List of Microsoft Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

Microsoft Excel's keyboard shortcuts can help you reduce your number of key strokes.

Excel is Microsoft's spreadsheet program. This program is usually included as part of Microsoft's "Office" productivity suite, which also includes applications such as PowerPoint and Word. If you do not purchase Excel 2010 along with Microsoft Office, you can download a free trial through the company's website, although not all shortcuts work in the starter version.

Creating Rows And Columns

Microsoft Excel 2010's layout is grid based, meaning it relies on a series of columns and rows into which users insert data. While it is possible to add or delete rows and columns by clicking on the tabs at the top of the screen, shortcuts make this a quicker task. To create a new row or column, highlight the row or column adjacent to where you want to insert the new row or column. Then, press "Control," "Shift" and "+" simultaneously. To delete a row or column, highlight it with your mouse and press "Control" and "-" at the same time.

Font Styles

There are multiple shortcuts you can use to change the appearance of text or numbers on your Excel spreadsheet. By pressing "Control" and the "2" key, you can add or remove bold font; you can also do this by pressing "Control" and "B." Pressing "Control" and "3" will add or remove italics font, as will pressing "Control" and "I." Pressing "Control" and "4" or "5" will add or remove underlining or strikethrough (a line through your text), respectively.

Creating And Saving Spreadsheets

With a few key strokes, you can open saved documents, create new ones or save the project on which you're currently working. To open a dialog box that will allow you to search your files for previously saved documents, press "Control" and "O." To create a completely new spreadsheet, press "Control" and "N." To save your current spreadsheet, press "Control" and "S."

Editing Shortcuts

Easily copy, delete or paste entire rows, columns or individual cells with a few key strokes. To copy a section of your spreadsheet, highlight it with your mouse (you can highlight entire rows by pressing "Shift" and the space bar; highlight columns in their entirety by pressing "Control" and the space bar). Press "Control" and "C" to copy the rows, columns or cells to Excel's clipboard. Paste items saved to your clipboard by highlighting the area where you want to insert them; then press "Control" and "V." Delete or cut items out of the spreadsheet by highlighting the rows, columns or cells and pressing "Control" and "X."

Closing Files

You can use the function keys, located at the top of your keyboard, to close out of individual Excel files or exit the program entirely. To close your current spreadsheet, press "Control" and "F4." To exit Excel completely, press "Alt" and "F4."

References

• Microsoft Office: Keyboard Shortcuts In Excel 2010
• "The Microsoft Office Blog"; Excel Team Favorite Keyboard Shortcuts; Diego Oppenheimer; May 18, 2010