Using keyboard shortcuts in Google Sheets increases efficiency in handling tasks, complex calculations or even simple tasks. Below are some of the most common Google Sheets shortcuts that you can use.
Here’s how to apply a background color to selected cells:
Shortcut for PC - Alt + H, H
Shortcut for Mac - Use Format menu (No direct shortcut)
For PC users, select the cells you wish to color, press Alt + H, H, and choose your desired color. Mac users need to navigate through the Format menu to select "Fill color."
To easily apply or remove strikethrough formatting, follow the shortcut below.
Shortcut for PC - Alt + Shift + 5
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + X
Highlight the text or cell you wish to format and use the shortcut to toggle strikethrough on or off.
Navigate down cells quickly with this simple shortcut.
Shortcut for PC - Enter
Shortcut for Mac -Enter
Press Enter to move the selection down to the next cell and facilitate efficient data entry down a column.
Copy and apply formatting from one cell to another easily with the shortcut below.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + V
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + V
Select the cell with the formatting you wish to copy, press the shortcut, then click on the cell(s) where you want to apply the formatting.
To duplicate cell formatting quickly across your spreadsheet, follow the shortcut below.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + V
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + V
This works similarly to the Paint format. Use this shortcut after copying a cell's format to apply it elsewhere efficiently.
Find text or numbers within your sheet instantly with the search keyboard shortcut.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + F
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + F
Activate the search box with the shortcut and enter your query to locate specific data quickly.
To edit cell contents directly, use the shortcut below.
Shortcut for PC - F2
Shortcut for Mac - Enter or Cmd + U
Press the shortcut to enter edit mode in the selected cell to allow for a more immediate content modification.
Highlight cells easily using the fill color functionality.
Shortcut for PC - Alt + H, H
Shortcut for Mac - Use Format menu (No direct shortcut)
Leverage the Fill Color shortcut for highlighting. Select cells and apply your chosen color for emphasis.
Navigate between sheets within a workbook effortlessly.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Page Up/Page Down
Shortcut for Mac - Option + Up/Down arrow
Use this shortcut to move quickly between multiple sheets in your workbook to enhance navigation efficiency.
Adjust your sheet's view to zoom in or out.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + Mouse Scroll
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Alt + Mouse Scroll
Control the zoom level of your Google Sheets document by scrolling the mouse wheel while holding down the specified keys.
Paste copied content as values only and strip away formatting.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + V
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + V
Copy any cell's content and use this shortcut to paste only the value into another cell and omit the original cell's formatting.
Automatically adjust column width to fit content.
Shortcut for PC - Double-click the right edge of the column header
Shortcut for Mac - Double-click the right edge of the column header
Auto-resize a column to fit its content by double-clicking the right border of the column header to simplify column width adjustments.
Easily replicate your most recent action with a single keystroke.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Y
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Y
This command is useful for repeating the last action, such as formatting changes across multiple cells without manually redoing each step.
Below are some of the most essential editing commands for efficient data management.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + X
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + X
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + C
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + C
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + V
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + V
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Z
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Z
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Y
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + Z
These shortcuts allow for quick modification of your data to make it easy to move, duplicate, or revert changes in your spreadsheet.
Add new rows or columns to your sheet without navigating menus using the shortcuts below.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + I, R
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + I, R
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + I, C
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + I, C
These shortcuts provide a fast way to expand your sheet by adding rows or columns at the cell's location.
Remove unwanted rows or columns quickly with the shortcuts below.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + E, D
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + E, D
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + E, D
Shortcut for Mac - Same as PC
Highlight entire rows or columns for quick actions using the shortcuts below.
Shortcut for PC - Shift + Space
Shortcut for Mac - Shift + Space
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Space
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Space
Use these shortcuts to quickly select entire rows or columns for formatting, copying, or deleting.
Create a new sheet within your workbook instantly using the shortcuts below.
Shortcut for PC - Shift + F11
Shortcut for Mac - Fn + Shift + F11
Use the shortcuts below to apply common text formatting options.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + B
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + B
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + U
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + U
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + I
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + I
Shortcut for PC - Alt + Shift + 5
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + X
Emphasize or denote text in your cells quickly with these formatting shortcuts.
Adjust the alignment of your cell content using the shortcuts below.
Shortcut for PC - Alt + H, A, L
Shortcut for Mac - Use Format menu
Shortcut for PC - Alt + H, A, C
Shortcut for Mac -Use Format menu
Shortcut for PC - Alt + H, A, R
Shortcut for Mac - Use Format menu
Embed hyperlinks directly into your cells for easy access to related resources.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + K
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + K
You can turn text into clickable links to external websites, documents, or email addresses with this shortcut.
Access linked resources or web pages directly from your sheet using the shortcut below.
Shortcut for PC - Alt + Enter
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Enter
Use the shortcut below to easily sum selected cells.
Shortcut for PC - Alt + =
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + T
Highlight a range of cells you want to sum and press the shortcut. Google Sheets will automatically insert the sum function at the end of the selected range or next to it.
Use the shortcut below to format selected cells as currency.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + 4
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + 4
Select the cells containing numerical values you wish to format and apply the shortcut. This will format the numbers as currency while adding the currency symbol and two decimal places.
Convert selected cells' values to percentages using the shortcut below.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + 5
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + 5
Highlight the cells you'd like to format and use the shortcut. This converts the numbers into percentages which is useful for financial analysis and reporting.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + 3
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + 3
Select your cells and use the shortcut to format them as dates to make it easier to read and understand chronological data.
Remove any cell formatting in Google Sheets to reset its appearance using the shortcuts below.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + \
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + \
To remove all formatting from selected cells, such as font styles, colors, and cell background colors, use this shortcut. It restores the default formatting.
To save a Google Sheets document as a PDF:
Press Ctrl + P (PC) or Cmd + P (Mac) to open the print dialog. Set the destination to "Save as PDF" and click "Save".
Here are more keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets that you should know.
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Z
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Z
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Y
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + Z
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + C
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + C
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + X
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + X
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + V
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + V
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + V
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + V
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + B
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + B
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + I
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + I
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + U
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + U
Shortcut for PC - Alt + Shift + 5
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + X
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + W
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + W
Shortcut for PC - Alt + O, M
Shortcut for Mac - No direct shortcut
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Home
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Up Arrow
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + End
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Down Arrow
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + PgDn
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + Fn + Down Arrow
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + PgUp
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + Fn + Up Arrow
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + M
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + M
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Enter
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Enter
Shortcut for PC - Esc
Shortcut for Mac - Esc
Shortcut for PC - R
Shortcut for Mac - R
Shortcut for PC - E
Shortcut for Mac - E
Shortcut for PC - Shift + F10
Shortcut for Mac - Shift + F10 or Ctrl + Fn + F10
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + =
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + =
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + -
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + -
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + E
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + E
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + [
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + [
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + ]
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + ]
Shortcut for PC - =
Shortcut for Mac - =
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Shift + Enter
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Shift + Enter
Shortcut for PC - F4
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + T
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + Shift + C
Shortcut for PC - Ctrl + Alt + Shift + X
Shortcut for Mac - Cmd + Option + Shift + X
We hope that you now have a better understanding of some of the most commonly used Google Sheets shortcuts and how to use them.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on query not equal in Google Sheets or our article on how to reference another sheet on Google Sheets.
