The 26 shortcuts that save the most time in Excel, for Windows and Mac. Start with the formula ones: F2 and F4 alone change how fast you build sheets.
Everyday basics
What it does
Windows
Mac
Copy the selected cells
Ctrl+C
Cmd+C
Paste
Ctrl+V
Cmd+V
Cut
Ctrl+X
Cmd+X
Undo your last change
Ctrl+Z
Cmd+Z
Redo
Ctrl+Y
Shift+Cmd+Z
Save the workbook
Ctrl+S
Cmd+S
Insert a hyperlink
Ctrl+K
Cmd+K
Formulas
What it does
Windows
Mac
Edit the active cell
F2
Control+U
Switch a reference between A1, $A$1, A$1 and $A1
F4
Cmd+T
AutoSum the cells above
Alt+=
Cmd+Shift+T
Show formulas instead of results
Ctrl+`
Control+`
Start a new line inside a cell
Alt+Enter
Option+Return
Filling and data
What it does
Windows
Mac
Fill down from the cell above
Ctrl+D
Cmd+D
Fill right from the cell to the left
Ctrl+R
Cmd+R
Turn filters on or off
Ctrl+Shift+L
Shift+Cmd+F
Type today’s date into a cell
Ctrl+;
Control+;
Fill the whole selection with what you typed
Ctrl+Enter
Control+Return
Moving and selecting
What it does
Windows
Mac
Select all cells
Ctrl+A
Cmd+A
Find something in the sheet
Ctrl+F
Cmd+F
Select the entire row
Shift+Space
Shift+Space
Jump to the last filled cell down a column
Ctrl+↓
Cmd+↓
Formatting
What it does
Windows
Mac
Make the text bold
Ctrl+B
Cmd+B
Italicize the text
Ctrl+I
Cmd+I
Format as currency
Ctrl+Shift+$
Control+Shift+$
Format as a percent
Ctrl+Shift+%
Control+Shift+%
Open the Format Cells dialog
Ctrl+1
Cmd+1
How to make them stick
Pick three you do not use yet and force yourself to use only the shortcut for a week. Fill down (Ctrl+D), the reference switch (F4) and Ctrl+Arrow to jump to the end of the data pay off fastest. On a Mac laptop, function keys may need the fn key: press fn+F4, or turn on "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" in System Settings > Keyboard.