30+ Super Cool Excel Tips and Tricks in 2026

Excel tips and tricks save you hours every week, whether you track a budget, manage employee data, or apply for an Excel job. This guide covers 35 tested Excel tips and tricks, from basic keyboard shortcuts to formulas like XLOOKUP and COUNTIF, with step-by-step instructions and screenshots.

Excel goes much deeper than most people think. Start with the beginner tips, then move on to formulas and pivot tables as you get comfortable. Most steps use Windows shortcuts. On a Mac, many shortcuts use Cmd in place of Ctrl, but a few differ.

What’s in This Guide

• Excel tips and tricks for beginners (Tips 1 to 10)
• Excel tips and tricks for everyday work (Tips 11 to 20)
• Excel time-saving tips and tricks (Tips 21 to 28)
• Excel formulas and advanced tips (Tips 29 to 35)
• Excel shortcut cheat sheet
• Excel skills employers ask for
• Excel FAQs

Excel Tips and Tricks for Beginners (Tips 1 to 10)

These first ten tips take a few minutes to learn and speed up every task you do after that.

1. Select a Row or Column With a Shortcut

Press Shift + Space to select the entire row. Press Ctrl + Space to select the entire column. Press Ctrl + A to select the whole sheet.

2. Format Numbers With Shortcuts

Skip the ribbon and format numbers from the keyboard:

• Ctrl + Shift + ! applies a number format with two decimals and a thousands separator
• Ctrl + Shift + $ applies currency format
• Ctrl + Shift + % applies percentage format

3. Find and Replace Data

When a sheet has thousands of rows, searching by eye wastes time. Press Ctrl + F, type the word, and click Find Next or Find All. To change the word, press Ctrl + H, type the new word in Replace with, and click Replace All.

4. Add a Strikethrough

Strikethrough shows that a task is done. Select the cell or range and press Ctrl + 5. Press it again to remove the strikethrough.

5. Hide Data Inside Cells

Select the cells, press Ctrl + 1 to open Format Cells, choose Custom, type ;;; (three semicolons) in the Type box, and click OK. The cells look empty, but the values stay in the formula bar, so this trick hides data from view only and does not protect it.

6. Add a Border With a Shortcut

Select the cells and press Ctrl + Shift + & to add an outline border. Press Ctrl + Shift + _ (underscore) to remove it.

7. Undo and Redo Fast

Press Ctrl + Z to undo your last action and Ctrl + Y to redo it. Excel keeps many steps in memory, so you can press Ctrl + Z several times to go back further.

8. Freeze Panes to Keep Headers Visible

In a long table, the header row scrolls out of view. Go to View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row. The header now stays in place as you scroll. Choose Freeze First Column if you want the first column to stay visible.

9. Insert and Delete Rows and Columns With a Shortcut

Select an entire row and press Ctrl + Shift + + (plus) to insert a new row above it. Select an entire column and use the same shortcut to insert a new column to the left. To delete the selected row or column, press Ctrl + – (minus). Hold Ctrl and click to select several rows first if you want to delete them together.

10. Add the Current Date and Time Without Typing

• Ctrl + ; (semicolon) enters today’s date
• Ctrl + Shift + ; enters the current time
• Ctrl + Shift + # changes a cell to date format, and Ctrl + Shift + @ changes it to time format

These shortcuts enter a fixed value. If you want a date that updates every day, type =TODAY(). For date and time, type =NOW().

Excel Tips and Tricks for Everyday Work (Tips 11 to 20)

Once you know the basics, these tips handle the tasks that come up in most office jobs.

11. Hide and Unhide Rows and Columns

To hide a row, click any cell in it and press Ctrl + 9. To hide a column, click any cell in it and press Ctrl + 0. To bring them back, select the rows or columns on both sides and press Ctrl + Shift + ( for rows or Ctrl + Shift + ) for columns. On some Windows setups, the Ctrl + 0 shortcut is disabled by a language setting, so use right-click > Hide if it does not work.

12. AutoSum With One Shortcut

Select the cell below or beside your numbers and press Alt + =. Excel inserts the SUM formula and picks the range for you. Press Enter to confirm.

13. SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, and COUNT

These five formulas cover most basic math:

• =SUM(B2:B10) adds the numbers
• =AVERAGE(B2:B10) finds the average
• =MIN(B2:B10) and =MAX(B2:B10) find the smallest and largest values
• =COUNT(B2:B10) counts the cells that contain numbers

14. Add a Hyperlink to a Cell

Hyperlinks help when you track web pages or social media posts in a sheet. Select the cell, press Ctrl + K, paste the URL in the Address box, and press Enter. You can also right-click the cell and choose Link.

15. Split Text Into Columns

Say you have full names in one column and want first and last names in two. Select the column, go to Data > Text to Columns, and choose Delimited if a comma or space separates the values, or Fixed width if each part has the same length. Follow the prompts, and Excel splits the data.

