Excel has a keyboard shortcut for a lot of what you click every day. Here are 54 that work on Windows, grouped by what you’re trying to do.
We checked every one against Microsoft Support: Keyboard shortcuts in Excel on October 21, 2026.
Workbooks and Sheets
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + O | Open a workbook |
| Ctrl + S | Save the workbook |
| F12 | Open the Save As dialog |
| Ctrl + W | Close the workbook |
| Alt + F4 | Close Excel |
| Shift + F11 | Insert a new worksheet |
| Ctrl + Page Down | Go to the next sheet |
| Ctrl + Page Up | Go to the previous sheet |
Editing
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected cells |
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected cells |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Alt + V | Open the Paste Special dialog |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo the last action |
| Ctrl + Y | Repeat the last action |
| F2 | Edit the active cell |
| Delete | Clear the contents of the selected cells |
| Alt + Enter | Start a new line in the same cell |
| Ctrl + Enter | Fill the selected cells with the current entry |
| Ctrl + D | Fill down from the top cell of the selection |
| Ctrl + E | Run Flash Fill to fill the column from a pattern |
| Ctrl + ; | Enter today’s date |
| Ctrl + Shift + : | Enter the current time |
| Ctrl + Shift + + | Insert blank cells |
| Ctrl + – | Delete the selected cells |
| F7 | Check spelling |
Navigation and Selection
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Arrow key | Jump to the edge of the current data block |
| Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key | Extend the selection to the last filled cell |
| Ctrl + Home | Go to the start of the worksheet (A1) |
| Ctrl + End | Go to the last used cell on the worksheet |
| F5 | Open the Go To dialog |
| Ctrl + Space | Select the entire column |
| Shift + Space | Select the entire row |
| Ctrl + A | Select the current region or the whole sheet |
| Ctrl + 9 | Hide the selected rows |
| Ctrl + 0 | Hide the selected columns |
Formatting
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + 1 | Open the Format Cells dialog |
| Ctrl + B | Bold or unbold |
| Ctrl + I | Italic on or off |
| Ctrl + U | Underline on or off |
| Ctrl + 5 | Strikethrough on or off |
| Ctrl + Shift + $ | Apply Currency format |
| Ctrl + Shift + % | Apply Percentage format |
| Ctrl + Shift + & | Add an outline border to the selected cells |
| Alt + H, then H | Choose a fill color |
| Ctrl + T | Turn the selected range into a table |
| Ctrl + K | Insert a hyperlink |
Formulas, Charts and Macros
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alt + = | Insert a SUM formula |
| F4 | Switch a reference between absolute and relative |
| Shift + F3 | Open the Insert Function dialog |
| F9 | Calculate all open workbooks |
| Ctrl + ` | Show formulas instead of results, or switch back |
| Alt + F1 | Create a chart of the selected data |
| Alt + F8 | Open the Macro dialog |
| Alt + F11 | Open the VBA editor |
Good to know: Alt + H, then H means press Alt, let go, then press H, then H again.
Good to know: Mac uses Cmd for most of these instead of Ctrl.
Get the Excel and PDF Version
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If you’d rather have it on your desk, the download below is a sortable Excel file plus a printable one-page PDF of all 54 shortcuts, for $0.99.
Want One Key to Do More?
Built-in shortcuts only work while Excel is the active window, and you can’t add new ones. These tools let you pick your own hotkeys:
- Prompt Assistant: paste a formula you use all the time, like an XLOOKUP you always retype, with a hotkey you pick
- Data Analyst Tools: more of our picks for people who live in spreadsheets
- Bookkeeper and Tax Preparer Tools: tools for repeat data entry and client paperwork
