By selecting multiple cells in Excel you can delete data, apply formatting such as borders or shading, or apply other options to large areas of a worksheet all at one time.
While using the drag select method with the mouse to quickly highlight a block of adjacent cells is probably the most common way of selecting more than one cell, there are times when the cells you want to highlight are not located beside each other.
When this occurs, it is possible to select non-adjacent cells. Although this cannot be done solely with the keyboard, it can be done by using the keyboard and the mouse.
Selecting Non-Adjacent Cells in Excel
Note: For help with this example, see the image to the right.
- Click on the first cell you want to select with the mouse pointer to make it the active cell.
- Press and hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard.
- Click on the rest of the cells you want to select Without releasing the Ctrl key.
- Once all the desired cells are selected, release the Ctrl key.
- Do Not click anywhere else with the mouse pointer once you release the Ctrl key or you will clear the highlight from the selected cells.
- If you release the Ctrl key too soon and wish to highlight more cells, simply press and hold down the Ctrl key again and then click on the additional cell(s).
- If you select a cell by mistake, click on it a second time while still holding down the Ctrl key to clear the highlight.
Other Keyboard Shortcuts
