Excel for Mac - Deleting a range and other shortcuts

Excel for Mac

Deleting a range of cells in an Excel worksheet is easy isn't it? Surely you just press the Delete key? Well, if you've ever tried it in Excel for Mac then you know a lot better than that. Because deleting a range of cells is a most irritating business as the Delete key doesn't seem to work properly.

Most of us just resort to the main menu and choose Edit, Clear, Contents and either shrug in dumb resignation or weep bitter tears of frustration. Are we missing something? Yes, that's because it's fn+Delete to clear a range of cells. Microsoft Excel for Mac was released in 1985, well before the Windows version. It should be the daddy but I'm afraid it sometimes feels like the poor cousin.

I'm sure that half the problem is that most people learn the Microsoft Windows version of Excel and, not unreasonably, want to continue using the shortcut keys and modifiers that they are already familiar with. Reasonable? Yes. Realistic? No, most of the shortcut keys are different. 

DELETE only deletes the top cell

Also, the vast majority of Mac users don't have the full size keyboard. MacBooks and the wireless keyboard only have a Backspace delete key whereas the Mac full size wired keyboard has Delete keys for both directions, Forward Delete and Backspace. The reason why the Delete key feels backwards is simple-it is backwards.

fn+DELETE clears the entire range

Many of the Excel for Windows CTRL key shortcuts are similar but substitute the Command key (⌘) for the CTRL key. For example, the shortcut for Insert Hyperlink is ⌘+K instead of CTRL+K. But other shortcuts are totally different; the shortcut for Absolute References (dollar signs) isn't F4, it's ⌘+T. Lovingly known as "Apple Tea" by the Mac fans. I think I'll stick with Earl Grey.

The Mac Modifier Keys

Mac menu shortcuts

You will need to identify the Mac modifier keys on your keyboard if you want to decode the hieroglyphic shortcuts shown in the application drop down menus. They have only a tenuous relationship with what's printed on the keyboard, which itself varies depending on which model of Mac you own.

SHIFT key is either an ⇧ symbol or the word "shift".
FUNCTION key usually has "fn" printed on it.
ESCAPE key usually has "esc" printed on it or is defined in the menu shortcuts as an ⎋ symbol.
DELETE is either a left-pointing arrow, the word "del" or an ⌫ symbol.
CONTROL key is either "ctrl", "control" or an ^ symbol.
OPTION is either "alt", "option" or an ⌥  symbol.
COMMAND is either the words "cmd", "command", an ⌘ symbol or, if you're really lucky, an Apple logo. The command key is often popularly called the "Mac key" or the "Apple key".

British Mac wireless keyboard

They're all down in the lower left hand corner of the keyboard so if you forget which one does what then you can play around with them until you remember.

The keycaps will differ depending on the keyboard but the physical positions are usually standard as shown in the Keyboard Viewer.

Top Excel for Mac keyboard shortcuts

AutoSum: ⌘+Shift+T
Absolute References: ⌘+T
Drag 'n Drop modifier: CTRL in Windows, OPTION (⌥) in Excel for Mac
Multiple selection: CTRL in Windows, ⌘ in Excel for Mac
Calculate: ⌘+=
Right Click shortcut menus: CTRL+Click
Delete a range: fn+Delete


Download full listing of Microsoft Excel 2011 for Mac Shortcut Keys as pdf

Training Courses

If you've still got that "I just don't know what I'm doing" feeling then you might like to arrange a Microsoft Excel for Mac training course for yourself or with some of your colleagues. It's really easy to book one of our courses and they're great value for money. See our website for full details.