Shortcut Keys in Excel
Complete Guide for Delhi Police Computer Section
1. Why Shortcut Keys Matter
In exams like Delhi Police Constable or SSC CGL, questions from Excel shortcut keys are super common — and sometimes the easiest to score!
Keyboard shortcuts save time and help you work faster than the mouse.
Exam Insight: In government exams, 2-3 questions are directly asked on shortcuts — like "Which shortcut is used to insert a new worksheet in Excel?"
2. Basic Shortcut Keys
| Action | Shortcut Key | Trick to Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Create a new workbook | Ctrl + N |
N → New |
| Open existing workbook | Ctrl + O |
O → Open |
| Save workbook | Ctrl + S |
S → Save |
| Print workbook | Ctrl + P |
P → Print |
| Close workbook | Ctrl + W |
W → Window close |
Pro Tip: Always save before printing — Ctrl + S → Ctrl + P (Safe Practice Combo)
3. Editing & Formatting Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut Key | Trick |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Ctrl + C |
C → Copy |
| Cut | Ctrl + X |
X → Cut cross |
| Paste | Ctrl + V |
V → Vase (Paste) |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z |
Z → Zip back |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y |
Y → Yess again! |
| Bold | Ctrl + B |
B → Bold |
| Italic | Ctrl + I |
I → Italic |
| Underline | Ctrl + U |
U → Underline |
4. Worksheet Navigation Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut | Trick |
|---|---|---|
| Move to next sheet | Ctrl + Page Down |
Down → Next |
| Move to previous sheet | Ctrl + Page Up |
Up → Previous |
| Insert new worksheet | Shift + F11 |
F11 → Fresh sheet |
| Select entire sheet | Ctrl + A |
A → All |
| Go to specific cell | Ctrl + G |
G → Go to |
| Move to cell A1 | Ctrl + Home |
Home → Beginning |
Exam Trick: Many confuse Ctrl + N (new workbook) with Shift + F11 (new sheet) —
Remember: N = New File, Shift + F11 = New Sheet inside file
5. Data & Formula Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Insert current date | Ctrl + ; |
Semicolon = date separator |
| Insert current time | Ctrl + Shift + ; |
Add Shift for time |
| AutoSum | Alt + = |
Adds selected cells fast |
| Edit active cell | F2 |
F2 → Fix content |
| Calculate all sheets | F9 |
9 → Total |
| Display formulas | Ctrl + ~ |
Tilde (~) → Show all formulas |
6. Previous Year Delhi Police Questions
Which shortcut key is used to create a new workbook in Excel?
Year: 2020 | Shift: 1
View Answer
Ctrl + N
Which key combination is used to insert a new worksheet?
Year: 2021 | Shift: 2
View Answer
Shift + F11
What does Ctrl + Page Down do?
Year: 2020 | Shift: 2
View Answer
Moves to the next worksheet
Which shortcut key is used to apply AutoSum?
Year: 2022 | Shift: 1
View Answer
Alt + =
To display formulas in Excel, press —
Year: 2021 | Shift: 1
View Answer
Ctrl + ~
7. Smart Tricks & Exam Boosters
Trick 1: Think alphabetically: C → Copy, V → Paste, X → Cut, S → Save, P → Print
Trick 2: "Shift" always means something bigger or additional → Shift + F11 adds a whole new sheet!
Trick 3: "Ctrl + Arrow" jumps to edges — perfect for long data lists
Trick 4: To quickly select data region → Ctrl + Shift + Arrow
Time Tip: For time + date stamp: Ctrl + ; (date) → Ctrl + Shift + ; (time) — just like day & night combo
8. Practice Assignment
Practice Task: Excel Shortcut Challenge
Try to perform the following using only shortcuts (no mouse!):
Create a new workbook
Rename Sheet1 → "Shortcut Practice"
Insert today's date and time
Type 5 random numbers and find AutoSum
Bold your total and underline it
Save and close the workbook
9. Quick Recap
Ctrl + N → New Workbook
Shift + F11 → New Worksheet
Ctrl + S → Save
Ctrl + P → Print
Alt + = → AutoSum
F2 → Edit Cell
Ctrl + ~ → Display Formulas
Ctrl + A → Select All
Exam Focus: These shortcuts are frequently asked in Delhi Police and SSC exams — practice them regularly!
10. Practice Questions
Q1. What is the difference between Ctrl+N and Shift+F11?
View Answer
Ctrl+N creates a new workbook (file), while Shift+F11 inserts a new worksheet (tab) within the current workbook
Q2. How would you quickly navigate to cell Z100 in a large worksheet?
View Answer
Use Ctrl+G (Go To) and type Z100, or use Ctrl+Arrow keys to navigate quickly
Q3. What happens when you press Ctrl+~ in Excel?
View Answer
It toggles between displaying cell values and displaying the actual formulas in cells
Q4. Why is it important to use keyboard shortcuts in Excel?
View Answer
Keyboard shortcuts save time, increase productivity, reduce reliance on mouse, and are frequently tested in competitive exams
Q5. How can you quickly select an entire column or row?
View Answer
Use Ctrl+Space to select entire column, and Shift+Space to select entire row
You've completed Excel Shortcut Keys!
Courage Tip: Practice these shortcuts daily to build muscle memory. Remember that in Delhi Police exams, shortcut questions are quick marks if you've practiced well. Focus on the most commonly used shortcuts like Ctrl+S, Ctrl+P, Alt+=, and Shift+F11 as they appear frequently in question papers.
Master Excel Shortcuts for Delhi Police Exam!
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