Excel Shortcut Keys

Isn’t it amazing how easier our lives have been since we started using MS Excel? Microsoft Excel is used all across the globe to store data and analyze it, and it is undoubtedly a boon. 

Initially, I too used to get panic-stricken when I saw huge numbers of data and my reporting manager would quote “Please get this done by EoD.” 

The more time I spent using Excel, the more I got accustomed to using the software. Discovering various shortcuts helped me figure out hacks to get my data-related work done in quickly. 

There is no shortcut to success, but there are Excel shortcut keys that can enhance your productivity and save a lot of time. Considering the immense benefits of using Excel shortcuts, let me discuss them in this tutorial. 

Why Do We Need Excel Shortcuts?

Be it adding a formula, adjusting the width of a column, or hiding rows and columns, shortcuts can help to streamline workflow and enhance efficiency. Using shortcuts eliminates the hassle of accessing the toolbar with a mouse every time you wish to perform Excel functions. 

Let me discuss some reasons why using Excel shortcut keys can be beneficial:

1. Improves time efficiency: It may be a daunting task to hover over menus and ribbons to perform different actions in Excel. We use shortcuts in Excel to accomplish common tasks while avoiding confusion. 

For instance, if we wish to copy a selection, we can simply use Ctrl+C, and Ctrl+V is the Excel shortcut (paste special). You can change the text in a cell from lowercase to uppercase using the Excel shortcut, uppercase Shift+3. 

You can quickly insert a row in your worksheet using the Excel shortcut key (insert row) Ctrl, Shift, and + buttons simultaneously. I will list all the shortcuts later in this tutorial. 

2. Easier navigation: While working in Excel, we may often have to tally data present in two different tabs. I find it difficult to navigate between cells, tabs, and other options using a mouse when I am already engaged in something important. 

In such cases, shortcuts serve as life savers. For instance, you can use the shortcut Alt+H to go to the Home tab, or use Alt+N to insert a tab. 

3. Format your data easily: This is ideal for anyone who pays special attention to how they present their data. If the misalignment of the data is bothering you, you can use a few shortcuts to fix it in absolutely no time. 

To center-align the contents of your cell, use the shortcut Alt+H+A+C. If you use the shortcut Ctrl+B, your cell contents will appear in bold. 

If you want to erase the contents of some cell, use the Excel shortcut for undo, Ctrl+X, to get rid of it. 

Using shortcuts not only helps to accomplish tasks efficiently but also reduces the scope for errors that might otherwise take place while dragging or clicking manually. 

Excel Cheat Sheet for a Smoother Workflow

These Excel shortcut keys for formulas that I will be listing below are definitely going to be a game changer. They will help you execute your tasks almost instantaneously and improve your productivity.

Shortcut Keys for Cell Formatting

Let's start with the basic concept: what is a cell? In Excel, a cell holds the data that we users work on. While working on Microsoft Excel, you'll have to perform tasks like editing a cell, adding borders to it, aligning the contents of the cell, or even outlining the cells you have selected.

Let me give you a sneak peek into the shortcuts using which we can perform the task easily:

• Editing a cell: This is pretty simple. You can edit a cell by simply pressing F2.
• Copying cell contents and pasting them: We had all learned this shortcut when we first started using computers. To copy a selected cell, use the Excel shortcut key Ctrl+C, then go to the destination cell and click press Ctrl+V.
• Italicizing and making a font bold: Use Ctrl+I if you want your cell contents to appear in italics. You can make the font bold using the shortcut Ctrl+B.
• Center aligning the cell contents: If you want to center align your cell contents, you will have to press Alt+H+A+C.

Source: MS Excel

• Filling colors: Sometimes we add fill colors in cells to highlight certain important information. The shortcut to fill colors in a cell is Alt+H+H.

Source: MS Excel

• Adding a border: To add a border to any cell, or a group of cells, select them and use the shortcut Alt+H+B. 

Source: MS Excel

• Removing an outline border: If you feel that you have unnecessarily added a border, you can remove it using the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+_. 
• Adding an outline to selected cells: If you want to add an outline to selected cells, you have to use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+&. 

Source: MS Excel

• Merging cells: The Excel shortcut key (for merge cells) is Alt+H+M+M. 

Shortcuts to Navigate Through the Cells in Excel

There are also shortcuts to navigate through the cells. The Excel shortcut keys are as below: 

• Shift to the next cell: Use the Tab option to move to the next cell. 
• Moving to the previous cell: Have to move to the previous cell? Use the shortcut Shift+Tab. 
• Selecting the cells on the right: To do so, hit Ctrl+Shift+Right arrow
• Selecting the cells on the left: You can select cells on the left by clicking Ctrl+Shift+Left arrow
• Selecting all cells below a selected cell: You can hit the Ctrl+Shift+Down arrow to do the same. 
• Selecting all cells above a selected cell: Hit the Ctrl+Shift+Up arrow to select all cells above one selected cell.

