MS Excel
🔒 Log in to trackExcel shortcuts and file facts
🔒 Log in to track| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Insert current date / time | Ctrl+; / Ctrl+Shift+; |
| AutoSum | Alt+= |
| Edit active cell | F2 |
| Toggle $ references | F4 (while editing) |
| Format Cells dialog | Ctrl+1 |
| Fill down / right | Ctrl+D / Ctrl+R |
| Select column / row | Ctrl+Space / Shift+Space |
| Insert new worksheet | Shift+F11 |
| Chart on new sheet | F11 |
| Next / previous sheet | Ctrl+PgDn / Ctrl+PgUp |
| New line inside a cell | Alt+Enter |
| Toggle filters | Ctrl+Shift+L |
| Show formulas instead of results | Ctrl+` |
| Hide rows | Ctrl+9 (restore Ctrl+Shift+9) |
| Spell check | F7 |
| Create Table | Ctrl+T |
| Percent / currency / date format | Ctrl+Shift+% / $ / # |
File facts: default extension .xlsx from Excel 2007 (before: .xls); macro workbook .xlsm; template .xltx; CSV .csv; OpenDocument .ods. Default chart is a Clustered Column. A quick printed grid = Page Layout view / Page Break Preview.
Detailed notes
The Excel shortcut families
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Insert today's date (fixed) | Ctrl+; |
| Insert current time (fixed) | Ctrl+Shift+; |
| AutoSum | Alt+= |
| Edit the active cell | F2 |
| Toggle $A$1 reference types (while editing) | F4 |
| Format Cells dialog | Ctrl+1 |
| Fill down / fill right | Ctrl+D / Ctrl+R |
| New workbook / open / save / print | Ctrl+N / Ctrl+O / Ctrl+S / Ctrl+P |
| Save As | F12 |
The date trap repeats every year: Ctrl+; stamps the date — Ctrl+D instead fills the cell above down.
Moving around a filled sheet
- Ctrl+Home jumps to A1; Ctrl+End jumps to the last used cell of the data.
- Ctrl + arrow key jumps to the edge of the data block in that direction.
- Ctrl+Page Down / Page Up moves between worksheets.
- Shift+F11 inserts a new worksheet.
F-key row for Excel
F2 edit cell, F4 toggle references (or repeat last action outside editing), F7 spell check, F11 instant chart of the selection, F12 Save As, Shift+F11 new sheet.
File formats of Excel
| Extension | Meaning |
|---|---|
| .xlsx | default workbook, Excel 2007+ (X = XML) |
| .xls | Excel 97-2003 workbook |
| .xlsm | macro-enabled workbook |
| .csv | comma-separated plain text — opens anywhere, no formatting, one sheet |
| .xltx / .xltm | template / macro template |
The same X/m/t rule of Office applies: X = 2007+ default, m = macro, t = template. A .csv stores one sheet only and loses formulas' formatting — plain values separated by commas.
How shortcut questions are framed
Competitive exams ask shortcuts in three shapes: the direct recall ("shortcut of AutoSum"), the reverse ("Ctrl+; does what?"), and the trap pair ("Ctrl+D inserts the date — true or false?"). The trap pairs to burn in:
- Ctrl+; (date) vs Ctrl+D (fill down).
- F2 (edit cell) vs F12 (Save As).
- Shift+F11 (new sheet) vs F11 (new chart) vs Ctrl+N (new workbook).
- Ctrl+1 opens the Format Cells dialog — a plain 1, no Shift, no Ctrl partner. A few more that appear: Ctrl+Shift+L switches filters on and off, Ctrl+Tab moves between open workbooks, Ctrl+W closes the workbook, and Ctrl+P prints — the same Print shortcut as every Office program.
Quick revision
- Ctrl+; date, Ctrl+Shift+; time, Alt+= AutoSum, F2 edit, F4 reference toggle.
- Ctrl+1 Format Cells, F12 Save As, Shift+F11 new sheet, F11 quick chart.
