Available Content
Hotkey Summary
Introduction
Below you will find the keyboard commands you can use to accomplish many of the popular tasks you may undertake in Excel 365. You can also click here to download this page as a Word document.
Enhance Excel with sounds
You can enhance your experience using Excel by enabling sounds. When enabled, sounds will reinforce many of the common actions you perform such as deleting, cutting, pasting, and actions like autocorrection, opening task pane, and closing task pane.
When enabled, the sound effects are used in all Microsoft Office apps irrespective of the app you chose to turn them on.
To enable sounds:
- Open Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, or Word.
- Open the "File" menu and select "Options" (ALT + F, T).
- Select the "Accessibility" category.
- Select "Provide feedback with sound" check box (ALT + S).
- TAB to and select a sound scheme. You can choose between two different sound schemes: Modern and Classic.
- Select the "OK" button.
Hotkey conflicts
You may experience a hotkey conflict with some of the stated keyboard commands. If you are unfamiliar with resolving hotkey conflicts, please visit Resolving Hotkey Conflicts with Apps (opens in new tab).
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Pass next key to application | LEFT CONTROL + 7 | CAPS LOCK + 3 |
| Toggle hotkeys on / off | LEFT CONTROL + 8 | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + 3 |
Open, saving, printing, and closing workbooks
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Create a new workbook | CONTROL + N |
| Open the "Open" dialog box | CONTROL + F12 |
| Open the " Save As" dialog box | F12 |
| Save changes to the current workbook | CONTROL + S |
| Open the "Print" options | CONTROL + P |
| Switch to next open workbook | CONTROL + F6 |
| Switch to previous open workbook | CONTROL + SHIFT + F6 |
| Close the current workbook | CONTROL + F4 or CONTROL + W |
| Close Excel | ALT + F4 |
Navigating elements including Ribbon, Task Pane, and Status Bar
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Move focus to next main element | F6 |
| Move focus to previous main element | SHIFT + 6 |
| Move focus to the Ribbon tab | ALT or F10 |
| Move focus to a specific Ribbon tab | ALT + Ribbon tab key (for example ALT + H to move to the Home tab, ALT + N to move to the Insert tab, etc.) |
| Open the context menu | SHIFT + F10 or APPLICATION KEY |
| Move focus to the previous group in the Ribbon | CONTROL + LEFT ARROW |
| Move focus to the next group in the ribbon | CONTROL + RIGHT ARROW |
| Explore commands | Arrow Keys or TAB / SHIFT + TAB |
| Move focus to the Quick Search box to enable searching for Ribbon commands | ALT + Q |
| Close Task Pane | Press F6 to move focus to the Task Pane, then CONTROL + SPACEBAR to open the task pane menu, and select "Close" |
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands when navigating the Ribbon, Task Pane, and Status Bar
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Speak focus | NUMPAD 0 | CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak additional focus information, describes help text and shortcut key for current Ribbon command | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD 0 | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak shortcut key | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD PERIOD | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + LEFT ARROW |
| Speak status bar information | NUMPAD 2 | CAPS LOCK + PAGE DOWN |
| List commands in the Quick Access Toolbar | CAPS LOCK + Q | CAPS LOCK + Q |
Tip: The shortcut key for a Ribbon tab, and the descriptive text for Ribbon commands, are automatically announced when using a High Verbosity Scheme. You can adjust your Speech Verbosity Scheme by pressing CAPS LOCK + EQUALS or, if you are using the Laptop Universal hotkey set, press CAPS LOCK + V.
To change your Braille Verbosity Scheme, press LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + EQUALS or, if you are using the Laptop universal Hotkey Set, press LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + V.