Adding Comments in Excel

When we work on Excel, we may have to add comments to certain cells. Comments help to specify some extra information about the contents of a cell. 

Source: MS Excel

How do we add comments? Can they be edited or erased? Listed below are the Excel shortcut keys that can help you use comments in Excel seamlessly. 

• Adding (or editing) a comment to a cell: You can add or edit a comment by hitting Shift+F2.
• Deleting a cell comment: To delete a cell comment, just click Shift+F10+D. 

Some More Functions and Their Shortcuts 

The functions you can perform using Excel are endless. What is even better is that there are Excel shortcut keys for everything. I am listing down a few more shortcuts:

• Shortcut to find and replace: This Excel shortcut key saves you the hassle of having to manually look for some data that you may have entered throughout the sheet. Use the shortcut Ctrl+H. 
• Activating a filter: Applying a filter to your sheet helps you sort data easily. To activate a filter, use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+L.

Source: MS Excel

• Inserting the current date and time: To insert the current date, use the shortcut Ctrl+;. Use Ctrl+Shift+; to insert the current time.
• Inserting a hyperlink: If you want your cell content to redirect the viewer to a site, you can hyperlink the site. To insert a hyperlink, use the shortcut Ctrl+K. 

Shortcuts for  Row and Column Formatting

In this section, I will list down some important Excel shortcut keys for row and column formatting.

• For deleting an entire row: Click Shift+Space
• To select the entire column: Click Ctrl+Space
• To delete a column: Click Alt+H+D+C
• To delete a row: Click Shift+Space+Ctrl+-
• To hide a selected row: Click Ctrl+9

Source: MS Excel

• To unhide a selected row: Click Ctrl+Shift+9
• To hide a selected column: Click Ctrl+0

Source: MS Excel

• To unhide a selected column: Use Ctrl+Shift+0
• For grouping rows or columns: Use Alt+Shift+Right arrow
• For ungrouping rows or columns: Use Alt+Shift+Left arrow

Shortcuts for Working with Pivot Tables in Excel

Data is better represented visually. With the help of pivot tables, you can summarize, explore, and analyze data and present a (visual) summary of it. This makes it easy to see patterns, comparisons, and trends. 

I started using pivot tables at a much later stage. I found this part of advanced Excel slightly difficult initially, but thanks to the Excel shortcut keys that made dealing with pivot tables so easy! Let us have a look at some of the most used shortcuts:

• For grouping pivot table items: Use Alt+Shift+Right arrow 
• For ungrouping pivot table items: Use Alt+Shift+Left arrow
• To hide the items of the pivot table: Use Ctrl+-
• To create a pivot chart on the same sheet: Use Alt+F1
• For creating a pivot chart on a new worksheet: Use F11

MS Excel sure is a handy spreadsheet software that aligns with all forms of accounting and data analytics tasks. If you are new to Excel, a beginner’s step-by-step Excel tutorial is what you need. 

Final Words

Hope this Excel shortcut key list and tutorial article have provided you with adequate information that will come in handy the next time you are working with this software. However, it is advisable to practice more rather than memorizing these cheat codes. 

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)    

1. What are Excel shortcuts?

Excel shortcuts are key combinations or sequences that perform specific actions within Microsoft Excel, facilitating faster navigation, formatting, editing, and data manipulation tasks. These hacks make it easier to perform different functions without accessing the toolbar or any other option on the screen. 

2. Why are Excel shortcuts important?

Excel shortcuts are important as they enhance productivity and efficiency, thereby saving a lot of time. 

3. What are some of the most common Excel shortcuts?

Be it Excel or any other software, Ctrl+C, and Ctrl+V are the most common shortcut keys that are used for copy and paste options. Many other Excel shortcut keys that are popularly used. 

4. Where can I find a list of Excel shortcuts?

I have prepared a list of almost all Excel shortcuts in the tutorial above. 

5. How many Excel shortcuts are there?

It is difficult to count the number of shortcuts one can use in Excel. There are just as many shortcuts as there are functions in Excel.

6. What are the 20 shortcut keys in Excel?

Over 20 Excel shortcut keys have been provided in this tutorial for your reference, enabling practical use during your work.

7. What are the 7 basic Excel formulas?

The 7 basic Excel formulas are Sum, Average, COUNT, COUNTA, If, Trim, Max & Min. 

8. What are the 50 shortcut keys?

Over 50 Excel shortcut keys have been provided in this tutorial. Please refer to the same. 

9. What is Ctrl +T in Excel?

In Excel, you can open the “create table” dialogue box using the shortcut Ctrl+T.