50+ Most Common Keyboard Shortcuts For Ms Excel
Do you want to know about the keyboard shortcuts for ms excel? If yes, then you must read this article to clarify your concepts from its core fundamentals. If you have to handle lots of data for your MS Excel then knowing the shortcut keys is mandatory. Otherwise, you cannot complete your work on time.
In this blog, you will learn about the Excel shortcut keys that can bother you in the long run. It is one crucial fact that can make things happen in your way. Here, the application of the correct strategy can make things happen in your way.
Table of Contents
Whether you are a pro in Excel or a beginner it does not matter but Keyboard shortcut keys that you will learn from this blog can guide you in the right direction.
What Is Microsoft Excel?
Microsoft Excel is a powerful spreadsheet application that’s part of the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software. It’s designed to help users organize, analyze, and visualize data using a grid of cells arranged in rows and columns. Each cell can hold data like numbers, text, or formulas, and Excel provides a wide range of tools to manipulate that data—think calculations, charts, pivot tables, and more.
The Need For Excel Shortcut Keys
There are numerous reasons why you need to know about the Excel shortcut keys that are essential for your smooth workflow. In this article, you will get to know how knowing the shortcut keys in Excel can help you to work faster in all possible means.
All these shortcut keys help the users to perform different kinds of tasks quickly along with improved efficiency. Additionally, you can do it with a single keystroke. It is essential for your spreadsheet masters. If you handle large amounts of datasets then it can save lots of time as well as it can boost your productivity. So, let’s explore its importance one after the other.
1. Increases Speed & Efficiency
Despite using all the functions mentioned in the menu all the Excel shortcut keys will help you to complete your task in just one click. Additionally, it can enhance your speed and efficiency. All these common Keyboard shortcut keys for MS excel can help you to meet your requirements with ease.
2. Improves Accuracy
All the shortcut keys can assist you in reducing the errors to a greater extent. You are likely to make fewer mistakes whenever you press while clicking through multiple menus.
3. Reduces Fatigue
When you make use of the shortcut keys then it reduces your need to reach for the mouse thus it reduces discomfort and fatigue to a considerable extent.
4. Enhances Workflow
You can easily streamline your work with the help of these shortcut keys to make your life easier in the workplace. So, these keyboard shortcut keys for Excel can make your life easier in the long run.
Complete List Of Keyboard Shortcuts For Ms Excel
There are several shortcut keys available in Excel that can make your life easier while you make use of these shortcut keys. So, let’s explore them to have a clear insight into it.
Frequently Used Shortcut Keys
| SL No. | Shortcut Keys | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ctrl +W | This shortcut key is used to close the workbook |
| 2 | Ctrl +O | For opening a workbook this shortcut key is used. |
| 3 | Alt +H | You can go to the home Tab using this shortcut key. |
| 4 | Ctrl + S | For saving a workbook |
| 5 | Ctrl +C | You can copy the selection mail. |
| 6 | Ctrl +V | For pasting the selection you can use this key |
| 7 | Ctrl +Z | To undo the recent action |
| 8 | Delete | For removing all the cell contents Delete option is used |
| 9 | Alt +H, H | You can select the Fill Color with this option |
| 10 | Ctrl +X | For cutting the selection you can make use of this key |
| 11 | Alt+N | You can go to the Insert tab |
| 12 | Ctrl+B | For the application of Bold formatting, it is used. |
| 13 | Alt +H, A,C | You must center align all the cell contents. |
| 14 | Alt +P | Go to the page layout tab |
| 15 | Alt +A | You must go to the data tab |
| 16 | Alt + W | To go to the view tab you must use it |
| 17 | Shift +F10 Or Windows Menu Key | You must open the context menu |
| 18 | Alt +H, B | Adding borders in your Excel sheet is possible with this key |
| 19 | Alt +H, D, C | For deleting your column you can use this shortcut key |
| 20 | Alt +M | You can go to the formula tab using this shortcut key |
| 21 | Ctrl+9 | For hiding all the selected rows this shortcut key you can make use off. |
| 22 | Ctrl +0 | If you want to hide the selected columns then you can make use of this shortcut key. |
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Ribbon Keyboard Shortcut Keys
Ribbon keyboard shortcuts in Excel let you navigate and use the Ribbon—the toolbar at the top with tabs like Home, Insert, and Data—without touching your mouse. These shortcuts rely heavily on the Alt key to activate the Ribbon, followed by specific letters or numbers to drill down into commands. Here’s how they work and the key ones to know.
