Keyboard Shortcuts for Excel 365 for Windows

Here's a comprehensive list of Excel 365 for Windows keyboard shortcuts. How many of these keyboard shortcuts do you presently use? If you discover a shortcut key not listed here, please contact us through our feedback form.

The shortcuts listed on this page use the US-English keyboard layout. If you are using a non-US or non-English keyboard layout, then the keyboard shortcuts may not correspond exactly in some cases. You can learn about this issue and other reasons why some shortcuts may not work in our PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working page. Although the linked page pertains to PowerPoint, the techniques are valid for Excel too.

Ctrl Shortcuts
Function Key Shortcuts
Alt Shortcuts
Shift Shortcuts

Ctrl Shortcuts

Ctrl + A
Select the entire worksheet. In some cases, if you select a cell within a range or table, this keyboard shortcut will select all cells within the range or table and not the entire worksheet

Ctrl + Shift + A
Type in a function name within a cell and then press this keyboard shortcut to insert argument names and parentheses to the right of the function name

Ctrl + B
Ctrl + 2
Apply or remove bold formatting

Ctrl + C
Copy selected cells, or any other selected object such as a chart

Ctrl + D
Same as using the Fill | Down command to copy content, formula, and format of the topmost cells of a selected range into the selected, blank cells below

Ctrl + E
Use the Flash Fill to recognize patterns in adjacent columns to fill empty cells in the current column

Ctrl + F
Bring up the Find and Replace dialog box

Ctrl + Shift + F
Ctrl + Shift + P
Brings up the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog box

Ctrl + Shift + G
Brings up the Workbook Statistics dialog box

Ctrl + I
Ctrl + 3
Apply or remove italic formatting

Ctrl + K
Brings up the Insert hyperlink dialog box. Do note that the selected cell or object will be hyperlinked

Ctrl + L
Ctrl + T
Brings up the Create Table dialog box

Ctrl + O
Opens a workbook

Ctrl + Q
Brings up the Quick Analysis tool for selected cells

Ctrl + R
Fill content of the leftmost cell in selection in all selected cells on the right

Ctrl + S
Save the file

Ctrl + U
Ctrl + 4
Apply or remove underline formatting

Ctrl + Shift + U
Expand or collapse the formula bar so that you have more space to see your formula

Ctrl + V
Paste copied content at the insertion point. Note that doing so may replace existing content

Ctrl + W
Ctrl + F4
Close your Excel workbook. Doing so does not shut down Excel

Ctrl + X
Cut selected cells, or any other selected object such as a chart

Ctrl + Y
F4
Repeat or redo the last command or action, if doable

Ctrl + Z
Undo the last action; press repeatedly to undo more actions

Ctrl + 0
Hide columns that are selected, or columns that have active cells

Ctrl + 1
Brings up the Format Cells dialog box

Ctrl + 5
Apply or remove strikethrough formatting

Ctrl + 6
Switch between hiding and displaying objects such as pictures. Also, the Draw tab of the Ribbon may switch between visible and hidden stages

Ctrl + 8
Displays or hides outline symbols. If no outline exists in your worksheet, Excel will offer to create an outline

Ctrl + 9
Hide rows that are selected, or rows that have active cells

Ctrl + F1
Hide or unhide Ribbon. Ribbon tabs are visible

Ctrl + Shift + F1
Hide or unhide Ribbon with tabs, Title Bar, Quick Access Toolbar, and Status Bar

Ctrl + F2
Brings up print preview within the Print tab in the Backstage view

Ctrl + F3
Brings up the Name Manager window

Ctrl + F5
Restores the window size of the selected, maximized workbook window

Ctrl + F6
Switches between multiple, open Excel windows

Ctrl + F7
Performs the Move command on the workbook window when it is not maximized. You will see a four-arrowed cursor. Then, use the arrow keys to move the window, and when finished press Enter or Esc

Ctrl + F8
Performs the Size command on the workbook window when it is not maximized. You will see a four-arrowed cursor. Then, use the arrow keys to size the window, and when finished press Enter or Esc

Ctrl + F9
Minimizes a workbook window to the taskbar

Ctrl + F10
Toggles between maximizing and restoring the selected workbook window

Ctrl + Home
Move to the first cell in the upper-left corner of the sheet or selected table

Ctrl + End
Move to the last cell in the lower-right corner of the sheet or selected table

Ctrl + Page Up
Move to the previous sheet, or previous table in the same sheet

Ctrl + Page Down
Move to the next sheet, or previous table in the same sheet

Ctrl + Left Arrow
Move to the first cell of the selected row

Ctrl + Right Arrow
Move to the last cell of the selected row

Ctrl + Up Arrow
Move to the first cell of the selected column

Ctrl + Down Arrow
Move to the last cell of the selected column

Ctrl + Spacebar
Select entire column of the active cell in a worksheet

Ctrl + Shift + Spacebar
Select all objects on a worksheet when an object is selected. You might end up selecting a table or a range. In that case, use this shortcut key a second time to select all objects on the worksheet

Ctrl + Shift + End
Extend selection of cells to the last used cell on the lower-right corner of the worksheet

Ctrl + Shift + + (Plus)
Brings up the Insert dialog box to insert blank cells. Inserted cells will be the same as the number of cells selected. Use the Plus key on the regular keyboard as the Plus key on the extended number pad may not work

Ctrl + - (Minus)
Brings up the Delete dialog box to delete selected cells. Use the Minus key on the regular keyboard as Minus Plus key on the extended number pad may not work

Ctrl + Tab
Activates the next tab in a dialog box. If no dialog box is open, switches between two Excel windows

