MSExcel Cheatsheet
bub.im · cheatsheet
Microsoft Excel · formulas and shortcuts
Static and dynamic entries, formula control, functions worth memorizing and keyboard power moves for Excel desktop on Windows. Classic key bindings, verified on current Microsoft 365 builds.
01
Insert dates, fills and content
| Shortcut | Inserts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+; | Current datestatic | A fixed value that never changes. Use =TODAY() when the date should update itself. |
| Ctrl+Shift+; | Current timestatic | Fixed timestamp. The dynamic sibling is =NOW(). |
| Ctrl+; Space Ctrl+Shift+; | Date and time in one cell | The classic combo for audit timestamps. Static, sortable, format via Ctrl + 1. |
| Alt+= | AutoSum | Guesses the most likely range, so check it before pressing Enter. On a preselected range it writes all the sums in one go. |
| Ctrl+E | Flash Fill | Pattern completion from your examples. Type one or two desired results next to the data, then press it. |
| Ctrl+D / Ctrl+R | Fill down / fill right | Copies the cell above or to the left into the selection, formulas and formatting included. |
| Ctrl+Enter | Same entry in every selected cell | Type once, populate the whole selection. Pairs well with Go To Special → Blanks. |
| Alt+Enter | Line break inside a cell | Excel switches the cell to Wrap Text automatically. |
| Shift+F2 | Note on the cell | The classic yellow box. Threaded comments use Ctrl + Shift + F2 in Microsoft 365. |
| Ctrl+' | Copy of the formula from the cell above | Exact copy, references are not adjusted. Lands in edit mode so you can tweak before committing. |
| Ctrl+Shift+" | Value from the cell above | Copies the result, not the formula. |
02
Work with formulas
| Shortcut | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| F2 | Edit the active cell | Also toggles Edit and Point modes, so the arrow keys move the cursor inside the formula instead of inserting references. |
| F4 while editing a reference | Cycle $A$1 → A$1 → $A1 → A1 | The reference lock. Works on a selected range inside the formula too. |
| F9 on a selected fragment | Evaluate just that part of the formulaesc after | Select a fragment in edit mode, press F9, read the value. Press Esc to keep the formula; Enter would commit the value permanently. |
| F9 / Shift+F9 / Ctrl+Alt+F9 | Recalculate: all workbooks / active sheet / full rebuild | The escalation ladder when numbers look stale. |
| Ctrl+` | Show formulas instead of resultsglobal | Whole-sheet toggle. If a sheet suddenly displays formulas everywhere, someone pressed this. |
| Ctrl+[ / Ctrl+] | Select precedents / dependents | Jumps to the cells a formula reads, or the cells that read it. F5 then Enter returns to where you were. |
| Ctrl+Shift+U | Expand or collapse the formula bar | Room to read long formulas without resizing anything. |
| Ctrl+Shift+Enter | Legacy array formula { }legacy | The braces cannot be typed by hand, exactly like Word field braces. Modern dynamic arrays spill on a plain Enter, so this is only for old workbooks. |
tipFormulas → Calculation Options set to Manual is the classic reason a sheet shows stale numbers. F9 recalculates, Ctrl + Alt + F9 rebuilds everything from scratch.
03
Functions worth memorizing
The dynamic counterparts of the static shortcuts above, plus self-documenting helpers.
