl+Shift+ S Blank screen with set background or screen saver.
Press any key to undo.
Security Ctrl+Alt+ Del Open ‘Windows Security’ dialogue box.
Show desk WL+ D Show desk top.
top
Switch Ctrl+ F6 Switch between other excel Windows.
Switch Ctrl+ Tab Move to next open Excel file(s).
Switch Alt+ Tab Switch windows, internet and other program windows
also. (Or Alt+Esc)
System Ctrl+Alt+ F1 Display Microsoft System Information
System Help WL+ F1 Microsoft ‘Help and Support Centre’
Close/Restore Alt+ - Open ‘Close/Restore’ dialogue box. (Or Alt + Space
bar)
Restore Ctrl+ F5 Restore window.
Close Ctrl+ F4 Close active Excel window (or Ctrl+W).
Exit Excel Alt+ F4 Close all active Excel windows. (different from
Ctrl+W or Ctrl+F4 which closes only one active
window)