How Ribbon Shortcuts Work?
- Press Alt: This lights up the Ribbon with “KeyTips”—little letters or numbers over each tab and command.
- Type the letter(s) for the tab you want (e.g., H for Home).
- Then type the letter(s) for the command (e.g., B for Bold).
- Some commands need a sequence (like Alt + H + O + I for auto-fit columns).
There are certain access keys that you must know while you use these Ribbon keyboard shortcut keys for MS Excel. Let’s go through the details to have a better understanding of it.
| SL No | Shortcut Key | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Alt +Q | You can move to the Tell me or search field that are present in the ribbon or in the search term assistance to help the content. |
| 24 | Alt +F | For opening the file menu you can make use of this shortcut key. |
| 25 | Alt +H | You can make use of the home tab and the format text numbers to find the tool. |
| 26 | Alt +N | Opening the insert tabs and inserting all the Pivot tables, add ins chart’s , sparklines, pictures, shapes, text boxes, and headers you can open with this short cut key. |
| 27 | Alt +P | You can easily use the Page layout tab and you can make use of Page set-up themes, alignment, and scale. |
| 28 | Alt +M | With this shortcut key, you can open the formula’s key to insert, trace, customize, calculate, and function. |
| 29 | Alt + A | You can open the data tab in order to sort, filter, and connect with all data tabs. |
| 30 | Alt +R | Check spelling by opening the review tab along with it and add notes in threaded comments. Additionally, you can protect all the sheets by adding comments. |
| 31 | Alt +W | You can open the view tab by previewing all the page breaks. |
You can work in the Ribbon with the application of Keyboard. Additionally, this can boost the scope of your brand development.
Ribbon Keys With The Keyboard
There are several Ribbon Keys that you need to know while using the keyboard. Additionally, you cannot make your selection out of the dark. So, let’s find out some of the crucial shortcut keys that you should look over from your end are as follows:-
| SL No | Shortcut Keys | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Alt +F10 | Alt + F10: Opens or closes the Selection Pane, a sidebar tool that lists all objects (shapes, charts, pictures, etc.) on the active worksheet. |
| 33 | Shieft +Tab | It moves the focus or cursor backward through cells, fields, or dialog box elements, essentially the reverse of the Tab key. |
| 34 | Arrow Keys | Arrow keys in Excel are simple but incredibly versatile, serving as your primary tool for navigation and selection on the keyboard. They move the active cell or cursor in the direction of the arrow—up, down, left, or right—and their applications expand with modifiers like Ctrl, Shift, or context-like editing. |
| 35 | Ctrl +Shieft +F10 | In a dataset, select A1:A5, hit Ctrl + Shift + F10, arrow to “Delete,” and remove cells. |
| 36 | Spacebar or Enter | It will help you to activate the selected button |
| 37 | Down Arrow Key | This will help you to open the selected command. |
| 38 | Alt + Down Arrow Key | To open the menu for the selected button you must use this shortcut key. |
| 39 | Ctrl + F1 | It will open up the collapsed ribbon. |
| 40 | Shieft +F10 | If you want to open the context menu then Shieft +10 is used. |
| 41 | Left Arrow Key | You can move to the sub menu when the main menu is selected and open. |
| 42 | Ctrl + Left or Right Arrow Key | It can help you to move from one group of controls to another. |
Keyboard Shortcuts For Navigating In Cells
Navigation keys in Excel are essential for moving around a worksheet efficiently without relying heavily on the mouse. They help you select cells, edit data, and navigate large datasets quickly. These are the most important Keyboard shortcut keys for MS Excel that you should know from your end.
| SL No | Shortcut Key | Applications |
| 43 | Shift + Tab | When you press Shift + Tab, the active cell moves one cell to the left in the same row. If you’re at the first column of a row (e.g., column A), pressing Shift + Tab will move the active cell to the last column of the previous row (e.g., from A2 to the last cell in row 1). |
| 44 | Up Arrow Key | Pressing the Up Arrow key moves the active cell one cell upward in the same column.
