| To select |
Do this |
| The contents of a cell |
If the option to edit directly in a cell is turned on, double-click the cell, and then select the contents of the cell.
If the option to edit directly in a cell is turned off, select the cell, and then select the contents of the cell in the formula bar.
You can also press F2 to edit the active cell, use the arrow keys to position the insertion point, and then press SHIFT+ARROW KEY to select the contents.
|
| A single cell |
Click the cell, or press the arrow keys to move to the cell. |
| A range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) of cells |
Click the first cell in the range, and then drag to the last cell, or hold down SHIFT while you press the arrow keys to extend the selection. You can also select the first cell in the range, and then press F8 to extend the selection by using the arrow keys. |
| A large range of cells |
Click the first cell in the range, and then hold down SHIFT while you click the last cell in the range. You can scroll to make the last cell visible. |
| All cells on a worksheet |
Click the Select All button.
To select the entire worksheet, you can also press CTRL+A. Note If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+A selects the current region. Pressing CTRL+A a second time selects the entire worksheet.
|
| Nonadjacent cells or cell ranges |
Select the first cell or range of cells, and then hold down CTRL while you select the other cells or ranges. You can also select the first cell or range of cells, and then press SHIFT+F8 to add another nonadjacent cell or range to the selection. Note You cannot cancel the selection of a cell or range of cells in a nonadjacent selection without canceling the entire selection. |
| An entire row or column |
Click the row or column heading. 
 Row heading
 Column heading
You can also select cells in a row or column by selecting the first cell and then pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW KEY (RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW for rows, UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW for columns). Note If the row or column contains data, CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW KEY selects the row or column to the last used cell. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW KEY a second time selects the entire row or column.
|
| Adjacent rows or columns |
Drag across the row or column headings. Or select the first row or column; then hold down SHIFT while you select the last row or column. |
| Nonadjacent rows or columns |
Click the column or row heading of the first row or column in your selection; then hold down CTRL while you click the column or row headings of other rows or columns that you want to add to the selection. |
| The first or last cell in a row or column | Select a cell in the row or column, and then press CTRL+ARROW KEY (RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW for rows, UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW for columns). |
| The first or last cell on a worksheet or in a Microsoft Excel list | Press CTRL+HOME to select the first cell on the worksheet or in an Excel list. Press CTRL+END to select the last cell on the worksheet or in an Excel list that contains data or formatting. |
| Cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner) | Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+END to extend the selection of cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner). |
| Cells to the beginning of the worksheet | Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+HOME to extend the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet. |
| More or fewer cells than the active selection |
Hold down SHIFT while you click the last cell that you want to include in the new selection. The rectangular range between the active cell (active cell: The selected cell in which data is entered when you begin typing. Only one cell is active at a time. The active cell is bounded by a heavy border.) and the cell that you click becomes the new selection. |
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