The shortcut to switch between sheets in excel is Ctrl + PgDn to move to the next sheet on the right and Ctrl + PgUp to move back to the left. Hold Ctrl and tap the key repeatedly to walk through all the tabs.
Many laptops do not have separate Page Up and Page Down keys. On those, PgUp and PgDn are printed on the arrow keys, so the sheet change shortcut becomes Ctrl + Fn + Down and Ctrl + Fn + Up.
Quick facts
Next sheet
Ctrl + PgDnPrevious sheet
Ctrl + PgUpLaptop
Ctrl + Fn + Down and Ctrl + Fn + UpSelect several sheets
Ctrl + Shift + PgDnList all sheets
Right click the arrows left of the tabsMac
Option + Right and Option + Left
Shortcut to switch between sheets in Excel: all the keys
| Action | Windows keys | Excel for Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Next sheet | Ctrl + PgDn | Option + Right or Control + PgDn |
| Previous sheet | Ctrl + PgUp | Option + Left or Control + PgUp |
| Add the next sheet to a selection | Ctrl + Shift + PgDn | Shift click the tabs |
| Add the previous sheet to a selection | Ctrl + Shift + PgUp | Shift click the tabs |
How to change sheet in Excel on a laptop
Whether you call it the sheet change shortcut key, the shortcut to shift between sheets or the shortcut key to switch between worksheets in Excel, it is the same pair of keys, and here is how to change sheet in Excel on a laptop keyboard:
- Find PgUp and PgDn on your keyboard. On many laptops they are blue or grey labels on the Up and Down arrow keys.
- Hold Ctrl and Fn together.
- Tap Down for the next sheet or Up for the previous one.
If your keyboard has real PgUp and PgDn keys near the arrows, Fn is not needed. Some laptops print them on Home and End instead; look for the small labels. A full size external keyboard makes this easier if you work in large workbooks all day, and it costs far less time than hunting for tabs with the touchpad.
Jump to a sheet far away
With many tabs, walking one by one is slow, especially in a yearly workbook with a sheet for each month and a few summary sheets. Right click the small arrows to the left of the sheet tabs. A list of all sheets appears; pick one and press Enter. In current Excel, holding Ctrl while clicking those arrows jumps to the first or last sheet.
Grouped sheets warning
Ctrl + Shift + PgDn selects several sheets together, and the title bar shows Group. Anything you type then goes into every selected sheet, which is useful for the same heading on 12 monthly sheets but dangerous if you forget. Formatting, column widths and deleted rows are copied to all of them too. Click a single sheet tab to ungroup before normal work.
When the switch sheet shortcut does nothing
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + PgDn scrolls instead | Scroll Lock may be on, or you are in a cell edit; press Esc |
| No PgDn key | Use Ctrl + Fn + Down |
| Sheet skipped | It is hidden; see the unhide guide |
| Keys move between workbooks | That is Ctrl + Tab; use PgDn for sheets |
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut to switch between sheets in Excel?
How do I change sheets in Excel on a laptop without Page Down?
Press Ctrl + Fn + Down or Ctrl + Fn + Up.
How do I see a list of all sheets?
Right click the arrows to the left of the sheet tabs.
How do I switch between worksheets on a Mac?
How do I switch between Excel files, not sheets?
Use Ctrl + Tab or Alt + Tab.
What does Ctrl + Shift + Page Down do?
It selects the next sheet as well, grouping sheets.