40+ Excel Shortcuts You Should Know

Q: What are the Most Useful Excel Shortcuts?

Some of the most useful Excel Shortcuts include: a) Ctrl + C: Copy b) Ctrl + V: Paste c) Ctrl + Z: Undo d) Ctrl + S: Save e) Ctrl + P: Print

The Knowledge Academy 20 April 2026

Microsoft Excel Shortcuts are handy and efficient tools that help you work with data faster and more easily. In this blog, you will learn the top Excel Shortcuts you need for formatting and formulas. These shortcuts will help you improve your Data Analysis skills and productivity. Don’t miss this opportunity to master Excel Shortcuts.

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40+ Excel Shortcuts You Should Know

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40+ Excel Shortcuts

Microsoft Excel is a vastly utilised tool across industries, with over 750 million users relying on it for data storage, analysis, visualisation, financial modelling, and reporting. Proficiency in Excel, including knowledge of Excel Shortcuts, has become a standard requirement for many roles particularly in Data Analytics, where professionals use its features to filter, process, and analyse data for valuable business insights. Excel's versatility extends to creating professional documents, such as salary slips, while leveraging its powerful built-in formulas and functions to streamline workflows. However, mastering these features can sometimes feel overwhelming due to the various options. That’s where Excel Keyboard Shortcuts become invaluable – offering a way to boost efficiency and simplify daily tasks. This blog compiles essential Microsoft Excel Shortcuts to help you navigate and work in Excel more effectively.

Table of Contents

1) Why do we Need MS Excel Shortcuts?

a) Keyword Shortcuts for Workbook

b) Keyboard Shortcuts for Cell Formatting

c) Keyboard Shortcuts for Row and Column

d) Keyboard Shortcuts for Pivot

2) Conclusion

Why do we Need MS Excel Shortcuts

Microsoft Excel is a powerful and versatile spreadsheet application with many features and functions to help you work with data effectively. Microsoft created it in 1985, and it has been constantly updated and enhanced to meet the changing demands of professionals across various domains. This application enables you to easily store, process, analyse and visualise data and perform complex mathematical calculations.

Excel also allows you to transform large and dull data sets into more engaging and informative graphical representations such as graphs and charts. Excel has several shortcuts that support these functions and make your work easier and faster. These shortcuts in Excel can boost your productivity and save you time and effort at work. Microsoft Excel Shortcuts are very useful and convenient tools that help you complete your tasks quickly and accurately.

Keyword Shortcuts for Workbook

Workbook shortcut keys are the shortcuts used in workbook files to organise data in one or more worksheets.

Description	Windows Shortcut	Mac Shortcut
To create a new workbook	Press Ctrl +N	⌘ + N
To open an existing workbook	Press Ctrl + O	⌘ + O
To save a workbook or sheet	Press Ctrl + S	⌘ + S
For Save as option	Press F12	⌘ + ⇧ + S
To close the current workbook	Press Ctrl + w	⌘ + W
To minimise the current workbook	Press Ctrl + F9	⌘ + M
To maximize the current workbook	Press Ctrl + F10	Fn + ^ + F10
To go to the data tab	Press Alt + A	⌘ + A
To go to the view tab	Press Alt + W	⌘ + W
To go to the next workbook	Press Ctrl + Tab	^ + Tab
To go to the previous workbook	Press Ctrl + Shift + Tab	^ + ⇧ + Tab
To protect the workbook	Press Alt + R > PW	-
To go to the formula tab	Press Alt + M	⌘ + M
To Print a File	Press Ctrl + P	⌘ + P
To close Excel	Press Alt + F4	⌘ + Q

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Keyboard Shortcuts for Cell Formatting

You can use the cell formatting shortcut keys to adjust or modify the formatting of one or more cells in the current worksheet.

