This article is part of our VBA Crash Course. Please read the rest of the articles in this series by clicking below links.
- What is VBA & Writing your First VBA Macro in Excel
- Understanding Variables, Conditions & Loops in VBA
- Using Cells, Ranges & Other Objects in your Macros
- Putting it all together – Your First VBA Application using Excel
- My Top 10 Tips for Mastering VBA & Excel Macros
Introduction to Excel VBA
Everyone has a language. My mother tongue is Telugu. But I also speak Hindi, English and Cutish (that is the language my 2 year old kids speak). You may be fluent in English, Spanish, French, German or Vietnamese.
Just like you and I, Excel has a language too, the one it can speak and understand. This language is called as VBA (Visual Basic for Applications).
When you tell instructions to Excel in this VBA language, Excel can do what you tell it. Thus enabling you to program Excel so that you can automate a boring report, format a big&ugly chart, clean-up some messy data or just play some random noises.
What is a Macro then?
A macro is nothing but a set of instructions you give Excel in the VBA language.
Writing Your First Macro
Note: If you are new computer programming, watch our Introduction to Programming Video before proceeding.
In order to write your first VBA program (or Macro), you need to know the language first. This is where Excel’s tape recorder will help us.
Tape Recorder?!?
Yes. Excel has a built-in tape recorder, that listens and records everything you do, in Excel’s own language, ie VBA.
Since we dont know any VBA, we will use this recorder to record our actions and then we will see recorded instructions (called as code in computer lingo) to understand how VBA looks like.
Our First VBA Macro – MakeMeRed()
Now that you understand some VBA jargon, lets move on and write our very first VBA Macro. The objective is simple. When we run this macro, it is going to color the currently selected cell with Red. Why red? Oh, red is pretty, bright and awesome – just like you.
This is how our macro is going to work when it is done.
6 steps to writing your first macro
If you do not see Developer ribbon, follow these instructions.
Excel 2007:
1. Click on Office button (top left)
2. Go to Excel Options
3. Go to Popular
4. Check “Show Developer Tab in Ribbon” (3rd Check box)
5. Click ok.
Excel 2010:
1. Click on File Menu (top left)
2. Go to Options
3. Select “Customize Ribbon”
4. Make sure “Developer tab” is checked in right side area
5. Click ok.
Step 1: Select any cell & start macro recorder
This is the easiest part. Just select any cell and go to Developer Ribbon & click on Record Macro button.
Step 2: Give a name to your Macro
Specify a name for your macro. I called mine MakeMeRed. You can choose whatever you want. Just make sure there are no spaces or special characters in the name (except underscore)
Click OK when done.
Step 3: Fill the current cell with red color
This is easy as eating pie. Just go to Home ribbon and fill red color in the current cell.
Step 4: Stop Recording
Now that you have done the only step in our macro, its time to stop Excel’s tape recorder. Go to Developer ribbon and hit “stop recording” button.
Step 5: Assign your Macro to a button
Now go to Insert ribbon and draw a nice rectangle. Then, put some text like “click me to fill red” in it.
Then right click on the rectangle shape and go to Assign Macro. And select the MakeMeRed macro from the list shown. Click ok.
Step 6: Go ahead and play with your first macro
That is all. Now, we have linked the rectangle shape to your macro. Whenever you click it, Excel would drop a bucket of red paint in the selected cell(s).
Go ahead and play with this little macro of ours.
Understanding the MakeMeRed Macro Code
Now that your first macro is working, lets peek behind the scenes and understand what VBA instructions are required to fill a cell with red.
To do this, right click on your current sheet name (bottom left) and click on View code option. (You can also press ALT+F11 to do the same).
This opens Visual Basic Editor – a place where you can view & edit various VBA instructions (macros, code) to get things done in Excel.
Understanding the Visual Basic Editor:
Before understanding the MakeMeRed macro, we need to be familiar with VBE (Visual Basic Editor). See this drawing to understand it.
