Posted November 08, 2023

You have already heard the rumors - New analysts get their mouse taken away when they start their jobs so they can learn to use their keyboards to navigate their spreadsheets. Some may see this as a mild form of hazing. However, there is some merit to learning how to navigate your spreadsheet with your keyboard. While we do not recommend eliminating your mouse, it is best practice to incorporate keyboard shortcuts to improve your ability to navigate your spreadsheet efficiently. This article will help break down some helpful keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac users using Microsoft Excel.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows Users:

Shortcuts that Make You Look Quick:​

• Ctrl + Arrow – Brings you to the end of a set of cells​
• Ctrl + Page Up – Brings you to the next tab within your workbook​
• Ctrl + Page Down – Brings you to the prior tab within your workbook​
• Ctrl + Equal Key – Insert a row/column​
• Ctrl + Minus Key – Delete a row/column​
• Ctrl + Z – Undo ​
• Ctrl + Y - Redo​

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Selection Shortcuts:​

• Shift + Arrow (left, right, up, down) – Selects a set of cells​
• Shift + Ctrl + Arrow (left, right, up, down) – Select all the cells within a particular range​
• Ctrl + Space – Highlight the entire column you are in​
• Shift + Space – Highlight the entire row you are in​
• Ctrl + A – Select all the cells in a worksheet​

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Copy & Paste:​

• Ctrl + C – Copy the contents of a Cell​
• Ctrl + V – Paste the copied contents into a particular cell​
• Ctrl + Alt + V – Opens up Paste Special Menu (i.e., to paste just formulas, formats, values, etc.)​

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Formula Shortcuts: ​

• F2 – Edit formulas within a selected cell​
• F4 – Toggle between absolute or relative cell references

Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac Users:

Shortcuts that Make You Look Quick (note that the ‘FN’ key below may not be necessary depending on your keyboard settings):​

• Command + Arrow – Brings you to the end of a set of cells​
• FN+ Control + Up Arrow – Brings you to the next tab within your workbook​
• FN+ Control + Down Arrow – Brings you to the prior tab within your workbook​
• Control + Shift + Equal Key – Insert a row/column​
• Control + Minus Key – Delete a row/column​
• Command + Z – Undo​
• Command + Y - Redo​

​

Selection Shortcuts:​

• Shift + Arrow (left, right, up, down) – Selects a set of cells​
• Shift + Command + Arrow (left, right, up, down) – Select all the cells within a particular range​
• Control + Space – Highlight the entire column you are in​
• Shift + Space – Highlight the entire row you are in​
• Command + A – Select all the cells in a worksheet​

​

Copy & Paste:​

• Command + C – Copy the contents of a Cell​
• Command + V – Paste the copied contents into a particular cell​
• Command + Control + V – Opens up Paste Special Menu (i.e. to paste just formulas, formats, values, etc.)​

​

Formula Shortcuts: ​

• F2 – Edit formulas within a selected cell​
• F4 – Toggle between absolute or relative cell references

While the above is not an exhaustive list, these keyboard shortcuts should help drastically improve your spreadsheet navigation ability. We recommend adding one or two keyboard shortcuts at a time, as it can be overwhelming to incorporate all of them at once. Once you are comfortable with one or two, keep adding until they all feel natural to use! After enough practice, you will be zipping around your workbooks like a pro.