Google Sheets – keyboard shortcuts at a glance

The Google Sheets spreadsheet program in Google Workspace offers a wide range of useful features for your day-to-day business, from time recording to invoicing to project planning. All your spreadsheets are automatically linked to your Google account. That way, you have constant access to your files, even from your smartphone.

A variety of shortcuts make it easier to work with Google Sheets. In theory, you can even create and edit spreadsheets without a single click of the mouse. We’ve put together a list of the most useful keyboard shortcuts in Google Sheets. We’ll also show you how to access a menu of all shortcuts directly in Google Sheets. In this menu, you can search for specific keyboard shortcuts and enable compatible shortcuts from other spreadsheet programs (such as Microsoft Excel).

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Google Sheets: shortcuts for Windows and Mac users

In this guide, we’ll start by introducing you to the most useful Google Sheets keyboard shortcuts so you can edit and format your spreadsheets more easily on a PC or a Mac. Google Sheets also has keyboard shortcuts for navigating spreadsheets and using formulas. We've selected the most important ones for you.

Tip

Are you looking for a comprehensive office solution? With the Google Workspace solutions from IONOS, you get the full range of popular Google apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Sheets all in one package, including your own domain.

Google Sheets shortcuts: general commands in Google Sheets

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Select column Ctrl + Space Ctrl + Space
Select row Shift + Space Shift + Space
Select all Ctrl + aCtrl + Shift + Space ⌘ + a⌘ + Shift + Space
Undo Ctrl + z ⌘ + z
Redo Ctrl + yCtrl + Shift + zF4 ⌘ + y⌘ + Shift + zFn + F4
Find Ctrl + f ⌘ + f
Find and replace Ctrl + h ⌘ + Shift + h
Fill range Ctrl + Enter ⌘ + Enter
Fill down Ctrl + d ⌘ + d
Fill right Ctrl + r ⌘ + r
Save (all changes are automatically saved in Google Drive) Ctrl + s ⌘ + s
Open Ctrl + o ⌘ + o
Print Ctrl + p ⌘ + p
Copy Ctrl + c ⌘ + c
Cut Ctrl + x ⌘ + x
Paste Ctrl + v ⌘ + v
Paste values only Ctrl + Shift + v ⌘ + Shift + v
Paste format only Ctrl + Alt + v ⌘ + Alt+ v
Show common keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + / ⌘ + /
Insert new sheet Shift + F11 Shift + Fn + F11
Compact controls Ctrl + Shift + f Ctrl + Shift + f
Input tools on/off (available in spreadsheets in non-Latin languages) Ctrl + Shift + k ⌘ + Shift + k
Select input tools Ctrl + Alt + Shift + k ⌘ + Option + Shift + k
Search menus Alt + / Option + /

Keyboard shortcuts for formatting in Google Sheets

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Bold Ctrl + b ⌘ + b
Underline Ctrl + u ⌘ + u
Italic Ctrl + i ⌘ + i
Strikethrough Alt + Shift + 5 Option + Shift + 5
Center align Ctrl + Shift + e ⌘ + Shift + e
Left align Ctrl + Shift + l ⌘ + Shift + l
Right align Ctrl + Shift + r ⌘ + Shift + r
Apply top border Alt + Shift + 1 Option + Shift + 1
Apply right border Alt + Shift + 2 Option + Shift + 2
Apply bottom border Alt + Shift + 3 Option + Shift + 3
Apply left border Alt + Shift + 4 Option + Shift + 4
Remove borders Alt + Shift + 6 Option + Shift + 6
Apply outer border Alt + Shift + 7Ctrl + Shift + 7 Option + Shift + 7⌘ + Shift + 7
Insert link Ctrl + k ⌘ + k
Insert time Ctrl + Shift + ; ⌘ + Shift + ;
Insert date Ctrl + ; ⌘ + ;
Insert date and time Ctrl + Alt + Shift + ; ⌘ + Option + Shift + ;
Format as decimal Ctrl + Shift + 1 Ctrl + Shift + 1
Format as time Ctrl + Shift + 2 Ctrl + Shift + 2
Format as date Ctrl + Shift + 3 Ctrl + Shift + 3
Format as currency Ctrl + Shift + 4 Ctrl + Shift + 4
Format as percentage Ctrl + Shift + 5 Ctrl + Shift + 5
Format as exponent Ctrl + Shift + 6 Ctrl + Shift + 6
Remove formatting Ctrl + \ ⌘ + \