Ctrl + Shift + Tab
Activates the previous tab in a dialog box. If no dialog box is open, switches between Excel windows

Ctrl + Alt + = (Equal)
Zoom in to selected content. Repeat to zoom in more

Ctrl + Alt + - (Minus)
Zoom out to selected content. Repeat to zoom out more

Ctrl + : (Colon)
Add the current time in the format associated with the cell

Ctrl + ; (Semicolon)
Add the current date in the format associated with the cell

Ctrl + Shift + ~ (Tilde)
Apply General formatting to selected cells

Ctrl + Shift + ! (Exclamation)
Apply Number formatting to selected cells

Ctrl + Shift + @ (At sign)
Apply Custom formatting to selected cells

Ctrl + Shift + # (Hash)
Apply Custom formatting as date format, dd-mmm-yy

Ctrl + Shift + $ (Dollar)
Apply Currency format with two decimal places. Negative numbers show in parentheses

Ctrl + Shift + % (Percent)
Apply Percentage format with no decimal places

Ctrl + Shift + ^ (Caret)
Apply Scientific number format with two decimal places

Ctrl + Shift + & (Ampersand)
Apply outline border to selected cells

Ctrl + Shift + * (Asterisk)
Select surrounding, populated cells around the active cell

Ctrl + Shift + _ (Underscore)
Remove outline border from selected cells

Ctrl + ' (Apostrophe)
Copy a formula from the cell above into the active cell

Function Key Shortcuts

F1
Brings up the Help task pane

F2
Edit the active cell by placing an insertion point at the end the cell content. Or, if the cell has a formula, highlights cells referenced in the formula

F3
Brings up the Paste Name dialog box if you have names or ranges defined in the workbook

F4
Repeat or redo the last command or action, if possible

F5
Brings up the Go To dialog box

F6
Moves between the Ribbon, worksheet, worksheet tab header, and the Status bar

F7
Brings up the Spelling dialog box, and checks spelling in the active worksheet or selected range

Shift + F7
Brings up the Thesaurus task pane with suggestions for any text in an active cell

F8
Enables or disables extend mode on. You can ascertain that extend mode is enabled when Extended Selection appears in the status line. In this mode, use arrow keys to extend or reduce the selection

F9
Recalculates all formulas in all open workbooks

F10
Alt
Activates key tips on the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar

F11
Creates a basic chart from the data in the selected cells or current range in a separate, new Chart sheet

F12
Opens Save As dialog box

Shift + F12
Save (for files saved at least once)
Opens Save as dialog box (for files never saved)

Alt Shortcuts

Alt
Activates key tips on the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar

Alt + A
Activates the Data tab of the Ribbon

Alt + F
Brings up the File menu, also known as Backstage view

Alt + H
Activates the Home tab of the Ribbon

Alt + M
Activates the Formulas tab of the Ribbon

Alt + N
Activates the Insert tab of the Ribbon

Alt + P
Activates the Page Layout tab of the Ribbon

Alt + Q
Access the Tell me help option

Alt + R
Activates the Review tab of the Ribbon

Alt + W
Activates the View tab of the Ribbon

Alt + F1
Insert a chart based on the selected data, or the data in the current range

Alt + Shift + F1
Inserts a new worksheet before the existing worksheet

Alt + F4
Closes Excel. If you have unsaved changes, you are prompted to save

Alt + F8
Brings up the Macro dialog box, where you can create, run, edit, and delete macros

Alt + F11
Brings up the Microsoft Visual Basic For Applications editor

Alt + F12
Brings up the Power Query Editor window

Alt + = (Equal)
Insert the AutoSum formula to total values

Alt + Enter
Start a new line after the existing line in the same cell (if cursor is at the end of the line), or break a line in a cell into two lines (if cursor is in the middle of the line)

Alt + Spacebar
Displays the Control menu for the Excel window (this is essentially a Windows shortcut)

Alt + Down arrow
Bring up a menu with drop-down options within the selected column

Alt + Page up
Move one screen leftwards in a worksheet

Alt + Page down
Move one screen rightwards in a worksheet

Shift Shortcuts

Shift + F2
Insert a note in the selected cell

Shift + F3
Brings up the Insert Function dialog box

Shift + F6
Switches between the Ribbon, Status bar, Task Pane (if visible), worksheet tabs, and the worksheet

Shift + F8
Select any cell and then press this shortcut. Next, add a non-adjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using arrow keys, or by clicking on the cells

Shift + F9
Calculate all functions in the active worksheet

Shift + F10
Emulates a right-click to display the context menu for a selected item

Shift + F11
Inserts a new worksheet before the active worksheet

Shift + Home
Extend selection from the current location to the first cell of the row

Shift + End
Extend selection from the current location to the last cell of the row

Shift + Enter
Completes a cell entry and selects the cell above

Shift + Spacebar
Select the current row

Shift + Page Up
Select all cells from the current cell to one screen upwards within the column. Repeat multiple times to select more cells

Shift + Page Down
Select all cells from the current cell to one screen downwards within the column. Repeat multiple times to select more cells

Shift + Up Arrow
Extend the selection of cells upwards by one cell

Shift + Down Arrow
Extend the selection of cells downwards by one cell

Shift + Left Arrow
Extend the selection of cells leftwards by one cell

Shift + Right Arrow
Extend the selection of cells rightwards by one cell

Tab
Activates the next cell in a worksheet, or the previous option in a dialog box

Shift + Tab
Activates the previous cell in a worksheet, or the previous option in a dialog box