Description	Windows Shortcut	Mac Shortcut
To edit an active cell	Press F2	^ + U
To format cells	Press Ctrl + 1	⌘ + 1
To insert/edit a comment	Press Shift + F2	Fn + ⇧ + F2
To copy cells	Press Ctrl + C	⌘ + C
To paste cells	Press Ctrl + V	⌘ + V
To display Format Cells with the Font tab selected	Press Ctrl + Shift + F	⌘ + T
To select all the cells below the active cell	Press Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow (↓)	⌘ + ⇧ + ↓
To select all the cells above the active cell	Press Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow (↑)	⌘ + ⇧ + ↑
To select the end of the cell	Press Shift + End	^ + Right Arrow
To delete to end of line	Press Ctrl + Delete	^ + Delete
To move the curser one word right	Press Ctrl + →	⌥ + →
To select one word right	Press Ctrl + Shift + →	⌥ + ⇧ + →
To move the curser one word left	Press Ctrl + ←	⌥ + ←
To select one word left	Press Ctrl + Shift + ←	⌥ + ⇧ + ←
To select one character right	Press Shift + →	⇧ + →
To select one character left	Shift + ←	⇧ + ←
To cancel editing	Press Esc	Esc
To delete a comment	Press Shift + F2, then Delete	⇧ + F2, then Delete
To apply/remove bold	Press Ctrl + B	⌘ + B
To apply/remove italics	Press Ctrl + I	⌘ + I
To apply or remove strikethrough	Paste Ctrl + 5	⌘ + ⇧ + X
To apply or remove an underscore	Press Ctrl + U	⌘ + U
To select the beginning of a cell	Press Shift + Home	^ + ←
To align left	Press Alt + H > AL	⌘ + ⇧ + L
To align right	Press Alt + H > AR	⌘ + ⇧ + R
To align centre	Press Alt + H > AC	⌘ + E
To italicise and make the font bold	Press Ctrl + I and Ctrl + B	⌘ + I and ⌘ + B
To fill colour	Press Alt + H + H	⌘ + ⇧ + F
To add a border	Press Alt + H + B	⌘ + ^ + 0
To remove the outline border	Press Ctrl + Shift + _	⌘ + ⌥ + _
To add an outline to the active cell	Press Ctrl + Shift + &	⌘ + ⌥ + 0
To move to the next cell	Tab	Fn + Right Arrow
To move to the previous cell	Shift + Tab	Fn + Left Arrow
To select all the cells on the right	Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow	Command + Option + Control + Right Arrow
To select all the cells on the left	Ctrl + Shift + Left Arrow	Command + Option + Control + Left Arrow
To select the column from the selected cell to the end of the table	Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow	Command + Shift + Down Arrow
To select all the cells above the selected cell	Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow	Command + Shift + Up Arrow
To select all the cells below the selected cell	Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow	Command + Shift + Down Arrow

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Keyboard Shortcuts for Row and Column

You can use the row and column shortcut keys to arrange, control, or modify the data from one or more rows and columns in the current worksheet.

Description	Windows Shortcut	Mac Shortcut
To select the entire row	Shift + Space	Shift + Space
To select the entire column	Ctrl + Space	Command + Space
To delete a column	Alt + H + D + C	Control + -
To delete a row	Shift + Space, Ctrl + -	Shift + Space, Command + -
To hide selected row	Ctrl + 9	Command + 9
To unhide selected row	Ctrl + Shift + 9	Command + Shift + 9
To hide a selected column	Ctrl + 0	Command + 0
To unhide a selected column	Ctrl + Shift + 0	Command + Shift + 0
To group rows or columns	Alt + Shift + Right arrow	Command + Option + Right arrow
To ungroup rows or columns	Alt + Shift + Left arrow	Command + Option + Left arrow

Keyboard Shortcuts for Pivot

You can use the pivot shortcut keys to control, calculate, analyse, and summarise the data from the pivot table applied to the grouped values in the current worksheet.

Description	Windows Shortcut	Mac Shortcut
To create a pivot table	Press Alt + N > V	^ + ⌘ + P
To select the entire pivot table	Press Ctrl + A	⌘ + A
To group pivot table items	Press Alt + Shift + →	⌘ + ⇧ + K
To ungroup pivot table items	Press Alt + Shift + ←	⌘ + ⇧ + J
To hide/filter out the pivot table items	Press Alt + Down Arrow (↓), then select items to hide	⌃ + ⌥ + ↓, then select items to hide
To unhide/clear the filter on the pivot table item	Press Alt + H > S C	⌃ + ⌥ + ↓, then select 'Clear Filter From ...'
To insert a pivot chart	Press Alt + N >RC	⌥ + F1
To create a pivot chart on the same sheet	Press Alt + F1	⌥ + F1
To create a pivot table on a new sheet	Press F11	⌥ + ⌘ + P, then Return

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Conclusion

Mastering these 40+ Excel Shortcuts enables you to work faster, smarter, and more efficiently, just like Siri Shortcuts, saving time and boosting productivity. From navigation and formatting to managing rows and columns, these shortcuts serve as essential tools for any Excel user. Practice regularly to seamlessly integrate them into your workflow and enhance your Excel expertise!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Most Useful Excel Shortcuts?

Some of the most useful Excel Shortcuts include:

a) Ctrl + C: Copy

b) Ctrl + V: Paste

c) Ctrl + Z: Undo

d) Ctrl + S: Save

e) Ctrl + P: Print

How Many Excel Shortcuts are There?

Excel has hundreds of shortcuts, including default keyboard combinations and customisable options. The exact number varies by version and Operating System (OS), but common shortcuts cover navigation, formatting, formulas, and more.

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