Basic commands for navigating and selecting cells in a worksheet
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Move focus to next cell | Arrow Keys |
| Move focus to next cell in row | TAB |
| Move focus to previous cell in row | SHIFT + TAB |
| Move focus to next cell in column | ENTER |
| Move focus to previous cell in column | SHIFT + ENTER |
| Move focus to edge of data region | CONTROL + Arrow Keys |
| Move focus to first cell in row | HOME |
| Move focus to first cell in worksheet | CONTROL + HOME |
| Move focus to last cell in worksheet | CONTROL + END |
| Scroll down | PAGE DOWN |
| Scroll up | PAGE UP |
| Scroll one page to the left | ALT + PAGE DOWN |
| Scroll one page to the right | ALT + PAGE UP |
| Go to a cell using the "Go To" dialog box | CONTROL + G (or F5), enter the cell co-ordinates, and press ENTER |
| Go to next worksheet | CONTROL + PAGE DOWN |
| Go to previous worksheet | CONTROL + PAGE UP |
| Go to a specific worksheet using the SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader Item Finder | CAPS LOCK + TAB, open the "sheets" list, and select the sheet |
| Select cells | SHIFT + Arrow Keys |
| Select a data range | Position the focus inside the range and press CONTROL + A |
| Select an entire worksheet | CONTROL + A or CONTROL + SHIFT + SPACEBAR (may require multiple presses) |
| Select data in a column | Move focus to the first cell in the column and press CONTROL + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW. Repeat to extend selection to bottom of column |
| Select data in row | Move focus to the first cell in the row and press CONTROL + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW. Repeat to extend selection to the end of row |
| Select entire column | CONTROL + SPACEBAR |
| Select entire row | SHIFT + SPACEBAR |
| Select using the "Go To" dialog box | CONTROL + G (or F5), enter the cell co-ordinates for the first and last cell in the range, separating them with a colon, and press ENTER. For non-adjacent selections, separate each range with a comma(e.g. A1:A5, C1:C5) |
| Enable Selection Mode | F8 |
| Extend selection when using Selection Mode | Arrow Keys |
| Enable non-adjacent cell selection | SHIFT + F8 |
| Cancel Selection Mode | ESCAPE |
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands when navigating and selecting cells
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Speak focus | NUMPAD 0 | CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak row and column headings | NUMPAD 3 | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + LEFT ARROW |
| Speak selected text | NUMPAD 1 | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + DOWN ARROW |
| Speak additional focus information to review co-ordinates of selected range | LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD 0 | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak where am I? | NUMPAD 7 | CAPS LOCK + PAGE UP |
Tip: The Speak focus hotkey provides additional information when pressed multiple times. When press twice, the cell content is spelt, a third press spells the cell content phonetically, and a fourth press describes the character attributes of the text within the cell.
Working with cells
Excel includes a wealth of keyboard commands that make working with cells a productive experience when using the keyboard.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Edit current cell | F2 |
| Insert line break within a cell | ALT + ENTER |
| Cancel cell editing | ESCAPE |
| Copy cells | CONTROL + C |
| Cut cells | CONTROL + X |
| Paste cells | CONTROL + V |
| Open the "Paste Special" dialog box | CONTROL + ALT + V |
| Undo last action | CONTROL + Z |
| Redo last action | CONTROL + Y |
| Insert current date | CONTROL + SEMI COLON |
| Insert current time | CONTROL + SHIFT + SEMI COLON |
| Insert worksheet before current sheet | SHIFT + F11 |
| Switch between displaying cell values or formulas in the worksheet | CONTROL + grave accent |
| Insert a hyperlink | CONTROL + K |
Formatting cells
Excel includes keyboard commands that enable you to change the formatting of text quickly and easily with the keyboard.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Make text bold | CONTROL + B |
| Make text italic | CONTROL + I |
| Make text underlined | CONTROL + U |
| Make text strikethrough | CONTROL + 5 |
| Apply an outline border to the selected cells | CONTROL + SHIFT + 7 |
| Remove an outline border from the selected cells | CONTROL + SHIFT + MINUS |
| Open the "Format Cells" dialog box | CONTROL + 1 |
| Open the "Format Cells" dialog box and show the "Font" tab | CONTROL + SHIFT + F or CONTROL + SHIFT + P |
Tip: You can automate the announcement of style changes such as bold, italic, and underlined, through the "Prompt Areas" tab of the "Text Style Announcements" dialog box in the SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader Control Panel. You may find this useful when reviewing a worksheet for format changes.
