Excel Shortcuts for PC

Essential Shortcuts to Work Faster in Microsoft Excel

Many business professionals spend countless hours in Excel daily. In this post, we review the essential shortcuts you need to work faster in Excel.

These shortcuts apply to desktop Excel on Windows. Function keys may require Fn on some keyboards. In this post, we review the essential shortcuts you need to work faster in Excel. We cover these extensively throughout our Excel training & classes in NYC.

Core Shortcuts

These entry-level shortcuts are the absolute necessities for any Excel user.

  • CTRL + Z : Undo
  • CTRL + Y : Redo
  • CTRL + S : Save
  • F12 : Save As
  • CTRL + P : Print
  • CTRL + N : Open new workbook
  • CTRL + W : Close current workbook
  • CTRL + C : Copy
  • CTRL + X : Cut
  • CTRL + V : Paste
  • CTRL + F : Find
  • CTRL + H : Find & Replace
  • CTRL + T : Create a table
  • CTRL + A : Highlight a selection

Core Formatting Shortcuts

  • CTRL + 1 : Brings up the format dialog box
  • CTRL + I : Italicize
  • CTRL + B : Bold
  • CTRL + U : Underline
  • CTRL + 5 : Strikethrough
  • CTRL + Shift + ~ : Apply general format
  • CTRL + Shift + % : Apply % format
  • CTRL + Shift + $ : Apply currency format
  • CTRL + Shift + # : Apply date format
  • CTRL + Shift + ! : Apply number format
  • Arrow Key : Move to next cell
  • CTRL + Arrow Key : Jump to end of data region
    • CTRL + Right Arrow : Jump to the right of the data region
    • CTRL + Left Arrow : Jump to the left of the data region
    • CTRL + Down Arrow : Jump to the bottom of the data region
    • CTRL + Up Arrow: Jump to top of the data region
  • Shift + Arrow Key : Select contiguous cells
  • CTRL + Shift + Arrow : Jump and highlight a region of cells
  • Home : Move to beginning of row
  • CTRL + Home : Move to first cell in a worksheet
  • CTRL + End : Move to the last used cell in a worksheet
  • CTRL + Page Up : Move to the previous worksheet
  • CTRL + Page Down : Move to next worksheet
  • Backspace : Delete a character to the left
  • Delete : Delete a character to the right
  • Alt + Enter : Line break within a cell
  • CTRL + Arrow Key : Jump to the next word
    • CTRL + Right Arrow : Jump to the right one word
    • CTRL + Left Arrow : Jump to the left one word
  • Shift + Arrow Key : Select contiguous characters
  • CTRL + Shift + Arrow : Jump and highlight words
  • Home : Move to beginning of cell
  • End : Move to end of cell

Cell Auditing & Calculation Shortcuts

  • F2 : Edit a cell
  • ESC : Escape the current cell
  • F4 : Cycle absolute and relative references while editing a formula
  • F9 : Recalculate formulas in open workbooks
  • CTRL + [ : Select directly referenced cells
  • CTRL + ] : Select directly dependent cells
  • CTRL + ~ : Show formulas

Related Resources

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