What follows is a list of selected Excel 2010 keyboard shortcuts, culled from Microsoft's more comprehensive listing(you can view all the shortcuts by tapping F1–itself a shortcut–calling up Excel's 2010 help component, and clicking the Keyboard Shortcut link). I've added explanatory comments where I thought they'd help.
Remember that you can activate ribbon and button group commands by pressing the ALT key, which instates what Excel calls Key Tips atop the ribbon:
These too could qualify as keyboard shortcuts (see Chapter 1).
By definition, a shortcut offers swifter way to execute a command that would otherwise be carried out a bit more slowly with the mouse – and that's often true, considering a) where your hands are currently positioned and b) that you can actually remember the shortcut. If you can't, the time you spend looking it up defeats the purpose, and you'll wind up with a longcut instead. And because shortcuts are so numerous, you're not likely to commit too many to memory. There's nothing wrong with that, but learning the ones that do work for you can indeed save you time and streamline your work routine. So here goes.
CTRL+SHIFT+) | Unhides any hidden columns within the selection. |
CTRL+SHIFT+( | Unhides any hidden rows within the selection. |
CTRL+SHIFT+~ | Applies the General number format. |
CTRL+SHIFT+$ | Applies the Currency format with two decimal places (negative numbers in parentheses). |
CTRL+SHIFT+% | Applies the Percentage format with no decimal places. |
CTRL+SHIFT+! | Applies the Number format with two decimal places, thousands separator, and minus sign (-) for negative values. |
CTRL+SHIFT+: | Enters the current time; that is, the actual time as data – not a formula result. |
CTRL+SHIFT+" | Copies the value from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the Formula Bar. That is, if you click in a blank cell, this shortcut will copy any value in the cell immediately above it. If that value is the result of a formula, this shortcut will paste only that value, not the formula. |
CTRL+; | Enters the current date as data — not a formula result |
CTRL+' | Alternates between displaying cell values and displaying formulas in the worksheet. That is, this shortcut will display a cell formula onscreen instead of its value. Tap the shortcut a second time and the value returns. This option is available for the workbook via File  |
CTRL+' | Copies a formula from the cell above the active cell into selected cells, or the Formula Bar. The copied formula cell references change as per relative cell references. You need to select the source cell along with the destination cells at the same time. |
CTRL+1 | Displays the Format Cells dialog box. |
CTRL+9 | Hides the selected rows. |
CTRL+0 | Hides the selected columns. |
CTRL+A | Selects the entire worksheet. If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+A selects the current region, that is, an area of cells populated by data (e.g., a table) – if you click in that region. Pressing CTRL+A a second time selects the entire worksheet. If you click in a blank area of the worksheet, CTRL+A will initially select the entire worksheet. |
CTRL+B | Applies or removes bold formatting with alternating taps. |
CTRL+C | Copies the selected cells. |
CTRL+D | Uses the Fill Down command to copy the contents and format of the topmost cell of a selected range into the cells immediately below. |
CTRL+F | Displays the Find and Replace dialog box, with the Find tab selected. This works similarly to the Find and Replace option in Word. Also available on the Home ribbon |
CTRL+SHIFT+F | Opens the Format Cells dialog box with the Font tab selected |
CTRL+G | Displays the Go To dialog box, as does F5. |
CTRL+H | Displays the Find and Replace dialog box, selecting the Replace tab. |
CTRL+I | Applies or removes italic formatting with alternating taps. |
CTRL+L | Displays the Create Table dialog box. Equivalent to CTRL+T. |
CTRL+N | Creates a new, blank workbook. |
CTRL+O | Displays the Open dialog box to open or find a file. |
CTRL+P | Displays the Print tab in Microsoft Office Backstage view. |
CTRL+R | Uses the Fill Right command to copy the contents and format of the leftmost cell of a selected range into the cells to the right. |
CTRL+S | Saves the active file with its current file name, location, and file format. |
CTRL+T | Displays the Create Table dialog box. |
CTRL+U | Applies or removes underlining with alternating taps. |
CTRL+V | The classic Paste command. Inserts the contents of the Clipboard at the insertion point and replaces any selection. Available only after you have cut or copied an object, text, or cell contents. |
