- Use the Access keys for ribbon tabs
- Work in the ribbon with the keyboard
Frequently used shortcuts
This table lists the most frequently used shortcuts in Excel.
Close a workbook.
Open a workbook.
Go to the Home tab.
Save a workbook.
Undo recent action.
Remove cell contents.
Choose a fill color.
Go to the Insert tab.
Apply bold formatting.
Center align cell contents.
Go to the Page Layout tab.
Go to the Data tab.
Go to the View tab.
Open the context menu.
Windows Menu key
Go to the Formula tab.
Hide the selected rows.
Hide the selected columns.
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.
Move to the Tell me or Search field on the ribbon and type a search term for assistance or Help content.
Alt+Q, then enter the search term.
Open the File menu.
Open the Home tab and format text and numbers and use the Find tool.
Open the Insert tab and insert PivotTables, charts, add-ins, Sparklines, pictures, shapes, headers, or text boxes.
Open the Page Layout tab and work with themes, page setup, scale, and alignment.
Open the Formulas tab and insert, trace, and customize functions and calculations.
Open the Data tab and connect to, sort, filter, analyze, and work with data.
Open the Review tab and check spelling, add notes and threaded comments, and protect sheets and workbooks.
Open the View tab and preview page breaks and layouts, show and hide gridlines and headings, set zoom magnification, manage windows and panes, and view macros.
Work in the ribbon with the keyboard
Select the active tab on the ribbon and activate the access keys.
Alt or F10. To move to a different tab, use access keys or the arrow keys.
Move the focus to commands on the ribbon or add-in pane.
Tab key or Shift+Tab
Move down, up, left, or right, respectively, among the items on the ribbon.
Show the tooltip for the ribbon element currently in focus.
Activate a selected button.
Spacebar or Enter
Open the list for a selected command.
Open the menu for a selected button.
Alt+Down arrow key
When a menu or submenu is open, move to the next command.
Expand or collapse the ribbon.
Open a context menu.
Or, on a Windows keyboard, the Windows Menu key (usually between the Alt Gr and right Ctrl keys)
Move to the submenu when a main menu is open or selected.
Move from one group of controls to another.
Ctrl+Left or Right arrow key
Keyboard shortcuts for navigating in cells
Move to the previous cell in a worksheet or the previous option in a dialog box.
Move one cell up in a worksheet.
Move one cell down in a worksheet.
Move one cell left in a worksheet.
Move one cell right in a worksheet.
Right arrow key
Move to the edge of the current data region in a worksheet.
Enter the End mode, move to the next nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell, 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 worksheet, to the lowest used row of the rightmost used column.
Extend the selection of cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner).
Move to the cell in the upper-left corner of the window when Scroll lock is turned on.
Move to the beginning of a worksheet.
Move one screen down in a worksheet.
Move to the next sheet in a workbook.
Move one screen to the right in a worksheet.
Move one screen up in a worksheet.
Move one screen to the left in a worksheet.
Move to the previous sheet in a workbook.
Move one cell to the right in a worksheet. Or, in a protected worksheet, move between unlocked cells.
Open the list of validation choices on a cell that has data validation option applied to it.
Alt+Down arrow key
Cycle through floating shapes, such as text boxes or images.
Ctrl+Alt+5, then the Tab key repeatedly
Exit the floating shape navigation and return to the normal navigation.
Ctrl+Shift, then scroll your mouse wheel up to go left, down to go right
Keyboard shortcuts for formatting cells
Open the Format Cells dialog box.
Format fonts in the Format Cells dialog box.
Ctrl+Shift+F or Ctrl+Shift+P
Edit the active cell and put the 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.
Open and edit a cell note.
Insert a threaded comment.
Open and reply to a threaded comment.
Open the Insert dialog box to insert blank cells.
Open the Delete dialog box to delete selected cells.
Enter the current time.
Enter the current date.
Switch between displaying cell values or formulas in the worksheet.
Copy a formula from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the formula bar.
Move the selected cells.
Copy the selected cells.
Paste content at the insertion point, replacing any selection.
Open the Paste Special dialog box.
Italicize text or remove italic formatting.
Bold text or remove bold formatting.
Underline text or remove underline.
Apply or remove strikethrough formatting.
Switch between hiding objects, displaying objects, and displaying placeholders for objects.
Apply an outline border to the selected cells.
Remove the outline border from the selected cells.
