Excel Keyboard Shortcuts - Basic

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Using the keyboard shortcuts in Excel drastically increases efficiency and allows you to remain focussed on the task at hand – if you use Excel regularly it is essential that you utilise this functionality. This topic makes it a little easier for you to pick up the essential commands and if a more comprehensive list is of interest then download the full list of commands.

Using the in-built keyboard shortcuts within Excel you can minimise switching between the Mouse and the keyboard, locating the first level menu option, waiting for it to display the submenu headings and then finding the appropriate instruction or sub-sub menu. The majority of common instructions / menus can be accessed using easy to remember combinations of keys.

Selected instructions are broadly categorised as:

Editing & Worksheet Structure
Formatting
Worksheet Investigation
Environment & Calculation

Editing & Worksheet Structure
Edit Cells in a formula / highlight cell precedents	F2
Repeat the last command	F4
Undo the last command	Ctrl Z
Cycle Through $ anchoring options	F4 (in formula bar)
Copy	Ctrl C
Paste	Ctrl V
Paste Special Menu	Alt E S
-Paste Formatting only	……… T
-Paste Values only	……… V
-Paste Formula only	……… F
Find / Replace / Go To	Ctrl H
Select Entire Row	Shift Space
Select Entire Column	Ctrl Space
Scroll through Worksheets (also works with menu tabs)	Ctrl Page Up / Down
Insert Row or Column (when selected)	Shift Ctrl +
Remove Row or Column (when selected)	Ctrl -
Group Selected Rows/Columns	Shift Alt 'right arrow'
Ungroup Selected Rows/Columns	Shift Alt 'left arrow'
Insert Range Name	F3
Select the Goto Menu (the ‘special’ tab opens up options)	F5
Formatting
Select ‘Style’ menu	Alt ‘
Choose ‘Style’ within Menu	Alt 'down arrow'
Select Formatting Menu	Ctrl 1
Bold	Ctrl B
Italic	Ctrl I
Underline	Ctrl U
Worksheet Investigation
Open Search / Replace / Goto Menu	Ctrl H
Locate all on-sheet precedents	Ctrl Shift [
Locate all on-sheet dependents	Ctrl Shift ]
Environment and Calculation
Calculate	F9
Full Calculate	Ctrl Alt F9
Save (over existing file)	Ctrl S
Save As (enter a new file name)	F12
Access Formula bar	F2 (note below)

Important note on saving even more time….
The requirement to use formatting instructions can be drastically reduced by using ‘Styles’. Styles allow the user to pre-program the appearance of certain types of cells, for example, Inputs, Section Headers, Off-Sheet references.

Using F2 to access Formula bar
A strong preference of ours is to be able to edit formula directly in the formula bar. This can be set using Tools > Options > Edit > and ensure the “Edit directly in cell” is not ticked. The core benefit of this setting is that it allows one to double click on any formula and it will take you to the nearest precedent.