CTRL+ALT+V | Displays the Paste Special dialog box, enabling you to paste only the results of a copied formula, by clicking the Values option in the dialog box. If, for example, a formula in cell A17 states =SUM(A2:A13) and yields 3224, Paste Special will return only the value 3224 in the destination cell. It will not copy the formula. This option is also available via the Paste button in the Home ribbon and on the Paste shortcut menu. |
CTRL+W | Closes the selected workbook window. |
CTRL+X | Cuts the selected cells. |
CTRL+Y | Redo; that is, it undoes the last command you've undone via Undo. But it also repeats any last command or action, if possible. |
CTRL+Z | Uses the Undo command to reverse the last command or to delete the last entry you typed. Successive CTRL+Zs continue to undo the immediately previous command. |
F1 | Displays the Excel Help task pane. CTRL+F1 displays or hides the ribbon. ALT+F1 creates a chart of the data in a current range in which you've clicked, on the worksheet contaning the data. ALT+SHIFT+F1 inserts a new worksheet. |
F2 | Edits the active cell and positions the insertion point at the end of the cell contents. It also moves the insertion point into the Formula Bar when editing in a cell is turned off. This keystroke draws a temporary border around the cells that contribute to any formula in the cell you're editing. Thus tapping F2 on a cell containing =AVERAGE(A6:A10) will trace a border around cells A6:A10. An easy way to identity cell relationships. SHIFT+F2 adds or edits a cell comment. CTRL+F2 displays the print preview area on the Print tab in the Backstage view, as does CTRL-P. |
F3 | Displays the Paste Name dialog box. Available only if there are existing names in the workbook. SHIFT+F3 displays the Insert Function dialog box. |
F4 | Repeats the last command or action, if possible. CTRL+F4 closes the selected workbook window, as does CTRL-W. ALT+F4 closes Excel. As usual you'll will be prompted to save your changes should you not have already done so. |
F5 | Displays the Go To dialog box. CTRL+F5 restores the window size of the selected workbook window. |
F6 | Switches between the worksheet, ribbon, task pane, and Zoom controls. In a worksheet that has been split (View menu, Manage This Window, Freeze Panes, Split Window command), F6 includes the split panes when switching between panes and the ribbon area. SHIFT+F6 switches between the worksheet, Zoom controls, task pane, and ribbon. CTRL+F6 switches to the next workbook window when more than one workbook window is open. |
F7 | Displays the Spelling dialog box to check spelling in the active worksheet or selected range. |
F8 | Turns extend mode on or off. In extend mode, Extended Selection appears in the status line, and the arrow keys extend the selection. Extend mode allows you to select consecutive cell with the keyboard arrow keys without requiring you to hold down the Shift key. Tapping F8 a second time toggles this command off. SHIFT+F8 enables you to add a nonadjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys. That is, after having selected one range, tapping this shortcut lets you click elsewhere and drag or key-select another range, even as the original range remains selected. ALT+F8 displays the Macro dialog box to create, run, edit, or delete a macro. |
F9 | Calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks. You'll rarely use this one nowadays. You might, however, if your workbook features thousands of formulas which are going to be recurrently impacted by new data entry. On a slow computer, that process can be rather time-consuming. If this is the case, you can click Formulas SHIFT+F9 calculates the active worksheet only. If, however, other worksheets in the workbook refer to values in that active sheet, they won't be updated by this command. CTRL+ALT+F9 calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks, regardless of whether they have changed since the last calculation. CTRL+F9 minimizes a workbook window to an icon. |
F10 | Turns key tips on the ribbon on or off. Pressing ALT does the same thing. SHIFT+F10 displays the shortcut menu for a selected item. CTRL+F10 maximizes or restores the selected workbook window, equivalent to clicking the lower tier of maximnize-minimize buttons in the upper right of your screen. |
F11 | Creates a chart of the data in the current range in a separate Chart sheet. SHIFT+F11 inserts a new worksheet. |
F12 | Displays the Save As dialog box. |