For example, if the active cell is B5, pressing Up Arrow moves it to B4. If you’re already in row 1 (e.g., B1), it won’t move further up. |
| 45 | Down Arrow Key | Pressing the Down Arrow key moves the active cell one cell downward in the same column.
For example, if the active cell is B5, pressing Down Arrow moves it to B6. |
| 46 | Left Arrow Key | Pressing the Left Arrow key moves the active cell one cell to the left in the same row.
For example, if the active cell is C5, pressing Left Arrow moves it to B5. If you’re in the first column (e.g., A5), it won’t move further left. |
| 47 | Right Arrow Key | Pressing the Right Arrow key moves the active cell one cell to the right in the same row.
For example, if the active cell is B5, pressing Right Arrow moves it to C5. If you’re in the last column (e.g., XFD5 in modern Excel versions), it won’t move further right. |
| 48 | Ctrl + Arrow Key | In Excel, Ctrl + Arrow Key is used for quick navigation within a worksheet |
| 49 | Ctrl + End | Moves the cursor to the last used cell in the worksheet (i.e., the intersection of the last used row and the last used column). |
| 50 | Ctrl +Shieft + End | Selects all cells from the current cell to the last used cell (determined by Ctrl + End). If your cursor is in A1 and you press Ctrl + Shift + End, it selects everything from A1 to the last used cell in the worksheet. |
| 51 | Home + Scroll Lock | In Excel, pressing Home + Scroll Lock modifies navigation within the spreadsheet. When Scroll Lock is enabled, the arrow keys scroll the worksheet without changing the active cell (the selected cell remains static). Adding the Home key to the combination moves the view back to the beginning of the row, while still keeping the Scroll Lock functionality active. |
| 52 | Ctrl + Home | In Excel, pressing Ctrl + Home is a quick way to navigate to the very beginning of your worksheet. Specifically, it moves the selection to cell A1 (the first cell of the sheet) or to the first cell with data if the worksheet is frozen with panes.
This shortcut is especially helpful when you’re working with large datasets and need to return to the top quickly. |
| 53 | Page Down | It moves one screen down to the worksheet. |
| 54 | Ctrl + Page Down | In Excel, pressing Ctrl + Page Down allows you to quickly navigate between worksheets within the workbook. Specifically, this shortcut moves you to the next worksheet to the right in the workbook tabs. |
| 55 | Alt + Page Down | Alt + Page Down is used for horizontal navigation within a worksheet. |
| 56 | Page Up | In Excel, pressing Page Up moves your view upward by one screen in the current worksheet. If you’re working with a large dataset, this shortcut allows you to scroll up quickly without using the mouse or dragging the scrollbar. It doesn’t change the selected cell; it just shifts the view. |
| 57 | Alt + Page Up | Alt + Page Up shifts the view one screen to the left, similar to scrolling sideways in the worksheet. It’s particularly useful when dealing with wide spreadsheets, as it allows you to quickly navigate horizontally without losing sight of the active cell. |
| 58 | Ctrl + Page Up | It helps to move from the previous sheet to the workbook. |
| 59 | Tab Key | In Excel, the Tab key is used to move the selection one cell to the right within a row. It’s helpful for navigating horizontally, especially when entering data across columns. When you reach the last column of a table or data range, pressing Tab can take you to the first cell of the next row. |
| 60 | Alt + Down Arrow Key | Alt + Down Arrow opens the drop-down list for a selected cell if it contains data validation or is part of a filter. This shortcut is particularly helpful for quickly accessing options within a dropdown menu, such as selecting from predefined choices or filtering data in a table. |
| 61 | Ctrl + Alt +5 | The Ctrl + Alt + 5 shortcut activates the “Print Preview” feature. This allows you to quickly view how your worksheet will look when printed, helping you check formatting, layout, and any potential issues before sending it to the printer. |
| 62 | Esc | The Esc (Escape) key in Excel is primarily used for navigation and canceling actions. |
| 63 | Ctrl + Shift | Ctrl + Shift is used in combination with other keys for navigation and selection. |