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands for reviewing cell properties
You can review the properties assigned to a cell using the SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader Announce Cell Properties options.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Speak cell properties | CAPS LOCK + C |
| Speak cell properties in a popup edit box | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + C |
| Open "Cell Properties Configuration" dialog box from which you can choose the properties to be announced | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + C |
Useful SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader commands for reading headings and tables
SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader includes useful Speak keys you can use when working in tables.
| Command | Desktop - Numpad Set | Laptop - Universal Set |
|---|---|---|
| Speak row and column co-ordinates (repeat keypress for header information) | NUMPAD 3 | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + LEFT ARROW |
| Speak row and column headings (if undetected, unknown is stated) | CAPS LOCK + H | CAPS LOCK + H |
| Show row and column headings in a popup edit box | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + H | LEFT SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + H |
| Toggle automatic heading announcement | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + H | LEFT CONTROL + CAPS LOCK + H |
| Open "Heading Announcement Configuration" dialog box | CAPS LOCK + X | CAPS LOCK + X |
| Speak column (restricted to visible cells) | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 6 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + RIGHT ARROW |
| Speak column from current cell (restricted to visible cells) | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD PERIOD | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + PAGE DOWN |
| Speak column to current cell (restricted to visible cells) | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 3 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + PAGE UP |
| Speak row (restricted to visible cells) | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 0 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW |
| Speak row from current cell (restricted to visible cells) | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 2 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + END |
| Speak row to current cell (restricted to visible cells) | CAPS LOCK + NUMPAD 1 | SHIFT + CAPS LOCK + HOME |
Other useful SuperNova, Dolphin ScreenReader, and Excel keyboard commands
Here is a list of assorted commands you may find helpful when working in Excel.
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Open the "Insert Cells" dialog box | CONTROL + SHIFT + EQUALS |
| Open the "Delete Cells" dialog box | CONTROL + SHIFT + MINUS |
| Insert row (moving current rows down) | SHIFT + SPACEBAR to select entire row and then press CONTROL + SHIFT + EQUALS |
| Insert column (moving current columns left) | CONTROL + SPACEBAR to select entire column and then press CONTROL + SHIFT + EQUALS |
| Delete rows (moving current rows up) | SHIFT + SPACEBAR to select entire row and then press CONTROL + MINUS |
| Delete columns (moving current columns left) | CONTROL + SPACEBAR to select entire column and then press CONTROL + MINUS |
| Hide rows | CONTROL + 9 |
| Hide columns | CONTROL + 0 |
| Unhide rows and columns | Select cells spanning the hidden rows or columns and press ALT + H, O, U to access Ribbon commands. |
| Hide worksheet | ALT + H, O, U, S |
| Unhide worksheet | ALT + H, O, U, H and select "OK" to confirm |
| Apply simple filter | SHIFT + F10, E |
| Apply simple sort | SHIFT + F10, O |
| Apply filter drop-down to column headings | CONTROL + SHIFT + L |
| Re-apply sort query | CONTROL + ALT + L |
| Open "Insert Function" dialog box | SHIFT + F3 |
| Cycle through relative and absolute formula values | Select cell co-ordinates in formula and press F4 |
| Add a new comment to a cell | SHIFT + F10, M |
| Post comment (Excel 365 only) | CONTROL + ENTER |
| Open Comments Pane to review and reply to comments | ALT + R, H, 1 |
| Insert Note in Excel 365 or Insert Comment in other Excel editions | SHIFT + F2, enter text, and then open context menu and select "Exit edit text" when done to return focus to worksheet |
| Select all cells containing Notes (or Comments when using other Excel editions) | CONTROL + SHIFT + O |
| Create and insert default chart type in current worksheet | Select data range and press ALT + F1 |
| Create and insert default chart type in new Chart Sheet | Select data range and press F11 |
| Spell check a worksheet | F7 |
| Look up current word in Thesaurus | SHIFT + F7 |
| Open the "Find" option | CONTROL + F |
| Open the "Go to" option | CONTROL + G |
| Open the "Replace" option | CONTROL + H |
| Continue your search in the worksheet window | F4 |
| Create table | CONTROL + T |
| Open SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader Item Finder to view a list of links, objects, sheets, etc. in the workbook | CAPS LOCK + TAB |
| View a list of chart elements | Select chart, press CAPS LOCK + TAB, and select "Chart elements" tab |
