100 Excel Shortcut Keys: Master Working with Excel Efficiently

Updated on September 13, 2024

Article Outline

Have you ever felt annoyed at the speed of completing tasks with Excel?

 

It has happened to us all, aimlessly scrolling through the screens while attempting to complete works that should take the shortest of time.

 

Can you believe if I said to you that you can save so many hours of work a week if only you learn to use the Excel shortcut keys? It’s true. In this blog, there are tips for all those who use Excel, or even those who don’t use it at all.

 

They’re for those who want to improve efficiency and reduce manual clicks.

The Importance of Excel Shortcuts in Enhancing Productivity

Why should Excel shortcuts matter? Quite simple: time and efficiency.

 

When we use the mouse for everything, it’s easy to lose momentum. The seconds add up, and suddenly, we’ve spent way too much time on tasks that should be quick.

 

We accelerate our workflow by using keyboard shortcuts.

 

This isn’t just about saving a few clicks. It’s about keeping our focus and staying in the zone.

 

With Excel shortcut keys, our hands remain on the keyboard, and our brains stay on the task. This ensures that a better degree of accuracy is maintained with minimal frustration.

 

Excel shortcuts minimise the chances of errors.

 

We make fewer mistakes when we are not busy navigating between the mouse and keyboard. That is just one of those little differences that can make all the difference.

 

Mastering Excel shortcut keys, then, is the way to go if we want to work more efficiently, smarter, and with fewer errors.

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General Excel Shortcut Keys for Everyday Efficiency

Essential Shortcuts for Creating, Opening, and Managing Workbooks

 

Action Shortcut Key
Create a new workbook Ctrl + N
Open an existing workbook Ctrl + O
Save the current workbook Ctrl + S
Close the current workbook Ctrl + W
Switch between open workbooks Ctrl + Tab
Close Excel Alt + F4

 

 

Also Read: 15 Excel Tips

 

Quick Navigation Shortcuts for Moving Around Excel Workbooks Seamlessly

 

Action Shortcut Key
Move to the beginning of the worksheet Ctrl + Home
Move to the last cell used on the worksheet Ctrl + End
Move one cell to the right Tab
Move one cell to the left Shift + Tab
Move to the next worksheet Ctrl + Page Down
Move to the previous worksheet Ctrl + Page Up
Move to the next cell containing data Ctrl + Arrow keys

 

Keyboard Shortcuts for Efficient Data Entry and Editing in Excel

Shortcuts for Fast and Accurate Data Entry

 

Action Shortcut Key
Enter data and move to the cell below Enter
Enter data and move to the cell above Shift + Enter
Enter data and move to the cell on the right Tab
Enter data and move to the cell on the left Shift + Tab
Insert current date Ctrl + ;
Insert current time Ctrl + Shift + :

 

Editing and Formatting Cells with Quick Keystrokes

 

Action Shortcut Key
Edit the active cell F2
Copy selected cells Ctrl + C
Paste copied cells Ctrl + V
Cut selected cells Ctrl + X
Undo the last action Ctrl + Z
Redo the last action Ctrl + Y
Bold the selected text Ctrl + B
Italicize the selected text Ctrl + I

 

Time-Saving Excel Shortcut Keys for Navigating and Managing Worksheets

Moving Between Worksheets and Workbooks with Ease

 

Action Shortcut Key
Move to the next worksheet Ctrl + Page Down
Move to the previous worksheet Ctrl + Page Up
Move to the next open workbook Ctrl + Tab
Move to the previous open workbook Ctrl + Shift + Tab

 

Selecting Rows, Columns, and Ranges Efficiently

 

Action Shortcut Key
Select the entire row Shift + Space
Select the entire column Ctrl + Space
Select the current region around the active cell Ctrl + A
Extend selection to the last non-blank cell in the same row or column Ctrl + Shift + Arrow keys

 

Leveraging Excel Formulas and Functions with Dedicated Shortcut Keys

Quickly Creating and Editing Formulas with Keyboard Shortcuts

 

Action Shortcut Key
Start a formula in a cell =
Edit the active cell’s formula F2
Toggle absolute and relative references F4
Copy the formula from the cell above Ctrl + ‘ (apostrophe)

 

Using Shortcuts for Common Functions like SUM, AVERAGE, and IF Statements

 

Action Shortcut Key
AutoSum selected cells Alt + =
Insert function Shift + F3
Enter an array formula Ctrl + Shift + Enter
Display formulas in the worksheet Ctrl + ` (backquote)

 

Powerful Shortcuts for Formatting Cells, Rows, and Columns in Excel

Applying Font Styles, Borders, and Number Formats Instantly

 

Action Shortcut Key
Bold the selected text Ctrl + B
Italicize the selected text Ctrl + I
Underline the selected text Ctrl + U
Open the Format Cells dialog box Ctrl + 1
Apply currency format Ctrl + Shift + $
Apply percentage format Ctrl + Shift + %

 

Advanced Formatting for Rows and Columns to Improve Readability

 