| 64 | Ctrl + Alt + Equal(=) | In Excel, Ctrl + Alt + = (Equal key) is used for quickly inserting the SUM function or you can Zoom in with this function. |
| 65 | Ctrl + Alt + Minus(-) | For zooming out Ctrl + Alt + Minus key is used. |
Formatting Short Keys In Excel
There are several formatting shortcut keys in Excel that you should know from your end while handling large amounts of Datasheets. Now the core functions of the formatting keyboard shortcut keys for MS Excel are as follows:-
| SL No | Short Cut Keys | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Ctrl + B | Bold the selected text or cells. |
| 67 | Ctrl + I | Italicize the selected text or cells. |
| 68 | Ctrl + U | Underline the selected text or cells. |
| 69 | Ctrl + 1 | Open the “Format Cells” dialog box for more detailed formatting options. |
| 70 | Ctrl + Shift + & | Apply borders around the selected cells. |
| 71 | Ctrl + Shift + _ (underscore) | Remove borders from the selected cells. |
| 72 | Alt + H + H | Open the fill color menu to change the background color of cells. |
| 73 | Alt + H + B | Add borders to cells via the “Borders” menu. |
| 74 | Ctrl + Shift + $ | Apply currency formatting to numbers. |
| 75 | Ctrl + Shift + % | Make applications of percentage formatting to numbers. |
| 76 | Ctrl + Shift + # | Apply date formatting to numbers. |
| 77 | Ctrl + Shift + ^ | Making applications of exponential (scientific) format. |
| 78 | Ctrl + Shift + ~ | Apply general formatting to remove specific formats. |
| 79 | Ctrl+K | Ctrl + K opens the Insert Hyperlink dialog box. This shortcut allows you to quickly add a hyperlink to the selected cell or text. |
| 80 | Ctrl+Q | In Excel, Ctrl + Q opens the Quick Analysis Tool for selected cells. |
These are some of the crucial common keyboard shortcut keys for MS Excel that you must know from your end.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Are The Most Frequently Used Keyboard Shortcut Keys For MS Excel?
Some of the most frequently used shortcuts include:
- Ctrl + C → Copy
- Ctrl + V → Paste
- Ctrl + X → Cut
- Ctrl + Z → Undo
- Ctrl + S → Save
2. How Can You Quickly Navigate Large Datasets Using Keyboard Shortcut Keys In MS Excel?
You can use these shortcuts for fast navigation:
- Ctrl + Arrow Keys → Move to the last filled cell in a row/column
- Ctrl + Home → Go to cell A1
- Ctrl + End → Jump to the last used cell
- Alt + Page Down → Scroll one screen right
- Alt + Page Up → Scroll one screen left
3. What Are The Shortcut Keys For Selecting Data In MS Excel?
For quick selection:
- Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Keys → Select data up to the last filled cell
- Ctrl + Shift + End → Select from current cell to the last used cell
- Ctrl + Shift + Home → Select from current cell to A1
- Shift + Space → Select the entire row
- Ctrl + Space → Select the entire column
4. How Can You Insert Or Delete Rows And Columns Using Keyboard Shortcuts In MS Excel?
You can use the following shortcuts:
- Ctrl + “+” (Plus Key) → Insert a new row/column
- Ctrl + “-” (Minus Key) → Delete a selected row/column
- Ctrl + Shift + “=” → Insert a new cell
- Ctrl + Shift + “-“ → Delete a selected cell
5. What Is The Shortcut Key For AutoSum And Applying Formulas Quickly In MS Excel?
- Ctrl + Alt + = → Automatically inserts the SUM function (=SUM(…)).
- Alt + = → Also works for AutoSum in selected cells.
- Ctrl + Enter → Apply the same formula to all selected cells.
Few insightful articles on Excel to improve your knowledge:
Final Take Away
Hence, these are some of the crucial keyboard shortcut keys for excel that you can make use off from your end. Ensure that you follow the correct solution from your end while meeting your requirements with ease.
You can share your views and opinions in our comment box. This will help us to know your opinion in this regard. Here. proper planning is the key to meeting your needs with complete ease.
Md Naved
Certification : Microsoft Office, Tally & ZoHo Certified Trainer: Ms Excel, Tally ERP9, Tally Prime & ZoHo.
Industry Experience : Quality Head of Own Centre at “ICA Edu Skills Pvt Ltd. Expert in Ms Office and Tally, with over 15+ years of Experience, trained more than 3,000+ individuals and also provided Corporate Training.
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