Viewing the VBA behind MakeMeRed
- Select Module 1 from left side area of VBE (called as Project Explorer).
- Double click on it to open it in Editor Area (top right, big white rectangle)
- You can see the VBA Code behind MakeMeRed
If you have followed the instructions above, your code should look like this:
Sub MakeMeRed()
'
' MakeMeRed Macro
'
With Selection.Interior
.Pattern = xlSolid
.PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic
.Color = 192
.TintAndShade = 0
.PatternTintAndShade = 0
End With
End Sub
So much for a simple red paint!!!
Well, what can I say, Excel is rather verbose when it is recording.
Understanding the MakeMeRed VBA Code
Lets go thru the entire Macro code one line at a time.
- Sub MakeMeRed(): This line tells Excel that we are writing a new set of instructions. The word SUB indicates that the following lines of VBA are a sub-procedure (or sub-routine). Which in computer lingo means, a group of related instructions meant to be followed together to do something meaningful. The Sub-procedure ends when Excel sees the phrase “End Sub”
- Lines starting with a single quote (‘): These lines are comments. Excel will ignore anything you write after a single quote. These are meant for your understanding.
- With Selection.Interior: While filling a cell with Red color may seem like one step for you and I, it is in fact a lot of steps for your computer. And whenever you need to do a lot of operations on the same thing (in this case, selected cell), it is better to bunch all of them. This is where the WITH statement comes in to picture. When Excel sees With Seletion.Interior, Excel is going to think, “ok, I am going to do all the next operations on Selected Cell’s Interior until I see End With line“
- Lines starting with .: These are the lines that tell Excel to format the cell’s interior. In this case, the most important line is .Color = 192 which is telling Excel to fill Red color in the selected cell.
- End With: This marks the end of With block.
- End Sub: This marks the end of our little macro named MakeMeRed().
Few Tips to understand this macro better:
Once you are examining the macro code, here are a few ways to learn better.
- Change something: You can change almost any line of the macro to see what happens. For example, change .color = 192 to .color = 62 and save. Then come back to Excel and run your macro to see what happens.
- Delete something: You can remove some of the lines in the macro to see what happens. Remove the line .PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic and run again to see what happens.
Download Example Workbook to learn VBA
Click here to download the example workbook with MakeMeRed Macro.
Excel 2003 Compatible Version here.
Play with the code & understand this better.
What Next – Understanding Variables, Conditions & Loops
In the part 2 of this tutorial, Learn about variables, conditions & loops – basic programming structures of VBA.
Do you write VBA Code? Share your experience?
Thanks to my college education & job experience. I am trained to be a programmer. So I find VBA quite intuitive and easy to use. But that may not be the case for many of you who latch on to VBA without any formal education.
I would like to know how you learn VBA and what experiences you had when you wrote that first macro. Please share using comments.
Join Our VBA Classes
We run an online VBA (Macros) Class to make you awesome. This class offers 20+ hours of video content on all aspects of VBA – right from basics to advanced stuff. You can watch the lessons anytime and learn at your own pace. Each lesson offers a download workbook with sample code. If you are interested to learn VBA and become a master in it, please consider joining this course.
122 Responses to “10 Excel Keyboard Shortcuts I can’t live without!”
Nice,
Mine would be Ctrl + R (to fill right) and Ctrl + D (to fill down). I just love making good formulae which can be used all over the table.
Mine are (not in this order): Ctrl+S (save), Ctrl+W (close active workbook), Ctrl+PageDown/PageUp (navigate to the next/previous worksheet), F4 (toggle references), Ctrl+A/X/C/V (select all/cut/copy/paste), F9 (calculate).
I use ctrl+shift+1 for convert value to number format
I'd add ctrl+shift+arrows to select tables and F9 to see what part of my larger than normal formula went wrong. Plus the standard ctrl+c, ctrl+x and ctrl+v.