Display or hide the outline symbols.
Use the Fill Down command to copy the contents and format of the topmost cell of a selected range into the cells below.
Apply the General number format.
Apply the Currency format with two decimal places (negative numbers in parentheses).
Apply the Percentage format with no decimal places.
Apply the Scientific number format with two decimal places.
Apply the Date format with the day, month, and year.
Apply the Time format with the hour and minute, and AM or PM.
Apply the Number format with two decimal places, thousands separator, and minus sign (-) for negative values.
Open the Insert hyperlink dialog box.
Check spelling in the active worksheet or selected range.
Display the Quick Analysis options for selected cells that contain data.
Display the Create Table dialog box.
Open the Workbook Statistics dialog box.
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.
To pick an option in the dialog box, press the underlined letter for that option. For example, press the letter C to pick the Comments option.
Paste all cell contents and formatting.
Paste only the formulas as entered in the formula bar.
Paste only the values (not the formulas).
Paste only the copied formatting.
Paste only comments and notes attached to the cell.
Paste only the data validation settings from copied cells.
Paste all cell contents and formatting from copied cells.
Paste all cell contents without borders.
Paste only column widths from copied cells.
Paste only formulas and number formats from copied cells.
Paste only the values (not formulas) and number formats from copied cells.
Keyboard shortcuts for making selections and performing actions
Select the entire worksheet.
Ctrl+A or Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar
Select the current and next sheet in a workbook.
Select the current and previous sheet in a workbook.
Extend the selection of cells by one cell.
Extend the selection of cells to the last nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell, or if the next cell is blank, to the next nonblank cell.
Turn extend mode on and use the arrow keys to extend a selection. Press again to turn off.
Add a non-adjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys.
Start a new line in the same cell.
Fill the selected cell range with the current entry.
Complete a cell entry and select the cell above.
Select an entire column in a worksheet.
Select an entire row in a worksheet.
Select all objects on a worksheet when an object is selected.
Extend the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet.
Select the current region if the worksheet contains data. Press a second time to select the current region and its summary rows. Press a third time to select the entire worksheet.
Ctrl+A or Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar
Select the current region around the active cell.
Select the first command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible.
Repeat the last command or action, if possible.
Undo the last action.
Expand grouped rows or columns.
While hovering over the collapsed items, press and hold the Shift key and scroll down.
Collapse grouped rows or columns.
While hovering over the expanded items, press and hold the Shift key and scroll up.
Keyboard shortcuts for working with data, functions, and the formula bar
Turn on or off tooltips for checking formulas directly in the formula bar or in the cell you’re editing.
Edit the active cell and put the 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.
Expand or collapse the formula bar.
Cancel an entry in the cell or formula bar.
Complete an entry in the formula bar and select the cell below.
Move the cursor to the end of the text when in the formula bar.
Select all text in the formula bar from the cursor position to the end.
Calculate all worksheets in all open workbooks.
Calculate the active worksheet.
Calculate all worksheets in all open workbooks, regardless of whether they have changed since the last calculation.
Check dependent formulas, and then calculate all cells in all open workbooks, including cells not marked as needing to be calculated.
Display the menu or message for an Error Checking button.
Display the Function Arguments dialog box when the insertion point is to the right of a function name in a formula.
Insert argument names and parentheses when the insertion point is to the right of a function name in a formula.
Insert the AutoSum formula
Invoke Flash Fill to automatically recognize patterns in adjacent columns and fill the current column
Cycle through all combinations of absolute and relative references in a formula if a cell reference or range is selected.
Insert a function.
Copy the value from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the formula bar.
Ctrl+Shift+Straight quotation mark (")
Create an embedded chart of the data in the current range.
Create a chart of the data in the current range in a separate Chart sheet.
Define a name to use in references.
Paste a name from the Paste Name dialog box (if names have been defined in the workbook).
Move to the first field in the next record of a data form.
Create, run, edit, or delete a macro.
Open the Microsoft Visual Basic For Applications Editor.
Open the Power Query Editor
Keyboard shortcuts for refreshing external data
Use the following keys to refresh data from external data sources.
Stop a refresh operation.
Refresh data in the current worksheet.
Refresh all data in the workbook.
Power Pivot keyboard shortcuts
Use the following keyboard shortcuts with Power Pivot in Microsoft 365 and Office.
Open the context menu for the selected cell, column, or row.
Select the entire table.