Keyboard shortcuts for navigating Google Sheets

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Move to beginning of row Home Fn + Left arrow
Move to beginning of sheet Ctrl + Home ⌘ + Fn + Left arrow
Move to end of row End Fn + Right arrow
Move to end of sheet Ctrl + End ⌘ + Fn + Right arrow
Scroll to active cell Ctrl + Backspace ⌘ + Backspace
Move to next sheet Alt + Down arrow Option + Down arrow
Move to previous sheet Alt + Up arrow Option + Up arrow
Display list of sheets Alt + Shift + k Option + Shift + k
Open hyperlink Alt + Enter Option + Enter
Open Explore Alt + Shift + x Option + Shift + x
Go to side panel Ctrl + Alt + .Ctrl + Alt + , ⌘ + Option + .⌘ + Option + ,
Move focus out of spreadsheet Ctrl + Alt + Shift + m Ctrl + ⌘ + Shift + m
Move focus to quicksum (when range of cells is selected) Alt + Shift + q Option + Shift + q
Move focus to popup (for links, bookmarks and images) Hold Ctrl + Alt, press e then p Hold Ctrl + ⌘, press e then p
Open drop-down menu on filtered cell Ctrl + Alt + r Ctrl + ⌘ + r
Open revision history Ctrl + Alt + Shift + h ⌘ + Option + Shift + h
Open chat inside the spreadsheet Shift + Esc Shift + Esc
Close drawing editor Shift + Esc ⌘ + EscShift + Esc

Google Sheets: keyboard shortcuts for notes and comments

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Insert/edit note Shift + F2 Shift + F2
Insert/edit comment Ctrl + Alt + m ⌘ + Option + m
Open comment discussion thread Ctrl + Alt + Shift + a ⌘ + Option + Shift + a
Enter current comment Hold Ctrl + Alt, press e then c Hold Ctrl + ⌘, press e then c
Move to next comment Hold Ctrl + Alt, press n then c Hold Ctrl + ⌘, press n then c
Move to previous comment Hold Ctrl + Alt, press p then c Hold Ctrl + ⌘, press p then c

Keyboard shortcuts for opening menus in Google Sheets

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
“File” menu Google Chrome: Alt + fOther browsers: Alt + Shift + f Ctrl + Option + f
“Edit” menu Google Chrome: Alt + eOther browsers: Alt + Shift + e Ctrl + Option + e
“View” menu Google Chrome: Alt + vOther browsers: Alt + Shift + v Ctrl + Option + v
“Insert” menu Google Chrome: Alt + iOther browsers: Alt + Shift + i Ctrl + Option + i
“Format” menu Google Chrome: Alt + oOther browsers: Alt + Shift + o Ctrl + Option + o
“Data” menu Google Chrome: Alt + dOther browsers: Alt + Shift + d Ctrl + Option + d
“Tools” menu Google Chrome: Alt + tOther browsers: Alt + Shift + t Ctrl + Option + t
Open “Insert” menu Ctrl + Alt + Shift + = Ctrl + Alt + = (with cells selected) ⌘ + Option + = (with cells selected)
Open “Delete” menu Ctrl + Alt + - (with cells selected) ⌘ + Option + - (with cells selected)
“Form” menu (visible when the spreadsheet is connected to a form) Google Chrome: Alt + mOther browsers: Alt + Shift + m Ctrl + Option + m
“Add-ons” menu Google Chrome: Alt + nOther browsers: Alt + Shift + n Ctrl + Option + n
“Help” menu Google Chrome: Alt + hOther browsers: Alt + Shift + h Ctrl + Option + h
“Accessibility” menu (visible when screen reader support is enabled) Google Chrome: Alt + aOther browsers: Alt + Shift + a Ctrl + Option + a
“Sheet” menu (copy, delete, and other sheet actions) Alt + Shift + s Option + Shift + s
“Context” menu Ctrl + Shift + \ ⌘ + Shift + \

