Excel shortcut keys cover almost everything you do in a spreadsheet, and a handful do most of the work: Ctrl + S saves, F12 opens Save As, Ctrl + Z undoes, Ctrl + Y redoes, F2 edits the active cell and Alt + = adds an AutoSum. Learn those six first.
This page groups the most useful MS Excel shortcut keys by task, lists every Ctrl letter shortcut, and links to a detailed guide for each job, from filters and pivot tables to freezing panes. The keys are for Excel on Windows; Mac differences are noted where they matter.
Quick facts
Save
Ctrl + SSave As
F12Undo
Ctrl + ZRedo
Ctrl + YEdit cell
F2AutoSum
Alt + =Format Cells
Ctrl + 1
Excel shortcut keys for files, undo and redo
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| New workbook | Ctrl + N | Command + N |
| Open | Ctrl + O | Command + O |
| Save | Ctrl + S | Command + S |
| Save As | F12 | Command + Shift + S |
| Ctrl + P | Command + P | |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Command + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | Command + Y |
| Repeat last action | F4 | Command + Y |
| Close workbook | Ctrl + W | Command + W |
The redo shortcut in Excel, Ctrl + Y, also repeats your last action when there is nothing to redo, such as applying the same fill colour to another cell. F4 does the same outside formula editing. Saving habits have their own pages: saving files and Save As options.
Shortcut keys in Excel for moving and selecting
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Jump to the edge of the data | Ctrl + Right (any arrow) |
| Select to the edge of the data | Ctrl + Shift + Right |
| Go to cell A1 | Ctrl + Home |
| Go to the last used cell | Ctrl + End |
| Select the column | Ctrl + Space |
| Select the row | Shift + Space |
| Select the whole table | Ctrl + A |
| Go To a cell address | Ctrl + G |
| Next and previous sheet | Ctrl + PgDn / Ctrl + PgUp |
Ctrl with an arrow is the single most time saving habit in Excel: it jumps over thousands of rows in one press. Add Shift and it selects everything along the way, ready to format or copy. Column selection has its own guide, select column in Excel.
Excel shortcut key list for editing and formatting
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Edit the active cell | F2 |
| New line inside a cell | Alt + Enter |
| Fill down | Ctrl + D |
| Fill right | Ctrl + R |
| Format Cells dialog | Ctrl + 1 |
| Bold, italic, underline | Ctrl + B, Ctrl + I, Ctrl + U |
| Currency format | Ctrl + Shift + $ |
| Percent format | Ctrl + Shift + % |
| Insert rows or columns | Ctrl + Shift + Plus |
| Delete rows or columns | Ctrl + Minus |
| Today's date | Ctrl + ; |
| Current time | Ctrl + Shift + ; |
Shortcut keys for Excel formulas and data
Alt + = inserts a SUM for the cells above or beside the active cell. While typing a formula, F4 adds dollar signs to lock a reference, and Ctrl + ` shows every formula on the sheet for checking. Ctrl + Shift + L turns filters on, Ctrl + T converts the range into a table that expands automatically, and Ctrl + E, called Flash Fill, copies a pattern you type once. For summaries, Alt, then N, then V starts a pivot table. These are explained step by step in Excel formulas shortcut, lock formula with F4, AutoSum shortcut and pivot table shortcut.
Excel shortcut keys A to Z with Ctrl
| Ctrl + | Action |
|---|---|
| A | Select all |
| B | Bold |
| C | Copy |
| D | Fill down |
| E | Flash Fill |
| F | Find |
| G | Go To |
| H | Replace |
| I | Italic |
| K | Insert hyperlink |
| L | Create table |
| N | New workbook |
| O | Open |
| P | |
| Q | Quick Analysis |
| R | Fill right |
| S | Save |
| T | Create table |
| U | Underline |
| V | Paste |
| W | Close workbook |
| X | Cut |
| Y | Redo |
| Z | Undo |
Ctrl + J and Ctrl + M have no standard action in Excel. Letter keys in other programs are compared in the Ctrl letter guide.
Excel sheet shortcut keys
Workbooks with many sheets are faster with the keyboard. Shift + F11 inserts a new sheet, Ctrl + PgDn and Ctrl + PgUp move between them, Alt, H, O, R renames the current one and Alt, H, D, S deletes it. Right clicking the arrows at the bottom left lists every sheet for a quick jump. To keep headings visible while scrolling, freeze them with Alt, W, F, F. See new sheet, rename sheet, delete sheet and freeze panes.