ARROW KEYS | Moves one cell up, down, left, or right in a worksheet. CTRL+ARROW KEY moves to the edge of the current data region (data region: A range of cells that contains data and that is bounded by empty cells or datasheet borders) in a worksheet. SHIFT+ARROW KEY extends the selection of cells by one cell. CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW KEY extends the selection of cells to the last nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell, or if the next cell is blank, extends the selection to the next nonblank cell. LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW selects the tab to the left or right when the ribbon is selected. When a submenu is open or selected, these arrow keys switch between the main menu and the submenu. When a ribbon tab is selected, these keys navigate the tab buttons. DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW selects the next or previous command when a menu or submenu is open. When a ribbon tab is selected, these keys navigate up or down the tab group. In a dialog box, arrow keys move between options in an open drop-down list, or between options in a group of options. DOWN ARROW or ALT+DOWN ARROW opens a selected drop-down list. |
BACKSPACE | Deletes one character to the left in the Formula Bar. If you select the cell's contents in the Formula Bar, Backspace deletes all those contents, just as selecting a word in Word and pressing Backspace deletes the entire word. In cell editing mode, it deletes the character to the left of the insertion point – as in Word. |
DELETE | Removes the cell contents (data and formulas) from selected cells without affecting cell formats or comments. In cell editing mode, it deletes the character to the right of the insertion point – as in Word.. |
END | END turns on what's called End Mode. In End mode, you can then press an arrow key to move to the next nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell. If the cells are blank, pressing END followed by an arrow key moves to the very last cell in the row or column – that is row 1048576 or column XFD. END also selects the last command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible. CTRL+END moves to the last cell on a worksheet, to the lowest used row of the rightmost used column. But see the additional discussion about this in Chapter 2. If the cursor is in the formula bar, CTRL+END moves the cursor to the end of the text as does END. CTRL+SHIFT+END extends the selection of cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner). If the cursor is in the formula bar, CTRL+SHIFT+END selects all text in the formula bar from the cursor position to the end—this does not affect the height of the formula bar. |
ENTER | Completes a cell entry from the cell or the Formula Bar, and selects the cell below (by default). Opens a selected ribbon (press F10 to activate the menu bar) or performs the action for a selected command. In a dialog box, it performs the action for the default command button in the dialog box (the button with the bold outline, often the OK button). ALT+ENTER starts a new line in the same cell – a kind of a manual Wrap Text, when entering data in that cell. CTRL+ENTER fills the selected cell range with the value you're currently entering. That is, if you select A1:A10 and type 45 in A1, CTRL+ENTER – instead of ENTER - will copy 45 to cells A2:A10. SHIFT+ENTER completes a cell entry and selects the cell above. |
ESC | Cancels an entry in the cell or Formula Bar. Closes an open menu or submenu, dialog box, or message window. It also closes full screen mode (achieved via View tab |
HOME | Moves to the beginning of a row in a worksheet. Moves to the cell in the upper-left corner of the window when SCROLL LOCK is turned on. Selects the first command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible. CTRL+HOME moves to the beginning of a worksheet. CTRL+SHIFT+HOME extends the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet. |
PAGE DOWN | Moves one screen down in a worksheet. ALT+PAGE DOWN moves one screen to the right in a worksheet. CTRL+PAGE DOWN moves to the next sheet in a workbook. CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN selects the current and next sheet in a workbook. |
PAGE UP | Moves one screen up in a worksheet. ALT+PAGE UP moves one screen to the left in a worksheet. CTRL+PAGE UP moves to the immediately previous sheet in a workbook. |
SPACEBAR | In a dialog box, performs the action for the selected button, or selects or clears a check box. CTRL+SPACEBAR selects an entire column in a worksheet. SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects an entire row in a worksheet. CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects the entire worksheet, behaving as CTRL-A. |