Some of those mentioned already (eg CTRL + PageUp / PageDown to flick between tabs) but shift + f2 to add a comment and CTRL + 8 / CTRL + 9 to hide a row or column or CTRL + SHIFT + 8 or 9 to unhide. Oh and CTRL + SHIFT + $ to comvert a value to currency
I use the excel quick access toolbar, and use the corresponding alt+1-9 for my most used short cuts. So on there I currently have filter, paste values, pivot table, excel options, paste formulas which are my most used shortcuts.
But apart from that f5 (go to function for blank, constants formulas).
well I'm going to tell you I Use
Alt+1 = paste values
Alt+2 = paste formula
Alt+3 = paste formats
how?
Excel 2007 - you can add items to the quick access toolbar and then when you press ALT it assigns them all a number/letter. it's just a case of finding the right commands.
Excellent... made me look for them and when i did get them i just went crazy... hahahahahaha... thanks a lot stephen....
Most of Chandoos and
Ctrl Pg Up/Down - move to next active page
Alt F11 - open VBA Editor window
Ctrl F6 - Scroll between open workbooks
Ctrl ~ - Show/Hide Formulas
For Tip #4 I always use CTRL+ALT+V, I find it easier on the fingertips.
4. ALT+ES – Paste Special > Values
I have created a macro for the functions that I use most:
Ctrl + shift + L to hightlight cell
Ctrl + shift + M to unhighlight cell
Ctrl + shift + O to paste formula
Ctrl + shift + T to past format
Ctrl + shift + E to format as accounting
Ctrl + shift + I to use % format. and these excel. and many of the other tips mentioned.
how did you make these macros? Thanks!
Hi Daniel
Simple - just record a macro of the action you want then when you save there'll be an 'assign shortcut' option for you. You can also change them after if you find it's not that convenient or you forget it too easily.
Cheers
Using 2007 version:
Crtl-tab to toggle in and out of excel with another workbook or applicaiton (word, ppt, outlook, etc). I prefer this over Crtl-F6 because i only need to use my left thumb and index finger instead of 2 hands for Crtl-F6. To me, the keys Crtl-F6 is too far away from one another, even if I don't have to worry about toggling to other applications like crtl-tab.
Crtl-Pg Up and Crtl-Pg Down: too many worksheets to do QC work after each project/update.
Shift+End+arrow key or Crtl+Shift+arrow key: depends on if i want the whole column/row/area.
F4 for ease of formula control.
Crtl+F to find/replace text, numbers, formula checking, etc.
I have all paste special on the access tool bar instead. there are too many situations to use.
Crtl+~ to see all cells with formulae.
F2: not only edit the formula but to hi-light and understand where others cells are linked to this cell, if any.
I use
Ctrl + spacebar to select entire column,
Shift + spacebar to select entire row
Shift + Ctrl + spacebar to select all datas in the worksheet
Ctrl + 0 to hide a column
Ctrl + Shift + 9 to unhide a column
Ctrl + 2 to bold
Guys - you can't live without Ctrl + Z - just as you can't live life without an eraser.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can't actually erase your past in real life.
Here are a couple that haven't been mentioned yet (I think)...
ALT + = (Autosum)
CTRL+A (Select data/all)
CTRL+Space (Select column)
SHIFT+Space (Select row)
CTRL+SHIFT+F3 (Create Names)
CTRL+5 (Strikethrough)
ALT+ENTER (Mutliple rows in cell)
I've noticed that the unhide column shortcut (CTRL+SHIFT+0) stopped working when I updated to Windows 7...anyone know why (or a workaround)?
Try Ctrl + ~
All time best CTRL+SHIFT+Down arrow to select contiguous cells ( along a column)
ALT+N+V+T to insert pivot table
ALT+E+A+A to clear all ( very handy!!!)
ALT+F1 to insert default chart in current sheet
arrow key to toggle between chart elements
In addition to the obvious Control + C/X/V (Copy, Cut, and Paste), I use ALT + = to insert AutoSum. This is realy handy.
Definitely Shift or Cltr + Space Bar, then Ctrl + or - to add/delete a row/column.