- Ctrl+Home A1, Ctrl+End last cell, Ctrl+arrows edges of data.
- Default file .xlsx; .xls old; .xlsm macro; .csv = comma-separated plain text.
Types of questions asked
Every way this subtopic shows up in exams — how to recognise it, the formula or logic to use, and a solved example.
Type 1: Date, time and AutoSum shortcutsvery common4 practice Q
'Shortcut to insert the current date', 'which key runs AutoSum', 'which key edits the active cell' — with Ctrl+D planted as the date trap.
- Date = Ctrl+; (semicolon), time = Ctrl+Shift+;, AutoSum = Alt+= , edit cell = F2.
- Ctrl+D is FILL DOWN, not date — the recurring trap.
- F4 toggles $ references only while a formula is being edited.
Example: The keyboard shortcut to insert the current date into a cell is:
Ctrl+; — it stamps a fixed date. Ctrl+Shift+; stamps the time; Ctrl+D fills the cell above down.
Type 2: Excel file-format factsvery common4 practice Q
'Default extension of an Excel 2007+ file', identification of .xls/.xlsm/.csv, or which format stores only comma-separated plain values.
- Default = .xlsx (2007+, X = XML); .xls = 97-2003; .xlsm = macro-enabled; .csv = comma-separated plain text, one sheet, no formatting.
- The X/m/t rule is shared with Word and PowerPoint files.
- Macro questions point to the m extension.
Example: The default file extension of an Excel 2016 workbook is:
.xlsx — Office Open XML since Excel 2007; .xls is the 97-2003 format.
Type 3: Navigation shortcutscommon3 practice Q
'Which key jumps to cell A1 / to the last used cell / to the next sheet?' or identification of Ctrl+Home, Ctrl+End, Ctrl+Page Down.
- Ctrl+Home = A1; Ctrl+End = last used cell of the data; Ctrl+arrow = edge of the data block.
- Ctrl+Page Down / Page Up = next / previous worksheet; Shift+F11 = new sheet.
- Ctrl+Tab switches between open workbooks.
Example: Which key combination takes the cursor to the last used cell of a worksheet?
Ctrl+End — Ctrl+Home goes to A1, the opposite corner of the used area.
Type 4: Sheet and workbook actionsoccasional3 practice Q
How a new sheet is added, how a sheet is renamed, or the shortcut of Save As / Format Cells.
- New worksheet = Shift+F11 (or the + button); rename = double-click the sheet tab.
- Save As = F12; Format Cells dialog = Ctrl+1.
- Deleting a sheet cannot be undone — Excel warns first.
Example: The shortcut to insert a new worksheet in the open workbook is:
Shift+F11 — a fresh sheet appears to the left of the current one. F11 alone builds a chart sheet.
Shortcut tricks
⚡ Date stamp duo
Ctrl+; = date, Ctrl+Shift+; = time - the Shift makes it work-o'clock (time). 'Current date in a cell' questions answer Ctrl+;.
Example: Shortcut to insert today's date in a cell?
Ctrl+; (semicolon).
⚡ F-key row for Excel
F2 edit, F4 lock, F7 spell, F9 recalc, F11 chart sheet, F12 Save As - the F-row reads like Excel's toolbar.
Example: Shortcut to create a chart on a new sheet?
F11.
⚡ Alt+= = AutoSum
Alt with the plus key writes =SUM() over the adjacent numbers instantly - the fastest marks in the section.
Example: Keyboard shortcut for AutoSum?
Alt+= .
Where students lose marks
Giving Ctrl+D for date - Ctrl+D fills down; the date stamp is Ctrl+;.
Saying F4 always toggles references - only while a reference is being edited; otherwise F4 repeats the last action.
Answering .xls for Excel 2016 files - .xls is 97-2003; the default is .xlsx.
Practice sets — 18 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Each answer comes with a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 10 questions
Suggested time 5 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.