16 Google Sheets shortcuts to help you enter, organize, and interpret your data

Google Sheets is my go-to app for organizing and interpreting data, but when I'm dealing with hundreds or thousands of rows, my eyes glaze over and my hands follow suit.

Keyboard shortcuts have helped—they let me work on autopilot and get what I need quicker.

Here are the Google Sheets keyboard shortcuts I use most to manage multiple spreadsheets, format data, and navigate the interface.

Google Sheets shortcuts cheat sheet

Switch focus to a specific sheet when using multiple sheets

When you're working in a Google Sheet that contains multiple sheets, you can use the arrow keys to move from the current sheet to the next or previous sheet.

• On a Mac, type option + ↑ to move to the previous sheet. To move to the next sheet, type option + ↓

• On a PC, type Alt + ↑ to move to the previous sheet. To move to the next sheet, type Alt + ↓

Insert the current date and time in a cell

You can use a Google Sheets shortcut to insert the current date and time in a cell.

To insert the current date and time:

• On a Mac, type command + option + shift + ;

• On a PC, type Ctrl + Alt + Shift + ;

Change the format of a number in Google Sheets

Google Sheets can display numbers in any format you need, including decimals, dates, currencies, and times. Since it's a flexible tool that stores all kinds of data, you'll likely be swapping between these formats a lot.

Format a number as a decimal

To format a number as a decimal:

• On a Mac, type control + shift + 1

• On a PC, type Ctrl + Shift + 1

Format a number as a time

To format a number as a time:

• On a Mac, type control + shift + 2

• On a PC, type Ctrl + Shift + 2

Format a number as a date

To format a number as a date:

• On a Mac, type control + shift + 3

• On a PC, type Ctrl + Shift + 3

Format a number as a currency

To format a number as a currency:

• On a Mac, type control + shift + 4

• On a PC, type Ctrl + Shift + 4

Format a number as a percentage

To format a number as a percentage:

• On a Mac, type control + shift + 5

• On a PC, type Ctrl + Shift + 5

Format a number in scientific notation

To format a number in scientific notation:

• On a Mac, type control + shift + 6

• On a PC, type Ctrl + Shift + 6

Display a list of all sheets in a spreadsheet

If you have multiple sheets in your Google Sheet, you can use a shortcut to view a list of all the sheets and navigate between them.

To display a list of all sheets in a spreadsheet:

• On a Mac, type option + shift + K

• On a PC, type Alt + Shift + K

Clear a selection's formatting

If you've applied bolding, italics, fill and text colors, or other formatting to your sheet, you can use a shortcut to reset a selection to its default formatting. 

To clear formatting:

• On a Mac, select the cells you want to change, and type command + \

• On a PC, select the cells you want to change, and type Ctrl + \

Apply an absolute reference to a cell

If you need to copy a formula to a new cell while keeping a cell's reference consistent, you can add an absolute reference to the formula.

To apply an absolute reference to a cell:

• On a Mac, click on the name of the cell that you want to reference in the formula bar, and type fn + F4

• On a PC, click on the name of the cell that you want to reference in the formula bar, and type F4

Add a new sheet to a Google Sheet

If you need to create a new sheet without losing track of the data you've entered in your current spreadsheet, you can use a shortcut to add one.

To add a new sheet to your current Google Sheet:

• On Mac, type fn + shift + F11

• On a PC, type Shift + F11 

Search menus

If you want to change a setting or apply formatting in Google Sheets, but you're not sure which menu contains the setting you need, you can use the "search menus" shortcut to search for and apply any Google Sheets setting.

To search Google Sheets' menus:

• On a Mac, type option + /, then type the name of the setting you want to apply

• On a PC, type Alt + /, then type the name of the setting you want to apply

Display the formulas used in a sheet

If you've created a large spreadsheet, it can be hard to keep track of which cells use formulas. You can use a shortcut to view the formulas that are used in each cell of your Google Sheet.

To display the formulas that are being used in a sheet:

• On a Mac, type control + ` (the ` key is to the left of the 1 key)

• On a PC, type Ctrl + `

Display a list of Google Sheets keyboard shortcuts

There are hundreds of Google Sheets shortcuts—I've only included the ones I use most here. You can access a complete list of Google Sheets keyboard shortcuts using a shortcut.

• On a Mac, type command + / 

• On a PC, type Ctrl + /

Automate Google Sheets 

Keyboard shortcuts speed up your Google Sheets work while you're actively using Google Sheets. But if you automate Google Sheets with Zapier, you can spend less time in the app altogether. Get notifications for changes to a Google Sheet, send lead info directly to a Google Sheet, and connect Google Sheets to thousands of the apps you use every day at work.

Learn more about how to automate Google Sheets with Zapier, or get started with one of these pre-made templates.

Related reading:

• The best Google Sheets add-ons to boost your productivity

• The Gmail shortcuts you should actually be using to navigate your inbox

• How to create a spreadsheet CRM with Google Sheets