1. Ctrl + Page Up/Down - jump to previous/next worksheet
2. Ctrl + Home - jump to the top of the worksheet
3. Ctrl + F3 - displays the Name manager
4. Ctrl + 1 - format
5. Ctrl + ; - paste today's date
6. Ctrl + W - close active workbook
7. Shift + F11 - adds new worksheet
8. Shift + F3 - insert formula
9. Ctrl + 9 - hides selected row
10. Ctrl + 0 - hides selected column
Btw thanks a lot for "CTRL+SHIFT+L – Turn on/ off filters", I have to learn that. 🙂
Mine have to be:
Ctrl + Shift + + to insert a new row/column/cell
F9 to run formulas. Great for testing parts for a formula
Ctrl + D to repeat the cell above
Yeah man, control+d
Thumbs Up for this shortcut, specially when you work with a lot of data base, just create your formulas and Bualaa. Bless people.
Ctrl + z = Undo is one I use a lot
Didn't see these--
Being right-handed, using thumb and forefinger...:-)
Cntrl + Insert for Copy
Cntrl + Delete for Cut
Whenever I'd go to new company, had standing invitation: if anyone knew more ways to "copy" than I, I'd buy lunch... this was always the winning #7"...:-)
How many ways y'all know...?? Im ready to buy lunch...:-)
yep--#2 is good--- but I use Alt + D+F+F which only takes one hand and leaves right hand for coffee...:-)
and, since I discovered "MS Flag key + M" to close all open windows and put u at Desktop...I use it multiple times a day...
F12 - Save As...
Yes agreed with CTRL - Z, but hey don't forget his brother CTRL - Y [Redo] 🙂
Ctrl+Alt+V for Paste Special
Alt DFF for Filtering
Alt ASD for Sorting in decending order and Alt ASA for Sorting in ascending order
Ctrl PageDown/PageUp for navigation over sheets
etc.
Can someone put all these shortcut keys in photoshop and share the link so that we can put it as a wall paper.
Hi,
very useful post!
Mine are:
Shift-End- - selecting used fields
F4
CTRL-S
Thanks for the inspiration - I love the cheat-sheet wallpaper idea.
P.S.: Where's your flattr-button?
Thomas
Mine will be
F11 - Create a chart
Alt + D + F +F - To turn on/ off the auto filter
Really good post, lots of useful stuff here!
One of my most used not mentioned already (i dont believe!):
ALT + SHIFT + F1 - add new sheet to workbook
@Arun, All
For a comprehensive list of Keyboard Shortcuts please also refer here:
http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-excel/archive/2011/07/19/cant-remember-all-those-excel-keyboard-shortcuts-now-you-dont-have-to.aspx
1 of my best short cut is to Check which cells/worksheets are referenced/used in formula
-> Ctrl + [
Works only on the cells which has formula. it Jumps directly the dependent cells
& Ctrl + ] works for those cells which will be used in formula (Dependents)
Thank you so much for showing me what this Ctrl Function does, i used it by accident and have struggled to figure it out. Now I'll use it all the time!!
To freeze and unfreeze panes
ALT+W+F+F
A couple of my favourites I haven't seen mentioned:
ALT E+S for paste special, use all the time for copying formats, values formulas, etc.
ALT E+I+S useful for creating values in a series
SHIFT ALT right arrow to group, ALT D+G+H to hide group ALT D+G+S to show group.
ALT+TAB to navigate between open windows.
@Steven, thanks for the tip on using the quick access toolbar. I just rearranged mine.
In addition to many of the shortcuts listed above I use F4 to repeat an action and CTRL+N to open a new workbook
@Les Goins
I tried Crtl+Del but it only delete. it is not cut if we can't paste it back somewhere else, right?
...:-) Sorry, Fred (And, all others...)
should be "SHIFT + Delete key" to "Cut"... THEN, just hit Enter, or Cntrl V to Paste
CTRL# to format dates!!