Google Sheets shortcuts for adding or changing rows and columns

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Insert rows above Ctrl + Alt + Shift + = Ctrl + Alt + = (with rows selected)Google Chrome: Alt + i, then rOther browsers: Alt + Shift + i, then r ⌘ + Option + = (with rows selected)Ctrl + Option + i, then r
Insert rows below Google Chrome: Alt + i, then WOther browsers: Alt + Shift + i, then w Ctrl + Option + i, then b
Insert columns to the left Ctrl + Alt + Shift + = Ctrl + Alt + = (with columns selected)Google Chrome: Alt + i, then cOther browsers: Alt + Shift + i, then c ⌘ + Option + = (with columns selected)Ctrl + Option + i, then c
Insert columns to the right Google Chrome: Alt + i, then oOther browsers: Alt + Shift + i, then o Ctrl + Option + i, then o
Delete rows Ctrl + Alt + - (with rows selected)Google Chrome: Alt + e, then dOther browsers: Alt + Shift + e, then d ⌘ + Option + - (with rows selected)Ctrl + Option + e, then d
Delete columns Ctrl + Alt + - (with columns selected)Google Chrome: Alt + e, then eOther browsers: Alt + Shift + e, then e ⌘ + Option + - (with columns selected)Ctrl + Option + e, then e
Hide row Ctrl + Alt + 9 ⌘ + Option + 9
Unhide row Ctrl + Shift + 9 ⌘ + Shift + 9
Hide column Ctrl + Alt + 0 ⌘ + Option + 0
Unhide column Ctrl + Shift + 0 ⌘ + Shift + 0
Group rows or columns Alt + Shift + Right arrow Option + Shift + Right arrow
Ungroup rows or columns Alt + Shift + Left arrow Option + Shift + Left arrow
Expand grouped rows or columns Alt + Shift + Down arrow Option + Shift + Down arrow
Collapse grouped rows or columns Alt + Shift + Up arrow Option + Shift + Up arrow

Keyboard shortcuts for formulas in Google Sheets

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Show all formulas Ctrl + ~ Ctrl + ~
Insert array formula Ctrl + Shift + Enter ⌘ + Shift + Enter
Collapse expanded array formula Ctrl + e ⌘ + e
Show/hide formula help (when entering a formula) Shift + F1 Shift + Fn + F1
Full/compact formula help (when entering a formula) F1 Fn + F1
Absolute/relative references (when entering a formula) F4 Fn + F4
Toggle formula result previews (when entering a formula) F9 Fn + F9
Resize formula bar (move up or down) Ctrl + Up arrow or Ctrl + Down arrow Ctrl + Option + Up arrow or Ctrl + Option + Down arrow

Screen reader shortcuts for Google Sheets

  Keyboard shortcuts for Windows Keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Turn on screen reader support Ctrl + Alt + z ⌘ + Option + z
Read column Ctrl + Alt + Shift + c ⌘ + Option + Shift + c
Read row Ctrl + Alt + Shift + r ⌘ + Option + Shift + r

Accessing the list of keyboard shortcuts directly in Google Sheets

You can view a list of all available keyboard shortcuts by pressing Ctrl + / (division sign in the number pad) on a PC or ⌘ + / on a Mac:

Tip

There are shortcut keys in many other office applications and in all operating systems. See our digital guide for articles about Google Docs shortcutsMac shortcutsWord shortcutsPhotoshop shortcutsPowerPoint shortcutsWindows shortcuts, and Excel shortcuts.

Using compatible keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets

At the bottom of the list of Google Sheets keyboard shortcuts, you’ll see the “Enable compatible spreadsheet shortcuts” toggle switch. When this switch is turned on, you can use familiar shortcuts from Excel and other spreadsheets in Google Sheets.

To view a list of available shortcuts, click the “View compatible shortcuts” link next to the switch.

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