In Excel, hit Ctrl plus the Space Bar to select the entire column of your active or selected cells. (Then you can delete all the cell contents with the delete key, or copy with Ctrl+C or whatever you like.)
Similarly, Shift plus the Space Bar selects the entire row of cells.
For example, suppose you want to move a column. Follow these steps:
- Move your cursor to some cell in the column you want to move. (Remember you can press F5 to instantly go anywhere.)
- Press Ctrl+Space Bar. The entire column is selected.
- Press Ctrl+X to Cut the column.
- Move your cursor to the location right where you want the column inserted.
- Press Shift+F10 to display the shortcut menu.
- Using the arrow keys and Enter, select the Insert Cut Cells command.
I HATE this feature – I’m forever typing Shift Space – then the WHOLE row gets put into a formula and it’s not even correct syntax. PLEASE can I turn this off!!
I want to know how to select just one row when there is a merged cell in that row.
LOL, It’s 10 years old post, but I’m also searching for keyboard shortcut to select just single row (so I could delete it by Ctrl+(Num-) or insert above it by Crtl+(Num+)). I have merged cells in first column so Shift+Space is selecting multiple rows instead of just one. So I have to mouse click the row number in order to select exact row.
Didn’t find the solution so far. Recording a macro of mouse click did not help either.
Press Ctrl + Space shortcut keys on the keyboard. The whole column will be highlighted in excel to show the selected column, as shown below in the picture. You can also say that this is a shortcut to highlight column in excel.
Press Ctrl + Space shortcut keys on the keyboard. The whole column will be highlighted in excel to show the selected column, as shown below in the picture. You can also say that this is a shortcut to highlight column in excel.