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Excel Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

Guide to the Top 100+ Time-Saving Shortcuts in Excel for Both Windows and Mac!

Last Updated December 31, 2023

Get better at Excel today!

Excel Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Finance

Excel shortcuts are a fundamental component of efficient financial modeling.

Quite simply, it’s well worth the time to learn them.

Here, Wall Street Prep has compiled the most important time-saving Excel shortcuts for both Windows and Mac.

Excel Shortcuts Cheat Sheet — Printable PDF

The quick reference Excel shortcuts “cheat sheet” can be accessed by filling out the form below.

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PCWindows shortcuts in blue.

MacMac shortcuts in red.

Editing PC Mac
Copy ctrl+c ctrl+c
Paste ctrl+v ctrl+v
Undo ctrl+z ctrl+z
Redo ctrl+y ctrl+y
File PC Mac
Open ctrl+o ctrl+o
New ctrl+n ctrl+n
Print ctrl+p ctrl+p
Save ctrl+s ctrl+s
Save as f12 +shift+s
Go to next workbook ctrl+tab +~
Close file ctrl+f4 ctrl+w
Close all open Excel files alt+f4 ctrl+q
Ribbon PC Mac
Show ribbon accelerator keys alt
Show/hide ribbon ctrl+f1 +opt+r

 

Formatting PC Mac
Open Format dialog ctrl+1 +1
Bold ctrl+b ⌘+b
Italic ctrl+i ⌘+i
Underline ctrl+u +u
Number format ctrl+shift +! ctrl+shift +!
Percent format ctrl+shift+% ctrl+shift+%
Date format ctrl+shift+# ctrl+shift+#
Insert/edit comment shift+f2 shift+f2
Increase font size althfg +shift+>
Decrease font size althfk +shift+>
Increase decimal alth0
Decrease decimal alth9
Increase indent alth6 ctrl+m
Decrease indent alth5 +shift+m
Paste Special PC Mac
Paste Special formats ctrl+alt+vt ctrl++vt
Paste Special values ctrl+alt+vv ctrl++vv
Paste Special formulas ctrl+alt+vf ctrl++vf
Paste Special comments ctrl+alt+vc ctrl++vc
Clear PC Mac
Clear cell data delete delete
Clear cell formats althef
Clear cell comments althem
Clear all (data, formats, comments) althea
Borders PC Mac
Outline Border ctrl+shift+& ctrl+shift+&
Remove border ctrl+shift+ ctrl+shift+
Left border althbl +option+left
Right border althbr +option+right
Top border althbt +option+top
Bottom border althbo +option+bottom
Getting around a worksheet PC Mac
Move from cell to cell arrows arrows
Go to end of contiguous range ctrl+arrows +arrows
Move one screen up pgup fn+up
Move one screen down pgdn fn+down
Move one screen left alt+pgup fn+option+up
Move one screen right alt+pgdn fn+option+down
Go to cell A1 ctrl+home fn+ctrl+left
Go to beginning of row home fn+left
Go to last cell in worksheet ctrl+end fn+ctrl+right
Display the Go To dialog box f5 f5
Selecting data in a worksheet PC Mac
Select a cell range shift+arrows shift+arrows
Highlight a contiguous range ctrl+shift+arrows +shift+arrows
Extend selection up one screen shift+pgup fn+shift+up
Extend selection down one screen shift+pgdn fn+shift+down
Extend selection left one screen alt+shift+pgup fn+shift++up
Extend selection right one screen alt+shift+pgdn fn+shift++down
Select all ctrl+a +a
Data editing PC Mac
Fill down from cell above ctrl+d ctrl+d
Fill right from cell left ctrl+r ctrl+r
Find and replace ctrl+f ctrl+f
Show all constants f5altso
Highlight cells with comments f5altsc
Data editing when inside cell PC Mac
Edit the active cell (edit mode) f2 f2
While editing cell, allow use of arrow keys to create reference f2 f2
Confirm change and get out of cell enter enter
Cancel a cell entry and get out of cell esc esc
Insert line break within cell alt+enter option+enter
Highlight within a cell shift+left/right shift+left/right
Highlight contiguous items ctrl+shift+left/right ctrl+shift+left/right
Jump to beginning of cell contents home
Jump to end of cell contents end
Delete character to left backspace delete
Delete character to right delete fn delete
Accept autocomplete suggestion tab tab
Referencing a cell from another worksheet ctrl+pgup/pgdn  arrows ctrl+fn+down/up  arrows
Calculations PC Mac
Start a formula = =
Insert autosum formula alt+= +shift+t
Recalculate all worksheets f9 f9
Anchor cells (A$1$), toggle anchors (edit mode) f4 f4
Insert a function shift+f3 shift+f3
Enter array formula (edit mode) shift+ctrl+enter shift+ctrl+enter
Auditing formulas PC Mac
Inspect cell values (edit mode) f9 f9
Switch to formula view ctrl+~ ctrl+~
Select direct precedents ctrl+[ ctrl+[
Select direct dependents ctrl+] ctrl+]
Trace immediate precedents altmp
Trace immediate depedents altmd
Remove tracing arrows altmaa
Go to last cell f5 enter f5 enter
Moving inside Excel forms (format dialog, page setup, etc) PC Mac
Move forward from control to control tab tab
Moving from tab to tab ctrl+tab ctrl+tab
Move backward from control to control ctrl+shift+tab shift+tab
Move within a list arrows arrows
Activate control altunderlined letter
Toggle checkboxes spacebar spacebar
Close a dialog esc esc
Apply change enter enter
Excel Utilities PC Mac
Recalculate all worksheets f9 f9
Excel Options Dialog altto ⌘ +,
Accessing data validation altavv
Get inside a drop-down list alt+up/down option+up/down
Insert data table (must highlight cell first) altawt
Sort a data range altass shift++r
Autofilter selection altat
Insert a pivot table altnv
Insert a chart altnr
Record a macro altlr
Name a cell or cell range ctrl+f3  ctrl+l
Zoom altwq crtl+mouse scroll
Navigating across worksheets and panes PC Mac
Jump to next worksheet ctrl+pgdn fn+ctrl+down
Jump to previous worksheet ctrl+pgup fn+ctrl+up
Change worksheet name althor
Rearrange tab order althom
Freeze pane altwff
Split screen altws
Toggle from tab, ribbon, task pane, status bar f6
Close Excel Help (and other task panes) ctrl+spacebarc
Row and column shortcuts PC Mac
Select column ctrl+spacebar ctrl+spacebar
Select row shift+spacebar shift+spacebar
Delete row(s)/column(s) ctrl+ ctrl+
Add row(s)/column(s) ctrl+shift++ ctrl+shift++
Set column width althow
Autofit column width althoi
Fit to specific row height althoh
Group rows/columns alt+shift+right option+shift+right
Ungroup rows/columns alt+shift+left option+shift+left
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Comments
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Jainam Shah
November 21, 2017 2:59 am

