Excel shortcut select column

• Release Jan 24, 2022Update Aug 24, 2022
• Written in Excel for Microsoft 365 version 2202

Selecting a column is one of the most common operations in Excel. Most of us probably use the mouse to click on columns. Here are some shortcut keys for selecting columns that will help you work more efficiently in Excel. Improving your work efficiency will lead to better results at work, so make sure you learn them here.

Select column shortcut

Expand the selection by one cell to the above or below

Windows
Shift + ↑ (Up Arrow key) or Shift + ↓ (Down Arrow key)

Mac
shift + ↑ (Up Arrow key) or shift + ↓ (Down Arrow key)

Expand the column selection by one screen

Windows
Shift + PgUp or Shift + PgDn

Mac
With numeric keypad: shift + page up or shift + page down
Without numeric keypad: fn + ↑ (Up Arrow key) or fn + ↓ (Down Arrow key)

Select cells that do not match the active cell

Windows
Ctrl + Shift + | (vertical bar)

Mac
control + shift + | (vertical bar)

Extend the selection to select column

Describes how to expand the cells in a column one by one down or up using the shortcut keys.

Total Time: 1 minute

Select a cell

Select the first cell of the column you want to select.

Expand to the cell below

Shift + ↓ (Down Arrow key) expands the selection downward.

Expand the selection to select a column

Press Shift + ↓ (Down Arrow key) four more times to select the entire column. To expand the selection upward, press Shift + ↑ (Up Arrow key).

Expand the column selection by one screen

This section explains how to select one screenful of cells in a specified column. In this example, the heading of the first row is fixed.

Select any cell in the column you want to select.

Press Shift + PgDn to select one screenful of a column from the selected cell. To expand the selection of a column from the selected the cell up one screen, press Shift + PgUp.

Select cells that do not match the active cell

This section describes how to select cells in the same column that do not match the cell in the active state.

Identify the column to validate items that do not match the contents of the specified cell. Select a single cell from that column.

Press Ctrl + Space to select all cells in the column containing the active cell.

Pressing Ctrl + Shift + | (vertical bar) will select only the cells that differ from the contents of the active cell.