Windows Excel shortcuts on Mac: what works, what doesn't
Updated by Leonard Peez
Short answer: more works than most people think. Many Ctrl shortcuts work in Excel for Mac exactly as on Windows. Navigation uses ⌘ instead of Ctrl, function keys need fn, and three things don't work at all: the Alt ribbon sequences, Alt= for AutoSum and, on German keyboards, Ctrl and + to insert. We tested the formatting, hide, insert and AutoSum rows in Excel for Mac ourselves; the rest follow Microsoft's official shortcut lists.
Works the same on a Mac
Press the same keys with the Control key (most also work with ⌘).
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl9 / Ctrl0 | Hide rows / hide columns |
| Ctrl⇧& | Outline border |
| Ctrl⇧_ | Remove borders |
| Ctrl5 | Strikethrough |
| Ctrl2 / 3 / 4 | Bold / italic / underline |
| Ctrl1 | Format Cells |
| Ctrl⇧$ % # ! | Currency, percent, date, number format |
| CtrlD / CtrlR | Fill down / fill right |
| Ctrl⇧L | Filter on / off |
| Ctrl` | Show formulas |
| CtrlEnter | Fill the selection with the entry |
| ShiftSpace | Select row |
Works, but with different keys
| Windows | What it does | Excel for Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Arrow | Jump to the edge of the data | ⌘Arrow (Ctrl+Arrow switches desktops on macOS) |
| Ctrl+Shift+Arrow | Select to the edge | ⌘⇧Arrow |
| Ctrl+Space | Select column | CtrlSpace, but macOS may use it to switch the keyboard language |
| Ctrl+Page Down / Up | Next / previous sheet | ⌥→ / ⌥← |
| Ctrl+Home / End | First / last used cell | Ctrlfn← / → on a MacBook |
| Alt+Enter | New line in a cell | ⌥Return or Ctrl⌥Return |
| Ctrl+Alt+V | Paste Special | Ctrl⌘V |
| Ctrl+Y / F4 | Repeat last action | ⌘Y |
| Ctrl+Shift+: | Current time | ⌘; |
| Ctrl+F1 | Show / hide ribbon | ⌘⌥R |
| Insert row (Shift+Space, Ctrl+Shift++) | Insert a row | ShiftSpace, then Ctrl⇧= (German keyboard: Ctrl⇧0) |
Function keys: work, but need fn
F2 (edit cell), F4 (lock reference), F9 (calculate), Shift+F3 (insert function), Shift+F11 (new sheet), Alt+F1 (chart) and the other F-keys exist in Excel for Mac, but the top row of a Mac keyboard controls brightness and volume, so you have to hold fn. Details in the F4 guide. RibbonBridge makes the top row act as F1 to F12 while Excel, PowerPoint or Word is in front, and leaves brightness and volume alone everywhere else.
Doesn't work on a Mac
| Windows | What it does | On a Mac | With RibbonBridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alt H O I, Alt H V V and every Alt ribbon sequence | Ribbon commands | Stops at the menu: its items have no letters | Works: full list |
| Alt E S (classic) | Paste Special | Nothing | Use Alt H V S or ⌃⌘V instead: Alt E S on Mac |
| Alt+= | AutoSum | Option+= starts a plain formula | Works (or use Shift+⌘+T) |
| Ctrl and + (German keyboard) | Insert cells / row | Nothing | Opens Insert, like Windows |
| Ctrl+. (German Windows) | Today's date | Nothing | Not yet |
Keep the shortcuts you learned on Windows. RibbonBridge adds the Alt sequences, Alt+=, Ctrl and + and the F-keys to Excel and PowerPoint for Mac: 7 days free with just your email, then €15 once.
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