I am thinking of purchasing the Premium Package, but the demo videos are shown in Windows. I have a MacBook — will all features also work in Excel for Mac, or is Windows is a necessity?

Haseeb Chowdhry
November 21, 2017 6:53 am
Reply to  Jainam Shah

Jainam, Although the instructor in our lesson videos is on a Windows version of Excel, you can absolutely go through our courses on a Mac. You may find a shortcut here and there that Excel for Mac doesn’t have, but our lessons will always show you the native/non-shortcut way of… Read more »

Joe Millman
January 4, 2017 1:49 pm

Thanks for the article! Extremely helpful, but I can’t seem to get my Mac’s “fn” key to work…

Admin
Scott McCarthy
January 4, 2017 1:52 pm
Reply to  Joe Millman

Hi Joe, By default, Mac function keys control system settings and Mission Control. To use function keys for shortcuts, you’ll need to hold down the “fn” key before you press F2, F3, etc. You can change this in System Preferences > Keyboard by checking “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys… Read more »

Jonas Halldén
October 24, 2018 9:34 am

You can add ALT+F1, quikly create a chart based on the table or range that is where the cursors is.
Also, CTRL+T seems like an obvious one, to create a table!

M.Sivakumar
January 19, 2017 1:37 am

i want shortcut key for one time open more then one hided sheet

Haseeb Chowdhry
January 19, 2017 10:26 am
Reply to  M.Sivakumar

I don’t think there is a shortcut for that unless you build it in VBA – thanks!

R. Sai Prasad.
March 10, 2021 12:56 am

Dear sir, I have many short cut keys as given by you, and many keys are not working at all. Sorry.
R. Sai Prasad.
9840512946

Jeff Schmidt
March 10, 2021 4:52 pm
Reply to  R. Sai Prasad.

You will need to check your computer manufacturer’s settings to see what the correct shortcut is. We provide the general shortcut (i.e., applicable to most PCs) but there may be some minor differences depending on make and model.

Best,
Jeff

Andrew Devlin
January 3, 2023 12:27 am

Can you make an updated PDF? The 2016 PDF has shortcuts that are out of date with newer versions/the shortcuts on this webpage. Thanks!

