Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Number Formatting Shortcuts.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 19, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
The typical way that people apply formatting to cells is to use the tools on the ribbons or to display the Format Cells dialog box and make formatting choices. For those who prefer to not remove their hands from the keyboard, however, Excel also provides a number of handy shortcuts you can use to format your cells.
| Shortcut | Â | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+~ | Â | General format |
| Ctrl+Shift+! | Â | Number format with two decimal places and thousands separator |
| Ctrl+Shift+$ | Â | Currency format with two decimal places and negatives in parentheses |
| Ctrl+Shift+# | Â | Date format |
| Ctrl+Shift+@ | Â | Time format with minutes and am/pm |
| Ctrl+Shift+% | Â | Percentage format with no decimal places |
| Ctrl+Shift+^ | Â | Scientific notation with two decimal places |
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10428) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Number Formatting Shortcuts.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Cell contents and cell formatting are, in Excel, largely independent of each other. You can enter something in a cell and ...
Discover MoreThe formatting capabilities provided by Excel are quite diverse. This tip examines how you can use those capabilities to ...
Discover MoreWant to change the size of the font within a worksheet? Excel allows you to choose from a list of sizes, as well as ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2024-02-19 11:15:00
J-M J
It would be great to know these shortcuts for non-American keyboards! Does anybody knows if a "translation" exists somewhere (MS, for example ) ?
Thank you!
2020-07-28 05:50:53
Peter Atherton
Sholom
I think the quickest way is the using the mouse, but format to two decimal places and then use ALT + H + 9. This reduces by 1 dp. then repeat for the next.
2020-07-27 08:47:51
Sholom Michael
Nice tip! What's the quickest way to get the number format with no decimal places and thousands separator?
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments