Operating within a Cell – Microsoft Excel Shortcuts
200 Excel Shortcuts for PC and Mac
So you think you’re fancy, huh? Just because you know how to copy and paste without the click of the mouse in Excel. Well, get ready to be even fancier (and more productive) because we’ve curated 200 of the best Excel keyboard shortcuts.
Operating within a Cell
Cells are where the magic happens within Excel. They hold your data and text, can be grouped to create beautiful graphs, and are truly the organizational cornerstone of your spreadsheet. Each shortcut in this section will help you better move within a cell, as well as add and extract data.
| Shortcut | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Enter data and move down Move down to the cell below that of which you are working on. Your data entry in the cell you had selected first will be entered before moving. | Enter | Return |
| Enter data and move up Move up to the cell above that of which you are working on. Your data entry in the cell you had selected first will be entered before moving. | Shift Enter | Shift Return |
| Enter data and move right Move next to the cell to the right of that which you are working on. Your data entry in the cell you had selected first will be entered before moving. | Tab | Tab |
| Enter data and move left Move back to the cell before that which you are working. Your data entry in the cell you had selected first will be entered before moving. | Shift Tab | Shift Tab |
| Complete entry When you have finished your entry within a cell, use this shortcut to lock in your work and remain in control of the cell. | Ctrl Enter | Control Enter |
| Enter the same data in multiple cells Skip the steps of copy and paste! When you two or more cells selected, use this short cut to enter data or words into all selected cells at once. | Ctrl Enter | Control Enter |
| Insert current date into a cell Take advantage of your computer’s calendar and add the current date to a selected cell with ease. | Ctrl ; | Control ; |
| Insert current time into a cell Take advantage of your computer’s clock and add the current time to a selected cell with ease. | Ctrl Shift : | Control Shift : |
| Paste from cell above This shortcut copies anything you typed into the above cell and inserts it into the cell you currently have selected. Doing so can save you time with traditional copy and paste methods. | Ctrl D | Control D |
| Paste from cell left This shortcut copies anything you typed into the previous (left) cell left and inserts it into the cell you have selected. Doing so can save you time with traditional copy and paste methods. | Ctrl R | Control R |
| Copy formula from cell above If there is a formula in effect in the cell above, this shortcut will copy it to include your current cell in its range. | Ctrl ' | Control ' |
| Add a hyperlink If you would like to add a link to a cell within your spreadsheet, this shortcut opens up the menu that allows you to do so to your exact specifications. | Ctrl K | ⌘ K |
| Display autocomplete menu With the autocomplete menu open you will be able to insert repetitive data into your cell with ease. All commonly used phrases or numbers from throughout your spreadsheet. will be available to you. | Alt Down | Option Down |
| Flash fill When you have a patterned column and wish to have the same pattern repeat in the next column, use this useful shortcut. Simply select the first cell in the new column adjacent to that which has been completed. Use this shortcut, and Excel will attempt to repeat the same pattern in the new column. This is unfortunately only available on a PC. | Ctrl E |