Brad Barlow
January 4, 2023 4:39 pm
Reply to  Andrew Devlin

Hi, Andrew,

When you input your name and email to download the free PDF, does it not give you an updated one? Let me know and I’ll let me tech folks know!

BB

John
May 23, 2023 8:50 am
Reply to  Brad Barlow

Hi, I can confirm that it doesn’t. It shows the 2016 shortcuts

Brad Barlow
May 26, 2023 11:23 pm
Reply to  John

Hi, John,

Thanks for confirming that. Can you let me know exactly which 2016 shortcuts do not work with newer versions?

BB

Federico Wilhelm
December 31, 2020 12:35 pm

Not suer why but some formula don’t work for windows. Where can I download the latest version? I am inscribed at the FMVA course and I would like to have the lastest and most compete version of shortcuts. For example I have a problem in visualizing the formula’s with F2.… Read more »

Jeff Schmidt
December 31, 2020 1:47 pm

Federico:

I’m not sure why that would be the case. You may need to uninstall/re-install Excel. If you require a more up-to-date version of Excel then you would need to purchase it through Microsoft.

Best,
Jeff

Gloria Wong
December 19, 2020 10:39 am

For the extending selection to left/right one screen, when I click on Alt + Shift +pageup/down it just adjusts the height of the row. how do i fix this? Thanks

Jeff Schmidt
December 21, 2020 1:17 pm
Reply to  Gloria Wong

Gloria:

It sounds like you might have Macabacus. This shortcut only works if you temporarily disable Macabacus. You can go to Macabacus on the ribbon and press “Pause.”

Best,
Jeff

Sabih Rehman
August 17, 2018 5:34 pm

For some reason, the font increase/decrease does not work on my Mac.

Haseeb Chowdhry
October 15, 2018 11:59 am
Reply to  Sabih Rehman

Sabih,

If you are referring to the ribbon command to increase or decrease font size, then yes, you cannot use the ribbon command of Alt H F C to access the command. With Mac, you will have to use the mouse to access the ribbon. Thanks!

– Haseeb

JOSE GONZALEZ
February 21, 2018 11:47 am

Could I use a windows keyboard with a mac version of excel?in order to learn the windows shortcuts, which I am going to use both at work and at home

Haseeb Chowdhry
February 21, 2018 1:41 pm
Reply to  JOSE GONZALEZ

Jose,

Unfortunately not – the program itself controls the shortcuts. You need to work on a Windows version of Excel to utilize those shortcuts.

– Haseeb

Mohamad Kawam
December 17, 2017 9:49 am

Hello Haseeb,

Is there a shortcut that allows us to reverse the sign of the value in a cell?

Haseeb Chowdhry
December 19, 2017 10:28 am
Reply to  Mohamad Kawam

Mohamad,

If you have the Boost add-in tool, you can press Ctrl Alt Shift \ to reverse the sign of a number. Hope this helps!

Haseeb

Chloe Boyce
September 26, 2017 12:42 pm

Hi,
on a PC, when hitting alt it shows all the shortcuts to navigate through the different tabs. What would be the equivalent of that on a MAC?

Haseeb Chowdhry
September 26, 2017 2:52 pm
Reply to  Chloe Boyce

Chloe, Unfortunately for a Mac, that command does not exist, but there are ways to get close to the Windows functionality: a) You can Enable Ctrl + Arrows by disabling Mission Control settings on your Mac by following these steps: 1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard. 2. Go to… Read more »

Nagarajan E
January 11, 2023 1:55 am

Please provide autofit shortcut in excel

Brad Barlow
January 11, 2023 10:51 am
Reply to  Nagarajan E

Hi, Nagarajan,

Autofit column width is Alt H O I and row height is Alt H O A.

BB

dhirendra gupta
April 16, 2020 9:31 am

What combination of keys creates a top border on a cell?

Jeff Schmidt
April 16, 2020 1:37 pm

Alt H B P.

Best,
Jeff

Christian Barron
July 28, 2017 9:36 pm

Hello,

I have excel 2011 for Mac. Is this outdated?

Thanks,

Christian

Haseeb Chowdhry
August 2, 2017 6:14 pm

Christian,

Not necessarily – Excel 2011 should be fine – thanks!

Andres
December 18, 2017 10:32 am

Do you have all these shortcuts for German Keyboard?

Haseeb Chowdhry
December 19, 2017 10:26 am
Reply to  Andres

Andres,

I apologize – we only publish our shortcuts in English. Take care!

Best,
Haseeb

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