Hi All,
My fav or top are
1 alt+dff for auto filter
2 alt + es, followed by, v, c, w, etc for paste special
3 Ctrl + navigational keys to move around in workbook
4 ctrl + space select entire column
5 shift + space select entire row
the list will just go on... in a nut shell all short cut Handled by left hand and right hand for the mouse + defnitely coffe 🙂
@Chris, glad i inspired.
a couple more favourites of mine:
Alt & ; = select visible (really useful when working with autofilter)
Ctrl&PgUp/PgDn = move left/right on a sheet (useful when you have a lot of columns)
Ctrl&Tab (or Ctrl&Shift&Tab)= switch between workbooks (& the other way back)
Alt&Tab (or Alt&&Shift&Tab) = switch between applications (& the other way back).... however, if you note that it always takes you to the last used application first, then press & release both repeated will flick you back and forth between 2 applications or 2 workbooks without having to press the shift. I use this if I have to complete journals, where I have to take data from Excel and post into our accounting package.... with Ctrl&C/Ctrl&V.
I use the following short cuts often
1) Alt D,F,F - AutoFilter
2) Ctrl+space - Select entire column
3) Shirt+Space - Select entire row
4) F12 - Save As
5) Alt + F,C - Close workbook
6) Alt + F,X - Close Excel application
7) Ctrl + 1 - Format Cell
8) Context menu key (next to win key) + S - Paste special
9) F4 - Repeat the last action
10) Ctrl + PageUp, PageDown - To browse through worksheets
Everyday shortcuts for me:
CTRL + C Copy
CTRL + X Cut
CTRL + V Paste
CTRL + D Copy from above
CTRL + Z Undo
F4 Repeat (or scroll through referencing)
F2 Edit cell
CTRL Page Up/Page Dwn Move to next/previous worksheet
CTRL + * Select current region
CTRL + Home Go to top left cell
CTRL + ; insert date - I use a lot but I like to have the keystrokes the way I want so I make tiny macros for my faves and give them my own key combos.
CTRL SHIFT + V = Paste Values is much easier than the built in for me because it's a natural follow-on for CTRL + C.
I use "CTRL+[ " This takes you to the source of your formula and I use it every day.
The "CTRL+[" Is fantastic. Thanks for Sharing.
@Andy & Gaylen, All
Don't forget about Ctrl+]
which follows a cell to it's next dependants
Both of Ctrl+[ and Ctrl+] can be used iteratively to move up/down the dependancy tree
Great ... thanks everyone for the tips.
BTW - it's interesting how good it is for us all to be human filters. Instead of a bamboozling blur of what you could possibly use, it's: here - you'll probably like this one ... I do.
@andy and hui
I'd not come across the CTRL + [ or ] before so thanks! I can't imagine how useful they'd have been over my career so far. Great tip
really helpful
My list is bit more..
Ctrl+page up/down to move between tabs
right click+p+s for paste special values (i use most of the times keyboard right click..since it is very near to fingers)
alt+d+f+f and again alt+d+f+f to remove all the filters and add filters again
ctrl+tab to move between open workbooks
ofcourse F2 very commonly
Shift+F11 very frequently to add new worksheet/tab
alt+o+h+r and alt+o+c+a are my best shorcut keys to rename tab and auto fit the cells
(ctrl+c/x/z/v/b/u/i/S..like everyone)
Regards,
Saran
lostinexcel.blogspot.com
Since I use Conditional formatting very often i always use ALT+O+D
Just thought of another
for wrap and unwrap, ctrl+w and ctrl+q+w (quit wrap)
because I do it a lot and it's too fiddly to do through menus.
Hi use ALT+DFS on a daily basis- incase you have filtered a sheet against 5-7 filters and you want to remove all filters then this is the easiest.
Ctrl + Alt + V ----> paste special
Ctrl + F6 = navigate between differetn Excel files.
Ctrl + PgUp/PgDn = navigate between sheets
Ctrl + Home/End
Ctrl + Arrows
Shift + lots of keys...
