Excel Shortcuts for selecting Rows Columns and Cells

Jump to: Navigation Basics, Select Basics, Select Columns and Rows, Insert Rows, Columns and Duplicate Content, Duplicate Content, Extend Selection Mode and select non-adjacent Cells, Shortcuts for Editing Cells, Edit Cells with Multiple Cells Selected

1. Navigation Basics

Arrow Keys

Navigate one cell at a time in any direction

Ctrl+Arrow Keys

Move to the edge of data region (cells that contains data)

Page Down/Page Up

Move one screen down/ up

Alt+Page Down/Page Up

Move one screen right/ left

Tab/Shift+Tab

Move one cell to the next/ previous cell in worksheet

Home

Move to beginning of row

Ctrl+Home

Move to the beginning of worksheet

Ctrl+End

Move to the last cell with content of worksheet

Ctrl+G

Display the GoTo dialog box

Ctrl+G then type e.g. A50

Go to line 50, Column A

Ctrl+G then type e.g. G1

Go to column G, Line 1 in Excel

Ctrl+Backspace

Set focus back to active cell after e.g. scrolling away from it

2. Select Basics

Shift+Arrow Keys

Extend selection by one cell

Shift+Page Down/Page Up

Extend selection one screen down/ up

Ctrl+Shift+Arrow Keys

Extend selection to next non-blank cell

Shift+Home

Extend selection to beginning of the row (unfortunately, there is no Shift+End equivalent)

Ctrl+A with empty cells around current cell

Select all

Ctrl+A with filled cells around current cell

Select all cells in data-containing area. Press twice to select everything

Ctrl+Shift+Home

Extend selection to first cell of the worksheet

Ctrl+Shift+End

Extend selection from current cell to all cells with data on the worksheet

Ctrl+G

Manual selection by row/ column via GoTo menu.
A:B selects column A thru C,
1:3 selects row 1 thru 3 ,
A1:B3 select cells A1 thru B3, etc

3. Select Columns and Rows

Shift+Space

Select current row

Shift+Space, then Shift+Arrow Down/Arrow Up

Select current row, then expand selection by one row down/ up

Shift+Space, then Shift+Page Down/Page Up

Select current row, then expand selection by one page down/ up

Ctrl+Space

Select current column

Shift+Space, then Shift+Arrow Right/Arrow Left

Select current column, then expand selection by one column right/ left

Shift+Space, then Shift+Alt+Page Down/Page Up

Select current column, then expand selection by one screen right/ left

4. Insert Rows, Columns and Duplicate Content

Shift+Space, then Ctrl+-

Select single row; then delete

Shift+Space, then Shift+Arrow Up/Arrow Down, then Ctrl+-

Select multiple rows; then delete

Shift+Space, thenCtrl+Shift++

Select single row; then insert one row above

Shift+Space, then Shift+Arrow Up/Arrow Down, then Ctrl+Shift++

Select multiple rows; then insert the same number rows below

Shift+Space, then Ctrl+-

Select single (or multiple) columns, then delete

Shift+Space, then Ctrl+Shift++

Select single row, then insert row below. Select multiple rows to insert multiple rows

Ctrl+Shift++ with row(s) in clipboard and a row selected

Paste Insert - paste row(s) from clipboard and shift existing content downward

Ctrl+Shift++ with column(s) in clipboard and column selected

Paste Insert - paste column(s) from clipboard and shift existing content to the right

Ctrl+Shift++

With cells that are not complete rows/columns - Open insert cell/ row/ column menu

Ctrl+-

With cells that are not complete rows/columns - Open delete cell/ row/ column menu

Shift+Arrow Down, F2, then Ctrl+Enter

Fill single cell content down to all cells selected with Shift+Arrow Down

Shift+Arrow Up, F2, then Ctrl+Enter

Fill single cell content up to all cells selected with Shift+Arrow Down

5. Duplicate Content

Ctrl+D

Duplicate cell or line above (Duplicate Down)

Ctrl+R

Duplicate cell or line above (Duplicate Right)

Shift+Space, then Ctrl+D

Duplicate content from row above of selection

Ctrl+Space, then Ctrl+R

Duplicate column content from column to the left of selection

Ctrl+'

Duplicate single cell from above during editing a Cell. Similar to Ctrl+D, but on single cell only and applies to when editing. This also allows e.g. amend text from above to the current cell content.

6. Extend Selection Mode and select non-adjacent Cells

Press and hold Ctrl, then click or click and drag

Add non-adjacent cells to a selection. While continue to hold Ctrl, click on selected cells or drag ranges to de-select.

F8

Extend selection from current cell; same effect as pressing and holding Shift. There is an 'Extend Selection' texts at in Excel Status Bar. Press Escape to exit Extend Selection MOde

Shift+F8

Enter Locked Selection Extend Mode. Now you can add non-adjacent cells to a selection. There is an 'Add or Remove Selection' text at bottom of Excel Window

Shift+F8, then click on cells or click+drag cell ranges

Add non-adjacent cells or ranges to locked selection

Shift+F8, then Arrow Keys, then 2x Shift+F8 on a single cell

Add non-adjacent single cells to locked selection

Shift+F8, then Arrow Keys, then Shift+Arrow Keys, then 1x Shift+F8 selected range.

Add non-adjacent cell ranges to locked selection

7. Shortcuts for Editing Cells

These assume you are inside a cell, typically after pressing F2

F2

Edit cell. Press Escape to cancel

F2, then Shift+Home

Select Cell Content. Selects from current end of cursor to beginning

Home/End

Jump to beginning/ end of cell

Arrow Keys

Navigate by one character left/ right or one line up/ down

Ctrl+Arrow Left/Arrow Right

Navigate by one word left/ right

Shift+Arrow Keys

Select one character to the left/ right (or one line up/down)

Shift+Home/End

Select from the insertion point to beginning/ end of cell

Ctrl+Shift+Arrow Left/Arrow Right

Select or unselect one word to the left/ right

Delete/Backspace

Delete one character to the right/ left of cursor

Ctrl+Delete

Delete from cursor to end of cell

Alt+Enter

Start a new line inside cell

Enter/Shift+Enter

Complete cell entry and move one cell down/ up

Tab/Shift+Tab

Complete cell entry and move one cell right/ left

Ctrl+Enter

Complete cell entry and don't move selection

Ctrl+'

Duplicate value from Cell above into current cell at cursor position

Ctrl+;

Insert current date at cursor position

Ctrl+Shift+;

Insert current time at cursor position

8. Edit Cells with Multiple Cells Selected

All these shortcuts assume multipe cells have been selected. Try with at least 2-3 columns and rows.

Tab/Shift+Tab

Move active cell right/ left in selection

Enter/Shift+Enter

Move active cell down/ up in selection

Shift+Backspace

Select only the active cell when multiple cells are selected

Ctrl+Backspace

Show active cell within selection; helps with large selections when active cell is off screen

Ctrl+.

Move clockwise between the four courners of a selection

Ctrl+Alt+Arrow Right/Arrow Left

Move to the right/ to the left between non-adjacent selections (with multiple ranges selected)

Arrow Keys with active Selection

Cancel Selection

Created by max on 12/18/2020. Last updated by max on 1/14/2021

 

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