| Function | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| =TODAY() | Current date, always fresh | Updates on every recalculation. The dynamic sibling of Ctrl + ;. |
| =NOW() | Current date and time | Volatile, recalculates constantly. Use with intent on large workbooks. |
| =TEXT(TODAY(),”yyyy-MM-dd”) | Date as formatted text | The format string overrides the cell format, like the \@ switch in Word fields. |
| =CELL(“filename”,A1) | Full path, workbook and sheet name | Classic footer content for controlled documents. The workbook must be saved first. |
| =TEXTAFTER(CELL(“filename”,A1),”]”) | Just the sheet tab nametab name | Self-labeling sheets: rename the tab and every title cell follows. |
| =SEQUENCE(10) | Spilled series 1 to 10 | Numbering that survives sorting and inserting. SEQUENCE(5,3) fills a 5 by 3 grid. |
| =RANDARRAY(3,4) | A 3 by 4 spill of random values | Instant sample data, the Excel cousin of =rand(3,4) in Word. RANDBETWEEN(1,100) for integers. |
| =FORMULATEXT(A1) | The formula of another cell, as text | Documentation and audits: show the logic right next to the result. |
| =HYPERLINK(“https://bub.im”,”bub.im”) | Clickable link built by formula | The target can be assembled from other cells, which Ctrl + K cannot do. |
04
Selection and navigation
| Shortcut | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Arrow | Jump to the edge of the data region | Stops at the last filled cell, or the next one after a gap. |
| Ctrl+Shift+Arrow | Extend the selection to the edge | The fastest way to select a whole column of data without touching the mouse. |
| Ctrl+A | Select current region, then the whole sheet | First press selects the contiguous data block, second press selects everything. |
| Ctrl+. | Rotate the active corner of the selection | Lets you check all four corners of a large selection without losing it. |
| F5 or Ctrl+G | Go To, and Go To Special via Alt+S | Special selects blanks, constants, formulas, errors or visible cells only. Blanks plus Ctrl + Enter fills gaps in one move. |
| Ctrl+Home / Ctrl+End | Jump to A1 / the last used cell | Ctrl + End remembering deleted rows means the used range needs a save to shrink. |
| Ctrl+Backspace | Scroll back to the active cell | After scrolling far away, one press brings the view home without changing the selection. |
| Type a range in the Name Box, Enter | Select any range or named range instantly | A1:C5000 selects five thousand rows in a second. Typing a new name over a selection defines it. |
05
Formatting
| Shortcut | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+1 | Format Cells dialog | The hub: number formats, alignment, borders, protection. Works on charts and shapes too. |
| Ctrl+Shift+~ | General number format | The reset. First aid when a number displays as a date. |
| Ctrl+Shift+1 | Number, thousands separator, two decimals | The everyday numeric format in one press. |
| Ctrl+Shift+3 | Date format | Applies dd-mmm-yy. |
| Ctrl+Shift+4 | Currency format | Uses the system currency symbol. |
| Ctrl+Shift+5 | Percent format | Multiplies the display by 100, so format before typing when possible. |
| Ctrl+Shift+7 | Outline border around the selection | Quick visual grouping without opening the dialog. |
| Ctrl+Shift+Hyphen | Remove all borders | Clears every border from the selection. |
| Alt H O Isequence | AutoFit column width | Press the keys one after another, not held together. Alt H O A autofits row height. |
| Alt H V Vsequence | Paste values only | The keyboard route to the most used Paste Special option. Ctrl + Alt + V opens the full dialog. |
06
Rows, columns and tables
| Shortcut | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+T | Convert the range to a Table | Structured references, auto-expanding ranges, banded rows and a filter row in one press. |
| Ctrl+Shift+L | Toggle filter buttons | On the header row of any range, not only Tables. |
| Shift+Space | Select the whole row | Inside a Table the first press selects the table row, the second the sheet row. |
| Ctrl+Space | Select the whole column | Same two-step behavior inside Tables. |
| Ctrl+Shift++ | Insert cells, rows or columns | Select a row or column first and it inserts a full one without asking. |
| Ctrl+- | Delete cells, rows or columns | Same rule: the selection decides what is removed. |
| Ctrl+9 / Ctrl+Shift+9 | Hide / unhide rows | Works on every row touching the selection. |
| Ctrl+0 | Hide columnsgotcha | Unhide with Ctrl + Shift + 0 can be captured by Windows input language settings. If it does nothing, unhide from the ribbon. |
| Alt+Shift+→ / ← | Group / ungroup rows or columns | Builds collapsible outline levels, far cleaner than hiding. |
07
Workbook and view power moves
| Shortcut | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+PgUp / Ctrl+PgDn | Previous / next sheet | The core movement in multi-sheet workbooks. Add Shift to select several sheets as a group. |
| Shift+F11 | New worksheet | Inserted before the active sheet. |
| F4 outside edit mode | Repeat the last actiondual role | Same key, two jobs: repeat when browsing, reference lock when editing a formula. |
| Alt+F1 / F11 | Chart from the current data | Alt + F1 embeds it on the same sheet, F11 creates a dedicated chart sheet. |
| Alt W F Fsequence | Freeze panes at the active cell | Everything above and to the left stays put. Repeat the sequence to unfreeze. |
| Ctrl+Tab | Switch between open workbook windows | Cycles through all open workbooks. |
| Ctrl+F1 | Collapse or expand the ribbon | A full extra row of visible cells. |
| F12 | Save As dialog | The fastest route to a new file name or format, same as in Word. |
| Alt+F11 | VBA editor | Straight into the code behind the workbook. |
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