ALT + ; - to copy visible cells only. I have to use it quite often and a lot of them you have already mentioned :).
thank you for sharing.
Ctrl+shift+L for Autofilter and remove the filters
My Favourites (which I use all the time):
Ctrl + 1 - cell formats
Ctrl + D - copy values Down
Ctrl + R - copy values Right
Alt + DFF - toggle filters on / off
Alt + WFF - toggle freeze pane on / off
Alt + HVF - Paste Special; Formulas
Alt + HVV - Paste Special; Values
Ctrl + C then Alt + HVV - removes formulas (especially handy when selecting whole sheet)
Alt + ADFROT - Advanced Filter to get Unique values for a column, to new location
Alt + DPF - insert quick Pivot Table
Hello everyone.
I'm going to admit that I don't use keyboard shortcuts beyond Copy and Paste.
Why not? Every software and OS has their own keyboard shortcuts and I have a fear of them overlapping.
One keyboard shortcut might do something cool in Excel but in my music composition software that shortcut might mute the drum track. In my video editing software is might the the shortcut for opening the effects menu.
Shortcuts are really cool but I've gone 15 years working Excel, writing VBA code, and making a living without memorizing keyboard shortcuts. Only recently have I been willing to admit that.
@Oz
Your missing out on huge increases in efficiency
Most of the normal shortcuts are similar throughout all applications
Ctrl C, V X - Copy, paste Cut
Ctrl O - Open
Ctrl S - Save
Ctrl P - Print
and several other of a similar nature
Hiu,
I see what you're saying but still disagree. The efficiency that I'm missing out on is small. This isn't like I've declared refusal to use pivot tables.
Shortcuts were screwing me up when I switched from Excel on my PC and Excel on my Mac. CTRL C, CTRL V are useful and universal. I do use those.
The only thing I can see is that I'd be in trouble if I joined one of those Excel tournaments.
One mildly humorous reaction: when you mention CTRL P for printing, I never just straight print. The printer manufacturers have things set up where you can't set a printer to default to printing in draft mode. So, I always manually go to the print menus and adjust the settings to draft mode.
Any way ... the bottom line is that I don't work in an environment where shortcuts will make or break me.
I use one program that has Ctrl C and Ctrl V for inbuilt shortcuts and it drives me nuts because I use them all the time. The Shift+Ins is the one I need to use in that program.
Another Excel one I use often is Ctrl+' to copy the data from the cell above. Several others that have already been listed.
My new laptop has the "F" buttons combined with other buttons. To save space on the keyboard I guess. Whenever I'm at home and hit F2 to edit it toggles my wi-fi on and off. Grrr. I have to hold the function key then hit F2 to activate the F2 function.
So glad I found this page. Paste values only is the shortcut I was looking for. Found it. 🙂 Thank you.
lots of people at my office use a background program to assign keyboard shortcuts. Drives me crazy because they use existing keyboard shortcuts like ctrl-a to shoot off a macro, then they don't know how to select all. Makes training them on excel a lot more difficult.
A good background program to assign keyboard shortcuts will allow them to be application specific so that ^a does not interfere with select all in excel. A misused background program could easily result in the situation described above.
Highlight a row or column and use...
Ctrl + + and Ctrl + - to insert or delete rows or columns
Thanks Rob - I've got double rows of toolbars all round with hundreds of buttons, so even finding my faves like insert delete row can be hard. That'll be really handy.
Does anyone know how to use the ALT-key (or any other key) to access the buttons on the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) numberd with more then 2 digits?
Just type the numbers/letters shown.
If it says 09 just press 0 and then 9 (of course after pressing ALT to see the shortcuts assigned to QAT)
The less-common (but already mentioned here) shortcuts I use the most are:
Ctrl-1 (cell format)
Ctrl-Home/End (beginning/end)
Ctrl-Shift-Home/End (select from here to beginning/end)
Ctrl-PgUp/PgDn (move between worksheets)
Ctrl-` (show formulae)
Very helpful! Thanks!