Action Shortcut Key
AutoFit column width Alt + H, O, I
Hide selected rows Ctrl + 9
Hide selected columns Ctrl + 0
Unhide hidden rows Ctrl + Shift + 9
Unhide hidden columns Ctrl + Shift + 0

 

Utilising Excel’s Ribbon with Shortcut Keys for Faster Command Execution

Accessing the Ribbon and Tabs with a Single Keystroke

 

Action Shortcut Key
Access the Ribbon Alt
Go to the Home tab Alt + H
Go to the Insert tab Alt + N
Go to the Page Layout tab Alt + P
Go to the Formulas tab Alt + M
Go to the Data tab Alt + A
Go to the Review tab Alt + R
Go to the View tab Alt + W

 

Customising and Expanding Ribbon Commands with Shortcuts

 

Action Shortcut Key
Open the Customise Ribbon dialog box Alt + F, T, C
Add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar Alt + Shift + 1-9
Execute commands in the Quick Access Toolbar Alt + 1-9

 

Streamlining Data Analysis with Excel Shortcut Keys for PivotTables and Charts

Creating and Modifying PivotTables Using Shortcut Combinations

 

Action Shortcut Key
Create a PivotTable from selected data Alt + N + V
Select the entire PivotTable Ctrl + A
Refresh the PivotTable Alt + F5
Group selected items in a PivotTable Alt + Shift + Right Arrow
Ungroup selected items in a PivotTable Alt + Shift + Left Arrow

 

Charting Data with Speed: Excel Chart Shortcuts

 

Action Shortcut Key
Insert a chart on a new sheet F11
Insert a chart on the current sheet Alt + F1
Open the Chart Tools Alt + JC
Change the chart type Alt + JC, TY
Move chart to a different sheet Alt + F7

 

Advanced Excel Shortcut Keys for Power Users and Data Analysts

Managing External Data Sources and Refreshing Data with Shortcuts

 

Action Shortcut Key
Refresh all data connections Ctrl + Alt + F5
Open the Data tab Alt + A
Open the Connections dialog box Alt + A, C
Manage data sources Alt + A, M

 

Efficient Use of Macros and VBA Editor Through Keyboard Commands

 

Action Shortcut Key
Record a new macro Alt + T, M, R
Open the Macro dialog box Alt + F8
Run a selected macro Alt + F8, then Enter
Open the VBA Editor Alt + F11

 

Some Additional Useful Excel Shortcuts to Make Our Job Easy

Action Shortcut Key
Open the Save As dialog box F12
Close the current window Ctrl + F4
Move one screen down Page Down
Move one screen up Page Up
Move to the next pane in a split worksheet F6
Copy value from the cell above Ctrl + ‘ (apostrophe)
Fill selected cell range with the current entry Ctrl + Enter
Enter the same data in multiple cells Ctrl + Enter
Apply strikethrough formatting Ctrl + 5
Add or remove a border around the selected cell(s) Ctrl + Shift + &
Select adjacent worksheets Ctrl + Shift + Page Up/Page Down
Extend the selection of cells by one cell Shift + Arrow Keys
Extend the selection to the beginning of the row Shift + Home
Insert the AutoSum formula Alt + =
Show formulas in cells instead of their results Ctrl + ` (backquote)
Apply the general number format Ctrl + Shift + ~
AutoFit Row Height Alt + H, O, A
Open the Insert tab Alt + N
Open the Data tab Alt + A
Minimize or expand the Ribbon Ctrl + F1
Open the Get External Data dialog box Alt + D, D
Open the Format Cells dialog box with the Font tab selected Ctrl + Shift + F
Insert a new worksheet Shift + F11
Move to the previous workbook window Ctrl + Shift + F6
Open the Insert Function dialog box Shift + F3
Toggle the gridlines display on or off Alt + W, V, G

 

Also Read: AND Function in Excel

Conclusion

Excel shortcut keys change the way things get done by allowing operation to go quicker and smoother.

 

With these keys, one glides between worksheets with ease, doing data entry, editing, and formatting in a fraction of the time.

 

The analysis of data with the use of PivotTables and charts is greatly eased, while further tasks related to the management of external data and the use of macros themselves become simpler.

 

These shortcuts are just tools that one shouldn’t live without; with them, Excel is sure to become a great companion when working with data.

 

Mastering those Excel shortcut keys is far more important than saving time; it means working more smartly, making fewer mistakes, and feeling in control when one faces complex tasks.

 

With constant practice, mastery of these hotkeys will significantly enhance productivity and efficiency in Excel.

FAQs
Begin with the basic ones, like Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + V to paste, and Ctrl + Z to undo. These will save you time right from the beginning.
Go to the Ribbon and Toolbar options under Excel’s settings. From there, we can assign custom shortcuts to commands we use frequently.
Most shortcuts are similar, but Mac uses Command (⌘) instead of Ctrl. Also, some function keys might require the Fn key on Mac.
Of course, this is achieved by customising the Ribbon settings and adding applications to the Quick Access Toolbar with your preferred keys.
Check whether there is another command assigned with the same shortcut or whether some other program is interfering with the same. Another remedy can be resetting Excel settings to its default value to resolve conflict.

Updated on September 13, 2024

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