Hidden Excel Shortcuts Only Experts Know (And How To Use Them?)

Similar to how superheroes zoom through skyscrapers while chasing flying villains across the city, some people appear to zoom through spreadsheets as if they are somehow using a magical version of Microsoft Excel. Instead of chasing supervillains, however, they are chasing deadlines, and you can tell that their speed is definitely something to aspire to. You must already know that these people have a complete mastery over various advanced Excel shortcuts, tricks that transform a 5-minute job into a 10-second formality. In this blog, you will learn about some hidden Excel shortcuts that you likely didn’t know about, and by mastering them, you will become a bona fide Excel wizard who will also be able to jet past spreadsheets without thinking much about it. Let’s get started!

What Are Shortcuts In Excel?

Shortcuts in Microsoft Excel refer to the combinations of keystrokes (ie, pressing two or more keys simultaneously or in sequence) that allow you to execute commands, apply formatting, and navigate through spreadsheets without using the mouse or ribbon menu. You can say that they are essentially keyboard commands that you can use to replace multiple mouse clicks or complex navigation commands.

While all shortcuts can fall into the category of ’time-saving Excel shortcuts,’ they are still divided into two subcategories: simultaneous shortcuts and sequential shortcuts.

Simultaneous shortcuts require pressing modifier keys like Ctrl, Alt, or Shift along with another key. Sequential shortcuts, on the other hand, involve pressing the Alt key once, which activates the letters over the ribbon. You then press a sequence of letters to navigate the menu structure. These shortcuts allow you to save a lot of time without even touching the mouse.

Why Is It Important To Learn Excel Shortcut Techniques For Professionals?

Before we get to the actual nitty-gritty aspects of time-saving Excel shortcuts, let us try to understand why it is important for you to learn these shortcuts. Here are some of the reasons why you need to learn these advanced Excel shortcuts.

Exponential Increase in Productivity:-

You probably already know why shortcuts in Excel are so important, considering they do help greatly in saving time. A professional can execute a simple task like pasting values (Alt+E+S+V) hundreds of times a week. If you also learn to use these Excel keyboard shortcuts, you won’t have to touch a mouse for repetitive tasks, and your time will also be greatly reduced.

Maintaining Focus and Flow:-

There is a famous saying in the video gaming community, “Switching to your sidearm is faster than reloading.” However, the same cannot be said about switching between a mouse and a keyboard. Using both devices at the same time can seriously impede your flow, whereas using only the keys for a spreadsheet is much faster.

Reduced Errors and Increased Accuracy:-

Clicking quickly through drop-down menus is much more tiring than simply executing commands using the keyboard. Excel expert shortcuts are precise, as they will only perform the function they are programmed to do. So the chance of error is greatly reduced if you master the art of using shortcuts in Excel.

Signalling Professional Competence:-

In most workplaces, the faster Excel users tend to be more respected and admired compared to the slower users. This is because workplaces expect their best employees to be able to insert, format, and navigate complex spreadsheets instantly without fumbling through the ribbon menu. This also communicates that you are an invaluable resource, and recruiters will be less likely to pass over you in an interview.

Accessing Advanced Functions Instantly:-

Most importantly, many of Excel’s most powerful features (for example: data validation, name manager, format cells) are locked behind layers of key combinations(Alt+D+L for data validation and Ctrl+1 for format cells). These hidden Excel shortcuts are used by experts to summon these tools instantly, and this also makes sophisticated data controls and formatting available on demand.

Lesser-Known Excel Tricks To Save Time That You Didn’t Know About

The six powerful Excel expert shortcuts and Excel shortcut techniques for professionals, integrating your keywords for better searchability and context. This mastery of Excel keyboard shortcuts will significantly reduce your time spent on data tasks.

Function	Excel Keyboard Shortcut	How It Works	Benefit
Excel Navigation	Ctrl + . (Period)	This hidden Excel shortcut cycles the active cell through the four corners of the current selection or data range.	Allows lightning-fast navigation between corners of large tables, making this a crucial advanced Excel shortcut.
Adding Rows/Columns	Ctrl + Shift + + (Plus sign)	Select the entire row or column before the insertion point and hit this key combination.	This is one of the fastest time-saving Excel shortcuts for inserting new data structures instantly.
Creating Data Dropdown	Alt + D + L (Sequential Keys)	This Excel shortcut technique for professionals opens the Data Validation dialogue box directly to set up data limits or create dropdown lists.	Bypasses the ribbon, making this a powerful lesser-known Excel trick to save time when setting up data control.
Cycle Cell References	F4	Immediately after selecting a cell reference (e.g., B2) in a formula, repeatedly press F4 to cycle the reference between Absolute, Mixed, and Relative ($B$2, B$2, $B2, B2).	Essential for efficient formula dragging and copying, marking this as a core Excel expert shortcut.
Creating Graphs Easily	Alt + F1	Select your data range (including headers) and press this hidden Excel shortcut.	Instantly embeds a column chart into your sheet, offering a significant time-saving Excel shortcut for quick visualization.
Copying Formula Values	Alt + E + S + V (Sequential Keys)	After copying a cell (Ctrl+C), use this sequence to trigger and confirm the Paste Special > Values action.	The expert's way to lock down data by pasting only the result, making this a fundamental advanced Excel shortcut for data integrity.

Quick Excel Tips That Will Turn You Into An Excel Wizard

Becoming an Excel wizard isn’t merely about memorizing every function; it’s about mastering highly efficient, tactical maneuvers. These tips will help you put some of Excel’s most powerful, yet often overlooked, features to use. With these tips, you will be able to clean, navigate, and analyze data at lightning speed.

Tip	Goal	Steps & Key Shortcut	Benefit
A. Instant Data Cleanup With Flash Fill	Automatically format or split data.	Type the desired output in the first cell (e.g., last name) in the adjacent column, then press Ctrl+E.	A powerful hidden Excel shortcut that cleans up and structures data instantly without complex formulas.
B. Lock Down Your Views With Freeze Panes	Keep header rows and/or key columns visible while scrolling.	Select the cell below the row and to the right of the column you want to freeze. Then use the sequence Alt+W+F+F.	An essential Excel shortcut technique for professionals to maintain context (headers/IDs) in large datasets.
C. Quick Data Summaries With The Status Bar	Get instant calculations for a selected range.	Select any range of numbers and look at the Status Bar (bottom right of the window).	A simple time-saving Excel shortcut providing instant Average, Count, and Sum without formulas.
D. Instantly Select The Entire Data Region	Quickly select an entire contiguous table.	Place the cursor inside the data block and press Ctrl+A (press twice to select the entire sheet).	A fundamental Excel keyboard shortcut for fast copying, sorting, or charting of data.
E. Format Cells With Decimal And Currency Shortcuts	Quickly apply number formatting.	For Currency Format: Select cell(s) and press Ctrl+Shift+$. To return to default: Ctrl+Shift+~.	One of the best lesser-known Excel tricks to save time, avoiding the Format Cells dialog box.
F. Name Your Data Ranges For Readability	Make formulas instantly understandable.	Select the range, type a single, descriptive name in the Name Box, and press Enter.	A core advanced Excel shortcut for creating readable, self-documenting formulas (e.g., =SUM(SalesData)).

Conclusion

In the end, you need to note that learning Excel is a relatively time-consuming process, so don’t rely on shortcuts too much. However, keep in mind that these shortcuts will be extremely useful in making your workflow smoother, faster, and more efficient. Just be mindful that you should have a thorough understanding of Excel functions before you try to learn these hidden Excel shortcuts. If you want to know about more Excel functions and features that most Excel courses won’t teach, feel free to contact India Assignment Help!