Top Excel Keyboard Shortcuts that Can Help You in Your Work
Introduction
Excel is an incredibly powerful tool in the workplace. Be it maintaining or generating reports, or finding hidden trends, Excel makes life easier for you. But if you are just using your mouse, you are missing out on a whole world of efficiency. Knowing various Excel keyboard shortcuts will make your work more effective as you avoid repetitive strain and increase productivity. Herein, we look at 60 basic Excel shortcuts that are helpful in any case for any user.
Basic Navigation Shortcuts
How to Navigate Around the Worksheet
You can fiddle around with navigating around Excel using your mouse. Here are some basic navigation shortcuts to get you moving more efficiently:
- Arrow Keys: One cell up, down, left, or right
- Ctrl + Arrow Keys: To the edge of the data region in any direction
Jumping Between Worksheets
Working with a number of sheets? These will get you across them in a jiffy:
- Ctrl + Page Up/Page Down: This is how you hop between worksheets of the same Excel file.
Selecting Rows and Columns
To select all the rows or columns, you have easy shortcuts to do so:
- Shift + Space: You want to select the entire row.
- Ctrl + Space: You want to select the entire column.
Editing Shortcuts
That's where editing is concerned, and that's where Excel shortcuts really shine. Let's explore the most common editing actions:
Copy, Cut, and Paste
The basic shortcuts that almost every Excel user learns first include:
- Ctrl + C: Copies the selected data.
- Ctrl + X: Cuts the selected data.
- Ctrl + V: Pastes the copied or cut data.
Undo and Redo
We all make mistakes, but here are the hotkeys you will be using most to undo and redo quickly:
- Ctrl + Z: This will undo the last thing done.
- Ctrl + Y: Redo the last action you undid.
Find and Replace
Find data and replace it using these hot keys:
- Ctrl + F: Opens the Find dialog box.
- Ctrl + H: Opens the Replace dialog box.
Formatting Shortcuts
Good formatting makes your data readable and, therefore, comprehensible. Below are some of the key shortcuts in formatting.
Bold, Italic, and Underline
You can format text, among others, using the following shortcuts:
- Ctrl + B: Will make selected text bold.
Ctrl + I: Will italicize the selected text.
Ctrl + U: Will underline selected text.
Alignment of Text
Align data exactly as you want it:
Alt + H, A, L: It will align text to the left.
Alt + H, A, C: It will center-align text.
Alt + H, A, R: It will right-align text.
Number Formatting
Give instant number formatting and give a professional touch to your data.
- Ctrl + Shift + 1: Apply the number format.
- Ctrl + Shift + 2: Apply the time format.
- Ctrl + Shift + 3: Apply the date format.
- Ctrl + Shift + 4: Apply the currency format.
- Ctrl + Shift + 5: Apply the percentage format.
Data Management Shortcuts
Efficient Data Management: Big data requires effective and efficient data management. Present some of the shortcuts that will make your work with data as easy as ABC. Insert and Delete Cells, Rows, Columns Change your worksheet layout in several seconds. Ctrl + Shift + "=: Insert new cells, rows or columns. Ctrl + "-: Delete selected cells, rows or columns. Auto Sum and Quick Calculation Automatically sum up all your data without typing any formulas by yourself.
Alt + =: Insert the SUM function for quick total.
Fill Down and Fill Right
Fill data or formula into adjacent cells with ease:
Ctrl + D: Fill down from the cell above.
Ctrl + R: Fill right from the cell to the left.
Advanced Excel Shortcuts
Want to take it to the next step? These advanced shortcuts will have you working with formulas and functions in no time.
Formulas Navigation
Want all of your formulas viewable in your worksheet in just a second?
- Ctrl + `,: Toggles between cell value display and formula display.
How to Insert Functions
Ever want to insert a function into your data? This is a real time-saver:
- Shift + F3:: Opens the Insert Function dialog box.
Trace Precedents and Dependants
Visualize relationships between the cells using the following shortcut keys:
- Ctrl + [: Trace precedents-to show cells which feed into the active cell.
- Ctrl + ]: Trace dependents-to show cells that are fed from the active cell.
Special Shortcuts
There are also some special shortcuts in Excel which will help you to manage the presentation of your data and its organization:
Freeze Panes
Keep the row and column headers visible while scrolling:
- Alt + W, F, F: Freeze panes at active cell.
Group and Ungroup Data
Organize data by either grouping or ungrouping related rows or columns as appropriate:
- Alt + Shift + →: Group selected rows or columns.
- Alt + Shift + ←: Ungroup the selected rows or columns.
Conclusion
Applying Excel shortcuts at work saves your time and hence will make you more productive. In addition, these 60 Excel shortcuts will speed up daily tasks in Excel, hence making manipulation, formatting, and analysis of data fast and easy. In fact, practice makes perfect-so just start using these shortcuts today and you soon will say, "I don't know how I worked without them!"
FAQs
What is the most useful Excel shortcut?
Probably the most useful ones will be Ctrl + Z: in one second undo action. That's a real savior when you do something wrong and just want to go back one step instantly.
How can I create custom shortcuts in Excel?
Well, you could personalize your shortcuts in Excel through something called the Quick Access Toolbar. You get to decide on specific commands you want to dedicate particular keys to, and that just makes working in Excel even more personal.
How am I going to remember these all?
You start by embedding in your memory your most frequently used shortcuts. Once comfortable with them, then over time you can add and add to your arsenal. Eventually, when you have had quite a bit of practice, it becomes second nature to you.
Are there any Excel 365 shortcuts?
Some features apply only in Excel 365, even though most of the basic shortcuts can be used in all types of Excel. That being said, Excel 365 is much more functional from a standpoint of cloud collaboration tools, and these have a set of shortcuts of their own.
How Do I Troubleshoot If a Shortcut Isn't Working?
First of all, check whether keyboard layout actually matches the setting in the system in case some shortcut does not work. Check that add-ins, or no third-party software, conflict with Excel. Excel restart or restart may resolve the problem.