16. Remove Duplicate Values

Large lists of contacts, products, or orders often contain duplicates. Select the data, go to Data > Remove Duplicates, tick the columns to check, and click OK. Excel tells you how many duplicates it removed. Copy your data to another sheet first if you want a backup.

17. Transpose Rows Into Columns

If you want to flip rows into columns, select and copy the data. Right-click the cell where you want it to start, choose Paste Special, tick Transpose, and click OK. In Microsoft 365, you can also use the =TRANSPOSE() function.

18. Add Checkboxes to Your Sheet

Checkboxes work well for to-do lists and call trackers. In current Microsoft 365 versions, select the cells and go to Insert > Checkbox. In older versions, turn on the Developer tab (File > Options > Customize Ribbon > tick Developer), then go to Developer > Insert > Form Controls > Check Box, and copy the box into other cells.

19. Create Dropdown Lists With Data Validation

Dropdown lists save typing and prevent errors. Select the cells, go to Data > Data Validation, choose List under Allow, and type your options in the Source box, separated by commas (for example, Yes,No,Maybe). You can also click the arrow next to Source and select a range from your sheet, which works better for long lists. Keep In-cell dropdown ticked, then click OK.

Data validation also limits entries. For example, you can allow only dates in a certain range and show your own error message when someone enters something else.

20. Wrap Text and Add Line Breaks

By default, long text runs across the cell. Click Wrap Text on the Home tab to keep it inside the cell. To start a new line inside a cell, press Alt + Enter. Pressing Enter alone moves you to the next cell.

Excel Time-Saving Tips and Tricks (Tips 21 to 28)

These tips shine when you work with large datasets.

21. Select Data Fast With Ctrl + Shift + Arrow

Click the first cell and press Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow to select everything below it up to the last filled cell. Use the other arrow keys to select in other directions. Press Ctrl + Shift + End to select up to the last used cell in the sheet, and Ctrl + Shift + * to select the whole data block around your active cell.

22. Autofill Series and Patterns

Type the first two values of a pattern (for example, 1/1/2026 and 1/2/2026), select both cells, and drag the fill handle, the small square at the bottom right of the selection. Excel continues the pattern. Double-click the fill handle to fill down as far as the neighbouring column has data. Click the Auto Fill Options button for more choices, such as copying cells or filling formats only.

23. Use Flash Fill to Format Data Automatically

Flash Fill spots a pattern and fills the rest of the column for you. For example, if column A has phone numbers like 2126083111 and you type (212)-608-3111 in B2, start typing the next one in B3. Excel shows the pattern in grey. Press Enter to accept it, or press Ctrl + E to run Flash Fill any time. It also works for names, dates, and email addresses.

24. Use Paste Special to Do Quick Math

Paste Special can add, subtract, multiply, or divide a whole range at once. For example, if your cells hold 25 and 40 and you want 25% and 40%, type 100 in an empty cell and copy it. Then select your numbers, right-click, choose Paste Special, select Divide, and click OK. Finally, apply percentage format with Ctrl + Shift + %.

25. Filter Your Data

Click inside your data and press Ctrl + Shift + L to add filter arrows to the header row. Click an arrow to sort A to Z, Z to A, or show only the rows that match your choice, such as one city or one month. Press the shortcut again to remove the filters.

26. Convert Your Data Into a Table

Click inside your data and press Ctrl + T. Excel turns the range into a table with filter buttons, banded rows, and formulas that fill down automatically when you add new rows. Tables also make your pivot tables and charts update more easily.

27. Hide a Whole Worksheet

Right-click the sheet tab and choose Hide. The sheet disappears, but formulas that refer to it keep working. To bring it back, right-click any sheet tab, choose Unhide, and pick the sheet. The View > Hide button works differently, because it hides the whole workbook window until you click Unhide.

28. Store Macros in the Personal Macro Workbook

A macro normally works only in the file where you recorded it. To use it in every file, choose Personal Macro Workbook under Store macro in when you record it. Excel saves it in a hidden file called PERSONAL.XLSB that opens each time you start Excel. Turn on the Developer tab first (File > Options > Customize Ribbon > tick Developer), then click Record Macro.

Excel Formulas and Advanced Tips (Tips 29 to 35)

Employers test these skills most often in interviews for MIS, accounts, HR, and data entry roles.

29. Use Conditional Formatting to Color Cells Automatically

Conditional formatting changes a cell’s color based on its value. Select the cells, go to Home > Conditional Formatting, and pick a rule. For example, Highlight Cells Rules > Greater Than marks all values above a number, and Top/Bottom Rules marks the top 10%. You can also use data bars and color scales to see patterns at a glance.

30. Lock Cell References With Dollar Signs

When you copy a formula, Excel shifts the cell references by default. A dollar sign stops that. =$A$5 always points to cell A5, no matter where you copy the formula. Click inside a reference in the formula bar and press F4 to switch between A5, $A$5, A$5, and $A5 quickly.