A couple of my time-saver favorites:
F2 to edit a cell (helpful if I just need to delete the last character and don't want to retype the whole thing)
Shift-F2 to add or edit a comment (then Esc Esc to get back out of it)
Also a big fan of the Ctrl-K hyperlink one that others have mentioned!
Been reading these tips for a year and a half, and always something useful.
I use a lot of comments so Shift-F2 is helpful. Thanks.
For F2 - edit cell there is an option to 'Directly edit in cell' which I always have on. Just double click. Not only that, but the cursor will be just where you double click, so you can start middle, end, wherever you need, without another click. 🙂
I just hate to use the mouse, so I avoid double-clicking at all costs! 🙂
Fair enough. I change my mind regularly about that. It's a mood thing ...or if I'm eating over the KB. Bad! hehe.
CTRL + SHIFT + & (TO CREATE OUTLINE BORDER)
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I often use F2 followed by F9 to convert a formula in a cell to its value. It's the keyboard equivalent to copying the cell, and using Edit > Paste Special > Values on the same cell, but much quicker.
Application? I use this a lot if I have to manually separate items on a receipt into different categories, but I still have to take sales tax into account. I'll enter certain items from the receipt into the cell, and include a quick formula to get the sales tax for just those items. When I'm done, I strip out the formula just to be on the safe side, leaving the value of the cell.
Thanks Craig, unfortunately when I tried this I found another app has hijacked my F9 - what does it normally do by itself? I will have to try to wrestle it back from the app.
BTW I use paste vals so much I made a macro so I could use ctl-sh-v. The reason this is so handy is because of course I've always done ctl-v immediately before so it's really like one quick action, with the bonus that the paste val doesn't have to be in the same cell (I mean you don't have to lose your formula) Easily my most constantly used macro. If you want to give it a try ...
Sub PasteValues()
'' Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+V
'
'ActiveCell.Select
'Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlValues, Operation:=xlNone, SkipBlanks:= _
'False, Transpose:=False
ActiveCell.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlValues
End Sub
does it work on a range. I tried selecting a range and then F2+F9. It changes from formula to value in just first cell.
Is there a keyboard shortcut for filtering a value after adding the filters to a data?
It might be a bit clumsy, but just use the keyboard to navigate to the filtered cell and hit Alt + Down to bring up the filtered options.
Mine
CTRL+* ( it will slecte all the work area)
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Other than CTRL C, CTRL V the only other shortcut that I can't live without: CTRL+SHIFT when moving a block of data and wanting it inserted.
After highlighting the cells that you want to move, select CTRL+SHIFT and the cursor turns into a line that you position to the place where you want the data inserted. It's pretty cool.
1. Ctrl+Enter accepts your input and leaves the cursor in the same cell. Saves you from having to go back up to continue work on that cell e.g. copy....
2. Select a range of cells which have the same formula or content; edit the active cell only; now press Ctrl+Enter to populate the entire range with the corrected formula/content!
3. In the middle of a formula, if you have navigated away from the active cell (e.g. to select a large range) such that it is no longer visible, you can press Ctrl+Bckspace to jump back to the active cell whilst remaining in edit mode
Am using as
Ctrl+5 for strikethrough in the content of the cell.
hi..
can any one tell me what is shortcut for copy and paste all the table as it is..i knw ctrl+c and ctl=v; bt this shortcut not paste document as it is..
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The two I use all the time are:
Ctrl + (Control and Plus sign on numeric keypad) = Insert row or column
Ctrl - (Control and Minus sign on numeric keypad) = Delete row or column
Shortcut #4 is one of my favorites, but there's an important note speficially regarding Paste Special Values - you need to hit V after alt + ES. I know you have a link to that detial amongst other options within Paste Special (all of which I use all the time and LOVE), but if you're specifically noting Paste Special Values, it should read alt + ESV.
Thanks for all your info!
[…] some time getting fully on board with shortcuts. As an added resource, do check out Chandoo’s post on 10 must-have […]
Great discussions!
