Excel shortcuts are the fastest way to boost your productivity. One key combination can save you 5 seconds. Fifty shortcuts save you minutes every hour. Over a year, that is hours saved.
Here is every shortcut you actually need, organized by what you are trying to do.
Windows shortcuts use Ctrl. Mac shortcuts use Cmd. Where they differ, both are listed.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|
| Move to edge of data region | Ctrl + Arrow | Cmd + Arrow |
| Go to beginning of sheet | Ctrl + Home | Cmd + Fn + Left |
| Move between sheets | Ctrl + PgUp/PgDn | Cmd + PgUp/PgDn |
| Go to any cell | F5 | Fn + F5 |
| Move to next worksheet | Ctrl + Tab | Cmd + Tab |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|
| Select entire row | Shift + Space | Shift + Space |
| Select entire column | Ctrl + Space | Cmd + Space |
| Select entire sheet | Ctrl + A (2x) | Cmd + A (2x) |
| Extend selection to edge | Ctrl + Shift + Arrow | Cmd + Shift + Arrow |
| Select visible cells only | Alt + ; | Cmd + Shift + Z |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|
| Edit active cell | F2 | Fn + F2 |
| Delete cell contents | Delete | Fn + Delete |
| Insert current date | Ctrl + ; | Cmd + ; |
| Insert current time | Ctrl + Shift + ; | Cmd + Shift + ; |
| Fill down from above | Ctrl + D | Cmd + D |
| Fill right from left | Ctrl + R | Cmd + R |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|
| Start a formula | = | = |
| Sum selected cells | Alt + = | Cmd + Shift + T |
| Absolute reference toggle | F4 | Cmd + T |
| Evaluate formula step by step | F9 | Fn + F9 |
| Show all formulas in sheet | Ctrl + ` | Cmd + ` |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|
| Bold | Ctrl + B | Cmd + B |
| Format Cells dialog | Ctrl + 1 | Cmd + 1 |
| Apply percentage format | Ctrl + Shift + % | Cmd + Shift + % |
| Apply currency format | Ctrl + Shift + $ | Cmd + Shift + $ |
| Apply date format | Ctrl + Shift + # | Cmd + Shift + # |
Trying to memorize 50 at once is overwhelming. Pick two that solve your current pain point, use them until they are automatic, then add two more.
Right-click any button → Add to Quick Access Toolbar. Assign shortcuts with Alt + number.
In modern Excel, press Alt + Q to search for any command.
- — Speed up data entry with dropdowns
- — Analyze data faster with Pivot Table shortcuts
Conflicts with browser extensions or system shortcuts. Try incognito mode or check browser shortcut settings.
Yes. File → Options → Customize Ribbon → Keyboard Shortcuts → Customize.
Most navigation shortcuts are the same. Formula and formatting shortcuts differ significantly in Google Sheets.