List of Essential Excel Shortcuts

As promised, here is a list of some Excel shortcut keys that are essential for an Excel user to become Power-Excel-User. Note that you can also download FREE  PDF e-Book on Essential Excel Shortcut Keys from the link given at the bottom of this list.


Here is the list of shortcut keys:


Application Shortcut Keys:

  • ALT+TABToggle between running programs - While working with multiple applications, it is sometime required to toggle between applications to perform certain tasks. Use these keys to toggle between the windows without using the mouse

  • CTRL + TAB: Toggle between open spreadsheets - In case you are working with multiple worksheets, use these keys to toggle between the spreadsheets while they are open

  • CTRL + Page UP OR CTRL + Page Down: Toggle between worksheets of the same workbook - Sometimes you need to toggle between multiple worksheets of the same workbook, use CTRL+PGUP to toggle ahead in the arranged list of worksheets and CTRL+PGDN to Toggle backward in the list of worksheets

  • CTRL + N: Create and open a new spreadsheet

  • CTRL + O: Open an existing spreadsheet

  • CTRL + W: Close an open spreadsheet - These keys would not save your workbook and would attempt to close the workbook without exiting Excel. Excel should prompt you to save your work before closing the workbook, unless you have change the default settings


Application Usage Shortcuts:



  • CTRL + A: Selects whole worksheet - These keys work in 2 ways. If the current cell is located somewhere within a range of cells that are a part of table, in this case it will select the whole range of table. In case there is no table or the current cell is outside such range as mentioned above, then it will select the whole worksheet

  • CTRL + F: Activates the search wizard in Excel

  • CTRL + H: Activates find and replace - These keys are an extension of CTRL+F. With this combination, you can directly activate the FIND and REPLACE function

  • CTRL + G: Activates the GOTO command wizard - GOTO command is a very useful and a handy tool, but is not used by many users. When you are working with Filters or hidden rows, then specially GOTO command is very helpful

  • CTRL + D: Copies the content of the cell above - With this key, you can copy the above cell exactly to the cell below. It will copy the contents of the cell and the formatting also

  • CTRL + L: Creates a list with the selected cell - List is an advanced tool that is available in Excel. These lists have specific use which we will be discussing later in our advance topics

  • CTRL + K: Creates hyperlink on the selected cell - This key combination is used to create hyperlink on the selected cell. The hyperlink can link to a web page, place in the same workbook / worksheet / another file, etc.

  • CTR: + Arrow Keys: Navigate within a continuous range - These keys will take you to the end of a continuous range of cell, empty or with data. What this means is that if the current cell has some data and next 10 cells on the right of it also have some data. In this case you can use CTRL+RIGHT KEY to go to the end of this range, i.e. range of cells with data. In the current example it will take you to the cell K1 (if the first cell was A1)

  • CTRL + SHIFT + Enter: Create an Array formula - This combination is used to create a cell entry an Array function. These keys are to be used while in edit mode. Edit mode means – when you are still entering something in a cell and have not yet pressed the Enter (Return) key

  • CTRL + Spacebar: Selects the current column - Assume that the current cell is B5, i.e. column B and Row 5 and you want to select the whole of column B. Press CTRL+Spacebar to select the column

  • SHIFT + Spacebar: Selects the current row - Assume that the current cell is B5, i.e. column B and Row 5 and you want to select the whole of row 5. Press SHIFT+Spacebar to select the row

  • CTRL + ~ : Reveals the actual Formulas in the whole worksheet - Excel does not show exactly what is there in the cells. The real content is hidden under the cells. For example, a cell may be containing a formula, but due to the default view you will see only the results of the function. Use this combination to reveal what exactly lies under the cell  
  • ALT + Down: Opens up the list, if any, in the current cell - This is useful in cases when you want to select any option from a list in the current cell. For example, if the current cell has data validation and has a drop-down list, you can open up the list using ALT+Down keys



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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

List of Essential Excel Shortcuts

As promised, here is a list of some Excel shortcut keys that are essential for an Excel user to become Power-Excel-User. Note that you can also download FREE  PDF e-Book on Essential Excel Shortcut Keys from the link given at the bottom of this list.


