Ctrl + Shift in Excel: Functions and How to Use It

From this tutorial, you will know the functions of and how to use Ctrl + Shift in Excel optimally.

There are many shortcuts that we can use in Excel to make our work easier. Some of the interesting ones utilize the Ctrl and Shift buttons on our keyboard. If we can master these shortcuts, we should be able to do our jobs much more efficiently in Excel.

Want to know those Ctrl + Shift shortcuts we can use in Excel and how to use them? Let’s discuss them in the following parts of this tutorial.

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What is Ctrl + Shift in Excel?

Ctrl + Shift in Excel are two buttons combination that is often used in Excel shortcuts. In the shortcuts where we use them, we usually have to press and hold the Ctrl and Shift buttons simultaneously so we can get the shortcut outcomes that we want.

Ctrl + Shift Shortcuts in Excel: Functions and the Button Combinations

There are quite a few shortcuts that use the Ctrl and Shift buttons combination. Here are they.

Buttons	Description
Ctrl + Shift + →	Extend selection to the far-right cell of the current data region
Ctrl + Shift + ←	Extend selection to the far-left cell of the current data region
Ctrl + Shift + ↑	Extend selection to the bottom cell of the current data region
Ctrl + Shift + ↓	Extend selection to the top cell of the current data region
Ctrl + Shift + Home	Extend selection to the top left cell of the current data region
Ctrl + Shift + End	Extend selection to the bottom right cell of the current data region
Ctrl + Shift + :	Input the current time
Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Move to the previous workbook
Ctrl + Shift + O	Select cells that contain comments
Ctrl + Shift + {	Select direct and indirect cell references of the active cell’s formula
Ctrl + Shift + }	Select cells that directly and indirectly refer to the active cell in their formula
Ctrl + Shift + A	Show the arguments that are needed by the function you input in the currently active cell (after you type the function name)
Ctrl + Shift + Enter	Convert the formula you currently input into an array formula
Ctrl + Shift + U	Expand/collapse the formula bar
Ctrl + Shift + “	Copy the value of the above cell
Ctrl + Shift + ~	Apply general format to the active cells
Ctrl + Shift + $	Apply currency format to the active cells
Ctrl + Shift + %	Apply percentage format to the active cells
Ctrl + Shift + ^	Apply scientific format to the active cells
Ctrl + Shift + #	Apply date format to the active cells
Ctrl + Shift + @	Apply time format to the active cells
Ctrl + Shift + !	Apply number format to the active cells
Ctrl + Shift + &	Add outside borders
Ctrl + Shift + _	Remove borders
Ctrl + Shift + F3	Define the name by using the row/column label
Ctrl + Shift + +	Show the “Insert Row/Column” dialog box
Ctrl + Shift + 9	Show hidden rows in the selected range
Ctrl + Shift + 0	Show hidden columns in the selected range
Ctrl + Shift + F11	Toggle fullscreen

Keep practicing these shortcuts when you work in Excel so you get used to them and can run their functions much quicker!

Exercise

After we have done learning about Ctrl + Shift in Excel, let’s practice its shortcut variants to understand their functions better.

Open an Excel file that you have and try to practice all of the shortcuts above. Focus especially on the shortcuts whose functions you think will be often used in your Excel work!

Additional Note

If you want to master Excel shortcuts, including the ones with Ctrl + Shift, you should try to force yourself to use them when working every day. Doing that should gradually make you able to use them without having to memorize them or looking at your shortcut cheat sheet again.



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