I have a question for No. 8 CTRL + K for Hyperlinks.
Is there any way you can add a Hyperlink and KEEP the existing formatting of the text in the cell?
I would assume it might be a setting somewhere where you can define the Hyperlink Design - but that would just be another single format I think - I want it to be un-formatted if anything so it picks up the current cell format. Any ideas please? Thanks everyone!
Hi Chandoo,
I do regularly read emails received by you. I use above mentioned 10 shortcuts in daily workflow. In addition to this I use following shortcuts:
Filter Ctrl+shift+L and open filter column alt+down arrow key.
Visible cells Alt+:
Format Painter Copy then go to the cell which you want format right click key+S+T
It's an amazing article designed for all the internet viewers; they will take
advantage from it I am sure.
Amazing article,
The only thing i didnt know is ctrl+shift+l for filters and I use them alot,
so thanks!
And my contribution is:
alt+h+9 > remove decimal place
alt+h+0 > add decimal place.
Very useful when using ctrl+shift+1 for number formatting and immediately hitting alt+h+9 twice to remove decimal places.
Cheers
I am using AutoFilter and I have a large picklist of values available to me. I want to select about the first 50% of the items. Is there any shortcut to grab them? (i.e. Select 1st item, hold shift, select last item --which does NOT work).
Thanks!
how can i "clear format" from a part of selection in excel by keyboard.
i need keyboard shortcut to clear format of any cell.
reply me
ashish gupta
email: ashish99b@gmail.com
Hii...Ashish....
Clear format :-Alt+H+C+S.....
[…] http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/08/08/must-have-excel-keyboard-shortcuts […]
Hiii...
Previous is wrong ...
Clear Format:-ALT+H+L+C+S
I think 7 should be "CTRL+F3 – Show Names"
cool, thanks bro!
Chandoo, Greetings! Nice tips. Like it & use ful. To make it credible and professional, please publish without spelling, grammatical mistakes, if you may. Thank you.
Sri: The spelling and grammar are pretty accurate, if you're referring to the original article. If there is a specific spot that you feel is unclear due to grammar issues, you'll want to provide more details on what is confusing you versus just saying "please publish without spelling, grammatical mistakes".
Chandoo doesn't have control over the grammar or spelling in users' responses such as yours, of course; if that's what you're addressing, you should address your comment to the user who posted the item which you feel has poor grammar. (You would generally only do so, though, if it's that you need something clarified because of the grammar issue.)
I'd like to note that your post isn't actually the best in terms of spelling and grammar. For example, you capitalized "greetings" even though it's in the middle of a sentence, and you put an unnecessary space in "useful". If you're particularly bothered by poor grammar, you'll want to proofread your own posts a little more carefully! 😉
This is awesome, totally on nerd overload. Here's my fav:
Go to - special - blanks
Then Ctrl, up arrow, =, enter
This fills in all the blanks!
Thanks fellow geeks for all the sweet tips
Guys,
CTRL+SHIFT+1 always give us number format with 2 decimals. Is there any Excel shortcut that could give us number format with 0 decimal, other than making our own macro?
Thanks
I have commented on this just few comments above. That's how I handle it.
alt+h+9 > remove decimal place.
alt+h+0 > add decimal place.
But that's two steps instead of one.
1) press SHIFT+CTRL+1, and then
2) ALT+H+9 or 0.....
not too convenient.
Seems to me, the only way is to make the macro
try Alt + H + K
these shortcut keys are really helpful in smart work & fast work
Wonderful tips, I have made my own list.
Another good one is CTRL+F10, toggles maximise/restore window in workspace. (So you can find the scrollbars, and switch books by clicking another one)
I use CTRL-Z to repeat the last command. Handy for inserting multiple rows or columns.
[…] Here are some great Excel shortcuts copied from http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/08/08/must-have-excel-keyboard-shortcuts […]
I use filters to do an ad-hoc analysis of my data. So, Once I set a couple of filters.
Ctrl ; to enter today's date
Ctrl ' to enter the same data as above
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