MS Excel: Cell & Font Formatting Shortcuts for Windows, Mac, Web

When working with data in Microsoft Excel, how your content looks is just as important as what it says. Formatting cells—adjusting fonts, styles, borders, and colors—improves readability, emphasizes key insights, and gives your spreadsheets a polished, professional appearance.

This article gives you a comprehensive list of Excel cell and font formatting shortcuts for Windows, Mac, and Web Excel, helping you format your spreadsheets faster and more effectively.

Why Cell & Font Formatting Matters

• Highlights important data for analysis and presentations

• Increases accessibility and user-friendliness

• Helps maintain visual consistency in reports and dashboards

• Saves time with keyboard shortcuts compared to manual formatting

Full Table: Cell & Font Formatting Shortcuts in Excel

In Excel for Web, Ctrl + Shift + 1 applies number format instead of opening full dialog.

Action	Windows	Mac	Excel for Web
Bold text	Ctrl + B	Command + B	Ctrl + B
Italic text	Ctrl + I	Command + I	Ctrl + I
Underline text	Ctrl + U	Command + U	Ctrl + U
Open Format Cells dialog	Ctrl + 1	Command + 1	Ctrl + Shift + 1*
Strikethrough text	Ctrl + 5	Command + Shift + X	Not available
Add hyperlink	Ctrl+K	Cmd+K	Ctrl+K
Add/Remove border	Ctrl + Shift + &	Command + Option + 0	Not available
Remove border	Ctrl + Shift + _	Command + Option + -	Not available
Center align cell content	Alt + H + A + C	N/A (Use ribbon)	Ribbon only
Left align cell content	Alt + H + A + L	N/A	Ribbon only
Right align cell content	Alt + H + A + R	N/A	Ribbon only
Increase font size	Alt + H + F + G	Ribbon only	Ribbon only
Decrease font size	Alt + H + F + K	Ribbon only	Ribbon only
Fill color	Alt + H + H	Ribbon only	Ribbon only
Font color	Alt + H + F + C	Ribbon only	Ribbon only

Bonus Tips

• To repeat the last format applied:

  • Windows: F4

  • Mac: Command + Y

• To access font dropdown quickly:

  • Press Alt + H + F + F (Windows only)

Example Use Cases

Use Case	Recommended Format
Column headers	Bold, center-aligned, filled background
Totals or summaries	Bold, underlined, possibly currency format
Invalid data or warnings	Red font, strikethrough
Highlighted cells	Bold or italic with light fill color

Conclusion

Mastering cell and font formatting shortcuts in Excel lets you design better-looking spreadsheets and boost your productivity. Whether you're preparing a financial report or managing inventory, these keyboard shortcuts help make your data stand out—with speed and style.

Excel_Cell & Font Formatting_Shortcuts.xlsx

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