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Ctrl+*: Select the current data block in Excel
Normally you press Ctrl+A to select all, but that’s not always so useful in Excel since it selects the entire (gigantic) worksheet, most of which is blank.
How many times have you started to try to select your column of numbers by using the mouse and then Excel starts scrolling off the screen like mad? Before you know it, you’re down at row 30,000 and then are trying to scroll back up (all while holding down the left mouse button) only to end up scrolling too far the other way. No fun. So — don’t try to play games of dexterity with Excel. If you want to select everything in the block where your cursor is, try Ctrl+*.
on April 12th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Looks like the shortcut is actually ctrl-*, ctrl-shift-8 = ctrl-* though so it works, just not when I use my numpad. Glad to see you’re getting into some good ones here that I didn’t know already. Thanks!
on April 12th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Ctrl+* (num pad) will do the same as pressing Ctrl+Shift+8(*) which is really what is meant by the entry title. The entry’s method is more practicle if sitting in the main row keyboard possition but the Ctrl+* on the num pad is quicker.
on April 12th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Looks like I spent too long distracted from clicking submit and now my comment is a duplicate.
on April 13th, 2007 at 5:22 am
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t CTRL-A first select the current block and then cycle up to the entire sheet as you hit it more? It’s always done that for me. The only difference seems to be that CTRL+* keeps the current block selected if you hit it multiple time.
on April 16th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Jody and Jason, thanks, I’ve corrected the entry to just say Ctrl+*.
Mark, Ctrl+A always just selects the entire worksheet for me, no matter how many times I press it. What version of Excel are you using?
on April 16th, 2007 at 11:21 am
I’m currently using Excel 2007, but the behavior was the same for me in Excel 2003. What I can find is that if I create a block of values and put highlight the cell above or to the left of the block, then CTRL+A and CTRL+* do the same thing. If I highlight the cells below or to the right of the block, then CTRL+A highlights everything and CTRL+* highlights the block. I’m not sure if that corresponds to what the help is describing, but the help says this:
—-
To select all cells on a worksheet, Press CTRL+A.
Note: If the worksheet contains data, and the active cell is above or to the right of the data, pressing CTRL+A selects the current region. Pressing CTRL+A a second time selects the entire worksheet.
Tip: If you want to select all cells in the active range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.), press CTRL+SHIFT+*.
—-
Also kind of funny that the help also shows it as CTRL+SHIFT+*.
on April 17th, 2007 at 1:23 am
Odd how Ctrl+A works now. (I’m using Excel 2002.)
on November 11th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Help me please. I want to quit from this command (Ctrl+*). what do I have to do now? Sorry for my bad technological knowledge. thank U!
on November 12th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Just press an arrow key to move to a different cell and the block becomes deselected.