Here is the list of shortcut keys:


Application Shortcut Keys:

  • ALT+TABToggle between running programs - While working with multiple applications, it is sometime required to toggle between applications to perform certain tasks. Use these keys to toggle between the windows without using the mouse

  • CTRL + TAB: Toggle between open spreadsheets - In case you are working with multiple worksheets, use these keys to toggle between the spreadsheets while they are open

  • CTRL + Page UP OR CTRL + Page Down: Toggle between worksheets of the same workbook - Sometimes you need to toggle between multiple worksheets of the same workbook, use CTRL+PGUP to toggle ahead in the arranged list of worksheets and CTRL+PGDN to Toggle backward in the list of worksheets

  • CTRL + N: Create and open a new spreadsheet

  • CTRL + O: Open an existing spreadsheet

  • CTRL + W: Close an open spreadsheet - These keys would not save your workbook and would attempt to close the workbook without exiting Excel. Excel should prompt you to save your work before closing the workbook, unless you have change the default settings


Application Usage Shortcuts:



  • CTRL + A: Selects whole worksheet - These keys work in 2 ways. If the current cell is located somewhere within a range of cells that are a part of table, in this case it will select the whole range of table. In case there is no table or the current cell is outside such range as mentioned above, then it will select the whole worksheet

  • CTRL + F: Activates the search wizard in Excel

  • CTRL + H: Activates find and replace - These keys are an extension of CTRL+F. With this combination, you can directly activate the FIND and REPLACE function

  • CTRL + G: Activates the GOTO command wizard - GOTO command is a very useful and a handy tool, but is not used by many users. When you are working with Filters or hidden rows, then specially GOTO command is very helpful

  • CTRL + D: Copies the content of the cell above - With this key, you can copy the above cell exactly to the cell below. It will copy the contents of the cell and the formatting also

  • CTRL + L: Creates a list with the selected cell - List is an advanced tool that is available in Excel. These lists have specific use which we will be discussing later in our advance topics

  • CTRL + K: Creates hyperlink on the selected cell - This key combination is used to create hyperlink on the selected cell. The hyperlink can link to a web page, place in the same workbook / worksheet / another file, etc.

  • CTR: + Arrow Keys: Navigate within a continuous range - These keys will take you to the end of a continuous range of cell, empty or with data. What this means is that if the current cell has some data and next 10 cells on the right of it also have some data. In this case you can use CTRL+RIGHT KEY to go to the end of this range, i.e. range of cells with data. In the current example it will take you to the cell K1 (if the first cell was A1)

  • CTRL + SHIFT + Enter: Create an Array formula - This combination is used to create a cell entry an Array function. These keys are to be used while in edit mode. Edit mode means – when you are still entering something in a cell and have not yet pressed the Enter (Return) key

  • CTRL + Spacebar: Selects the current column - Assume that the current cell is B5, i.e. column B and Row 5 and you want to select the whole of column B. Press CTRL+Spacebar to select the column

  • SHIFT + Spacebar: Selects the current row - Assume that the current cell is B5, i.e. column B and Row 5 and you want to select the whole of row 5. Press SHIFT+Spacebar to select the row

  • CTRL + ~ : Reveals the actual Formulas in the whole worksheet - Excel does not show exactly what is there in the cells. The real content is hidden under the cells. For example, a cell may be containing a formula, but due to the default view you will see only the results of the function. Use this combination to reveal what exactly lies under the cell  
  • ALT + Down: Opens up the list, if any, in the current cell - This is useful in cases when you want to select any option from a list in the current cell. For example, if the current cell has data validation and has a drop-down list, you can open up the list using ALT+Down keys



Download this list in PDF format - "Excel Matic - Essential Shortcut Keys"



Enter your email address:





Delivered by FeedBurner



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1 comments:

Anonymous,  June 30, 2009 at 3:16 PM  

nice work ...

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