31. Use the IF Function

IF returns one result when a test is true and another when it is false. For example, =IF(B2>=40,”Pass”,”Fail”) shows “Pass” when the score in B2 is 40 or higher. You can place one IF inside another to handle several outcomes.

32. Count and Add With COUNTIF and SUMIF

Use COUNTIF to count how often a value appears: =COUNTIF(D:D,”Alexander”) counts the cells in column D that contain “Alexander”. Use SUMIF to add numbers that match a condition: =SUMIF(B:B,”Sales”,C:C) adds the values in column C where column B says “Sales”.

• Range: the cells Excel checks, such as D:D
• Criteria: the value to match, written in quotation marks if it is text

33. Use VLOOKUP to Pull Data From Another Table

VLOOKUP finds a value in the first column of a table and returns data from another column in the same row. The formula is:

=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE)

For example, =VLOOKUP(A2,Sheet2!A:C,3,FALSE) looks for the value in A2 in column A of Sheet2 and returns the matching value from the third column. Always type FALSE at the end to get an exact match. Clean extra spaces from your data first, because VLOOKUP treats “Raj” and “Raj ” as different values. VLOOKUP can only look to the right, so use XLOOKUP when you need more flexibility.

34. Use XLOOKUP, the Modern Replacement for VLOOKUP

XLOOKUP is available in Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365. It looks in any direction, defaults to exact match, and lets you show your own message when nothing matches:

=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, “Not found”)

For example, =XLOOKUP(A2,Sheet2!A:A,Sheet2!C:C,”Not found”) returns the value from column C of Sheet2 that matches A2. You do not need to count column numbers, so it breaks less often when you add columns.

35. Summarize Data With Pivot Tables

A pivot table summarizes thousands of rows in seconds and does not change your original data. Click inside your data, go to Insert > PivotTable, and click OK. Drag fields into the four areas:

• Filters: show only certain rows, such as one year
• Columns: the headings across the top, such as months
• Rows: the headings down the side, such as regions
• Values: the numbers to sum, average, or count, such as sales

After you change your source data, click inside the pivot table and press Alt + F5 to refresh it.

Excel Shortcut Cheat Sheet (Windows)

Excel Skills Employers Ask For

Excel is a core skill for MIS executives, accountants, data entry operators, HR executives, and sales coordinators. In interviews, employers often ask candidates to use VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP, build a pivot table, clean messy data, or apply conditional formatting. Practise the tips in this guide with a sample dataset, and list your Excel skills clearly on your resume.

Ready to put these skills to work? Browse Excel jobs on JobGrin or find the best jobs in India.

Excel Tips and Tricks: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I go to the bottom of an Excel sheet?

Press Ctrl + End to jump to the last used cell. To go to the last filled cell in a column, click a cell in that column and press Ctrl + Down Arrow.

How do I copy a formula to another cell or sheet?

Select the cell with the formula and press Ctrl + C. Click the destination cell, even on another sheet, and press Ctrl + V. For more control, click the arrow under Paste and choose from these options:

• Formulas: pastes the formula without the original formatting
• Formulas & Number Formatting: pastes the formula and the number format
• Keep Source Formatting: pastes the formula with all original formatting
• Values: pastes only the result, without the formula

How do I print an Excel sheet on A4 paper?

Go to the Page Layout tab, click Size, and choose A4. Then press Ctrl + P to open the print preview. If the sheet does not fit, change the scaling option to Fit All Columns on One Page or Fit Sheet on One Page.

How do I fit an Excel sheet on one page?

Open the Page Layout tab and click the small arrow at the bottom right of the Page Setup group. On the Page tab, select Fit to and set it to 1 page wide by 1 page tall. Click OK.

How do I copy an Excel sheet into Word or PowerPoint?

Select the cells and press Ctrl + C. In Word or PowerPoint, press Ctrl + V. If you do not want the pasted table to change when the Excel data changes, use Paste Special > Picture. You can also go to Home > Copy > Copy as Picture in Excel and paste the image.

How do I insert an Excel sheet into PowerPoint?

In PowerPoint, go to Insert > Object, choose Create from file, click Browse, and select your workbook. Tick Link if you want the slide to update when the workbook changes, then click OK.

How do I remove gridlines in Excel?

Go to the View tab and untick Gridlines. You can also press Alt + W + V + G one key at a time to switch them on or off. This setting applies to one worksheet only, so repeat it on every sheet where you want to remove the lines.

How do I refer to a cell in another worksheet?

Type = in the destination cell, click the other sheet’s tab, click the cell you want, and press Enter. Excel writes the reference for you, for example =Sheet2!B5.

Conclusion

These Excel tips and tricks help beginners and experienced users work faster, from shortcuts that save seconds to formulas that save hours. Start with five tips from the top, practise them this week, and add five more each week. If you want to turn your Excel skills into a career, find your next role on JobGrin.