Microsoft Excel shortcut keys and their functions

If you want to be a master at Microsoft Excel then one of the things you must know are keyboard shortcuts. Not all of them, but mostly the best or more important ones. A lot of Excel users take advantage of only a few Excel keyboard shortcuts, and that’s understandable.

Keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Excel

However, we believe keyboard shortcuts tend to make using Excel much easier than the traditional method, so with that in mind, we have decided to list what we deem as the best Microsoft Excel shortcuts you can use right now.

Here is a list of all the important Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Excel and their functions to help you get the best out of Excel.

General Program Shortcuts in Excel

When it comes down to manipulating workbooks, getting help, and navigating the interface, the shortcuts below should help a great deal.

Ctrl+N: All about creating new workbooks.
Ctrl+O: This is for opening an existing workbook.
Ctrl+S: Use this shortcut to save a workbook.
F12: If you want to open the Save As dialog box.
Ctrl+W: When it’s time to close a workbook.
Ctrl+F4: Close Excel completely.
F4: This one is interesting because it allows the user to repeat the last command or action with just a single key. For example, if you type “TWC” in a cell or change the color of a font, you can perform those same actions in another cell by clicking the F4 key.
Shift+F11: If you want to insert a new worksheet then use this shortcut.
Ctrl+Z: Easily undo a previous action
Ctrl+Y: Easily redo a previous action.
Ctrl+F2: Want to switch to Print Preview? This shortcut will get the job done.
F1: Launch the Help pane.
Alt+Q: When you want to go to the “Tell me what you want to do” box.
F7: Check for bad spelling.
F9: For those who want to calculate every worksheet in all opened workbooks.
Shift+F9: Perform calculations of all active worksheets.
Alt or F10: Press this key if you want to turn off key tips.
Ctrl+F1: Do you want to show or hide the Ribbon? Press this key.
Ctrl+Shift+U: Collapse or expand the formula bar.
Ctrl+F9: Press this key to minimize the workbook window
F11: For creating bar charts based on data you’ve selected on a separate sheet.
Alt+F1: This one is for creating an embedded bar chart based on select data on the same sheet.
Ctrl+F: Click this button if you want to search in a spreadsheet, or use Replace and Find.
Alt+F: Want to open the File tab menu? This key will do it.
Alt+H: If you want to go to the Home tab, then select this key.
Alt+N: Open the Insert tab
Alt+P: Navigate to the Page Layout tab
Alt+M: Navigate to the Formulas tab
Alt+A: Navigate to the Data tab
Alt+R: Navigate to the Review tab
Alt+W: Navigate to the View tab
Alt+X: Navigate to the Add-ins tab
Alt+Y: Navigate to the Help tab
Ctrl+Tab: Easily switch between open workbooks
Shift+F3: Press these keys to insert a function
Alt+F8: Do this if you want to create, run, edit, or delete a macro
Alt+F11: Do you want to open the Microsoft Visual Basic For Applications Editor? Press these keys.

Moving Around in an Excel Worksheet or Cell using Keyboard Shortcuts

These shortcuts make it easier to navigate a cell or worksheet.

Left/Right Arrow: Do this if you want to move one cell to the left or right
Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow: These shortcuts are for moving to the farthest cell left or right in the row
Up/Down Arrow: Move a single cell up or down
Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow: Do this if you want to move to the top or bottom cell in the column
Tab: Visit the next cell
Shift+Tab: Navigate to the previous cell
Ctrl+End: Navigate to the most bottom right used cell
F5: Navigate to any cell by pressing and typing the cell coordinate or cell name.
Home: Navigate to the cell to the far left in the current row
Ctrl+Home: Go to the beginning of a worksheet
Page Up/Down: Move one screen down or up in a worksheet
Alt+Page Up/Down: Move one screen to the left or to the right in a worksheet
Ctrl+Page Up/Down: Move to the next or previous worksheet

Keyboard shortcuts to select Excel Cells

Use these shortcuts to easily select one or more cells.

Shift+Left/Right Arrow: Extend the cell selection to the right or left
Shift+Space: Highlight the entire row
Ctrl+Space: Highlight the entire column
Ctrl+Shift+Space: Highlight the entire worksheet

Keyboard shortcuts to edit Excel Cells

Want to edit cells with keyboard shortcuts? Use these options.

F2: Edit a single cell
Shift+F2: Add or edit a single cell comment
Ctrl+X: Do this if you want to cut the contents of a cell, selected data, or selected cell range
Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Insert: Press these keys if you want to copy the contents of a single cell, selected data, or selected cell range
Ctrl+V or Shift+Insert: Paste contents of a copied cell
Ctrl+Alt+V: Open the Paste Special dialog box
Delete: Easily remove the contents of a cell
Alt+Enter: Add a hard return within a single cell
F3: Paste a cell name, but ensure the cells are named in the worksheet
Alt+H+D+C: Delete an entire column
Esc: Cancel entries made in a cell or the formula bar
Enter: Conclude an entry in a cell or the formula bar

Keyboard shortcuts to format Excel Cells

If you want to format cells, then take advantage of these shortcuts.

Ctrl+B: Easily add bold to contents and remove it if needed
Ctrl+I: Add or remove italics to the contents
Ctrl+U: Add or remove underline to the content
Alt+H+H: Choose a fill color
Alt+H+B: Insert a border
Ctrl+Shift+&: Useoutline border
Ctrl+Shift+_: Terminate outline border
Ctrl+9: Hide all selected rows
Ctrl+0: Hide all selected columns
Ctrl+1: Launch the Format Cells dialog box
Ctrl+5: Remove or apply strikethrough
Ctrl+Shift+$: Add currency format
Ctrl+Shift+%: Add percent format

What is Ctrl F2 in Excel?

In Excel, pressing Ctrl + F2 opens the “Print Preview” window, which allows you to see how your worksheet will look when printed. This window displays the worksheet as it appears on a printed page, including any margins, headers, and footers you have set up. You can change the margins, scaling, etc., and then print the document.

Read: Microsoft Excel Document not saved error

What is the function of Ctrl-A, Z, and Y in Excel?

Ctrl + A is all about selecting all content. Ctrl + Z focuses on undoing an action. Ctrl + Y, then, is when the user wants to redo an action. While the first one helps when you want to apply to format or delete in bulk, the second comes in handy to get back to the previous state. Lastly, Ctrl + YRedoes the last undone action using the Ctrl + Z shortcut. Useful in case of accidental changes.