Excel all shortcut keys by guide
| Guide | Main shortcut | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Excel filter | Turn filters on or off: Ctrl + Shift + L | Ctrl + Shift + L turns filters on or off; Alt + Down opens one |
| Hide in Excel | Hide rows: Ctrl + 9 | Ctrl + 9 hides rows, Ctrl + 0 hides columns in Excel |
| Excel formulas | Start a formula: Type = | = starts a formula, Alt + = adds SUM, F4 locks a cell, F2 edits |
| Pivot table | Insert: Alt, then N, then V, then T | Alt, N, V, T inserts a PivotTable; Alt + F5 refreshes it |
| Unhide in Excel | Rows: Ctrl + Shift + 9 | Ctrl + Shift + 9 unhides rows; Alt, H, O, U, K unhides columns |
| Insert row | Select row: Shift + Space | Shift + Space, then Ctrl + Plus inserts a row above in Excel |
| Merge cells | Merge and Center: Alt, then H, then M, then C | Alt, H, M, C merges and centres cells in Excel |
| Switch sheets | Next sheet: Ctrl + PgDn | Ctrl + PgDn for the next sheet, Ctrl + PgUp for the previous one |
| AutoFit column width | Column width: Alt, then H, then O, then I | Alt, H, O, I autofits column width; Alt, H, O, A autofits row height |
| Excel strikethrough | Strike through: Ctrl + 5 | Ctrl + 5 strikes through text in Excel; Command + Shift + X on Mac |
| AutoSum | AutoSum: Alt + = | Alt + = inserts SUM for the cells above; Command + Shift + T on Mac |
| Paste special in Excel | Open Paste Special: Ctrl + Alt + V | Ctrl + Alt + V opens Paste Special; then V for values |
| Date and time | Today's date: Ctrl + ; | Ctrl + ; puts today's date, Ctrl + Shift + ; puts the current time |
| Wrap text | Wrap text on or off: Alt, then H, then W | Alt, H, W wraps text in Excel; Alt + Enter adds a line break in a cell |
| Delete row | Select row: Shift + Space | Shift + Space, then Ctrl + Minus deletes the row in Excel |
| Insert column | Select column: Ctrl + Space | Ctrl + Space, then Ctrl + Plus inserts a column to the left |
| New sheet | New sheet: Shift + F11 | Shift + F11 adds a new sheet in Excel; Ctrl + N opens a new workbook |
| Fill color | Fill palette: Alt, then H, then H | Alt, H, H opens Fill Color in Excel; F4 repeats the last colour |
| Borders | All borders: Alt, then H, then B, then A | Alt, H, B, A adds all borders; Ctrl + Shift + 7 adds an outline |
| Uppercase in Excel | Capitals: =UPPER(A2) | Excel has no uppercase key: use =UPPER(A2), Flash Fill (Ctrl + E) or PROPER |
| Remove duplicates | Remove Duplicates box: Alt, then A, then M | Alt, A, M opens Remove Duplicates in Excel |
| Delete sheet | Delete sheet: Alt, then H, then D, then S | Alt, H, D, S deletes the current sheet in Excel; it cannot be undone |
| Freeze panes | Top row: Alt, then W, then F, then R | Alt, W, F, R freezes the top row; Alt, W, F, F freezes rows and columns |
| Format painter in Excel | Format Painter: Alt, then H, then F, then P | Alt, H, F, P turns on Format Painter in Excel; or copy and paste formats |
| Select column or row | Entire column: Ctrl + Space | Ctrl + Space selects the column, Shift + Space selects the row in Excel |
| Advanced Excel | Table: Ctrl + T | Ctrl + T table, Ctrl + E Flash Fill, Alt + F11 macros, Alt + ; visible cells |
| Transpose | Copy first: Ctrl + C | Copy, then Ctrl + Alt + V, E, Enter transposes rows into columns in Excel |
| Tick mark in Excel | Tick formula: =UNICHAR(10003) | In Excel type =UNICHAR(10003), or Alt + 0252 in a Wingdings cell, for a tick |
| Scroll lock in Excel | Full keyboards: ScrLk | Press ScrLk to unlock Scroll Lock in Excel; laptops use the on screen keyboard |
| Degree symbol in Excel | Type the sign: Alt + 0176 | Alt + 0176 types ° in an Excel cell; a custom format adds °C to numbers |
| Alignment | Center: Alt, then H, then A, then C | Alt, H, A, C centres text in Excel cells; L and R in place of C align left or right |
| Rename sheet | Rename sheet: Alt, then H, then O, then R | Alt, H, O, R renames the current Excel sheet; double click the tab also works |
| Sort | Sort A to Z: Alt, then A, then S, then A | Alt, A, S, A sorts A to Z; Alt, A, S, D sorts Z to A; Alt, A, S, S opens Sort |
| Lock formula (F4) | Show formulas: Ctrl + ` | Ctrl + ` shows formulas in Excel; F4 adds $ signs to lock a reference |
| Text to columns | Text to Columns: Alt, then A, then E | Alt, A, E opens Text to Columns in Excel; Ctrl + E Flash Fill splits by example |
| Spell check in Excel | Spell check: F7 | F7 runs spell check in Excel; Shift + F7 opens the thesaurus |
| Hyperlink in Excel | Insert hyperlink: Ctrl + K | Ctrl + K inserts a hyperlink in Excel; Alt, H, E, R removes hyperlinks from cells |
Each guide covers one task in detail, with steps, Mac keys and fixes for when the shortcut does not work.
Learning Excel shortcuts without stress
- Start with the six keys at the top of this page and use them for a week.
- Add one new key a day, picked from a task you repeat often.
- Use Alt and the ribbon letters for anything you do not remember.
- Keep this page bookmarked as a reference instead of printing a long list.
Students preparing for computer exams and office staff alike find that ten well chosen keys save more time than fifty half remembered ones. The keys are the same in every current version of Excel, including Microsoft 365. Similar keys for other Office programs are on MS Office shortcut keys.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most important Excel shortcut keys?
Ctrl + S, F12, Ctrl + Z, Ctrl + Y, F2 and Alt + =.
What is the redo shortcut in Excel?
What is the Save As shortcut key in Excel?
How do I see all Excel shortcuts?
Press Alt to see the ribbon letters, or use the tables on this page.
Are Excel shortcuts the same on a Mac?
Most use Command instead of Ctrl, with some differences.
Which Excel key fills a typed pattern down a column?
Ctrl + E, called Flash Fill.