It is always helpful to know both the mouse and keyboard methods to accomplish the task at hand in Excel. Personally, I like to use my keyboard because that is usually where my hands are already!
Below are a few keyboard shortcuts that you will find yourself using all the time – selecting columns and rows.
Follow the steps below to learn how:
- To select the entire row where your active cell is located, simply depress your Shift key and click on your Spacebar.
- To select the entire column where the active cell is located, depress your CTRL key and click your spacebar.
It matters not which cell is active when you do this.
- You can also select multiple rows and columns using your keyboard:
- If you want to select rows 1 through 5, use your arrow key to move to any cell in row 1.
- Now depress your Shift key and use the down arrow to select down to row 5.
- Click Shift + click Spacebar.
The entire rows of 1 through 7 will be selected.
To select columns A through E, use your arrow key to move the active cell to column A.
- Depress your Shift key and press your arrow key to select over to column E.
- Click CTRL + Spacebar.
Now columns A through E will be selected.