Cellwise Start free

Excel shortcuts

Selecting shortcuts in Excel

Selecting with the keyboard is faster and more exact than dragging, especially on long lists. Add Shift to any movement key and it selects instead of moves. Ctrl+Shift+Arrow selects to the edge of the data, and Shift+Space or Ctrl+Space grabs whole rows and columns.

Checked against Microsoft's official lists on . Where Microsoft lists a key for one platform only, the other column says so instead of guessing.

Learn these first

ShortcutWindowsMac
Select to the edge of the data How to: Shortcut to select an entire row or column in Excel Like Ctrl+Arrow, it stops at a blank cell.CtrlShiftan arrow keyShiftCommandan arrow key
Select the entire row How to: Insert row shortcut in Excel ShiftSpaceShiftSpace
Select the entire column How to: Insert row shortcut in Excel On a Mac, Control+Space also switches input sources in macOS. If it does that, turn the macOS shortcut off in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.CtrlSpaceControlSpace
Select the current region, then the whole sheet How to: AutoFit column width shortcut in Excel Press once for the block of data around the active cell, again to add its summary rows, and again for the whole sheet.CtrlA or CtrlShiftSpaceCommandA or CommandShiftSpace

Step-by-step shortcut guides

All selecting shortcuts

ShortcutWindowsMac
Extend the selection by one cellShiftan arrow keyShiftan arrow key
Select to the edge of the data How to: Shortcut to select an entire row or column in Excel Like Ctrl+Arrow, it stops at a blank cell.CtrlShiftan arrow keyShiftCommandan arrow key
Select the entire column How to: Insert row shortcut in Excel On a Mac, Control+Space also switches input sources in macOS. If it does that, turn the macOS shortcut off in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.CtrlSpaceControlSpace
Select the entire row How to: Insert row shortcut in Excel ShiftSpaceShiftSpace
Select the current region, then the whole sheet How to: AutoFit column width shortcut in Excel Press once for the block of data around the active cell, again to add its summary rows, and again for the whole sheet.CtrlA or CtrlShiftSpaceCommandA or CommandShiftSpace
Select the current region around the active cellNot in Microsoft's Mac list. On a Mac, Cmd+A selects the current region first.CtrlShift*—No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list
Select all objects on the sheet (when one is selected)Not in Microsoft's Mac list.CtrlShiftSpace—No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list
Turn extend mode on or off (arrows extend the selection)On a Mac laptop you may need Fn+F8.F8F8
Add another range to the selectionPress it, move to the next range with the arrow keys, then select it with Shift+Arrow.ShiftF8ShiftF8
Extend the selection to the beginning of the rowNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listShiftHome or ShiftFnLeft arrow
Extend the selection to the beginning of the sheetCtrlShiftHomeControlShiftHome or ControlShiftFnLeft arrow
Extend the selection to the last used cellCtrlShiftEndControlShiftEnd or ControlShiftFnRight arrow
Extend the selection down one screenNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listShiftPage Down or ShiftFnDown arrow
Extend the selection up one screenNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listShiftPage Up or ShiftFnUp arrow
Select the current and next sheet How to: Shortcut to switch between sheets in Excel Not in Microsoft's Mac list. Typing or formatting now changes every selected sheet; click a single sheet tab to stop.CtrlShiftPage Down—No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list
Select the current and previous sheetNot in Microsoft's Mac list.CtrlShiftPage Up—No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list
Select only the visible cells How to: Shortcut to select visible cells only in Excel Windows: press F5 (or Ctrl+G), choose Special, then Visible cells only.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listShiftCommand*
Keep the selection but make only the active cell selectedNot in Microsoft's Windows list. On a Mac this is the Delete key above Return, not Forward Delete.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listWeb ShiftBackspaceShiftDelete
Move the active cell clockwise to the next corner of the selectionNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listWeb Ctrl.Control.
Select the current arrayNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listControl/
Select cells in a row that differ from the active cellNot in Microsoft's Windows list. Select the row starting with the active cell first.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listControl\
Select all cells a formula refers to, directly or indirectlyNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listControlShift{
Select cells with formulas that refer directly to the active cellNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listControl]
Select all cells with formulas that refer to the active cell, directly or indirectlyNot in Microsoft's Windows list.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listControlShift}
Move to the next selected rangeMicrosoft lists this for Excel for the web only.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listWeb CtrlAltRight arrow—No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list
Move to the previous selected rangeMicrosoft lists this for Excel for the web only.—No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's listWeb CtrlAltLeft arrow—No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list

Why a shortcut sometimes does nothing

macOS shortcuts that get there first

Microsoft marks a few Mac shortcuts as clashing with macOS: ShiftF11 and F11 with Show Desktop, and CtrlSpace with switching input sources. Control with the arrow keys moves between Spaces and opens Mission Control by default too. If macOS reacts instead of Excel, open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts and turn the macOS one off.

Laptop function keys

On many laptops the top row changes volume or brightness first, so F2 or F4 does nothing in Excel. Hold Fn with the key (FnF4), or turn on the laptop's function-key lock. On many Windows laptops that lock is FnEsc, but it varies by brand, so look for a small padlock or "Fn" icon on the Esc key.

Mac function keys

Excel for Mac uses the function keys for real commands, but macOS gives them to brightness, Mission Control and volume first. Press Fn with the key, or turn on "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" (System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Function Keys on recent macOS). After that, the printed features need Fn instead, so FnF12 changes the volume.

Related guides

Related functions

In the glossary: RangeActive cellPrecedents and dependents