8 Quick Keyboard Shortcuts For Number Formatting In Excel (windows)

In this video I share 8 keyboard shortcuts to apply number formatting in Excel.

These time-saving shortcuts use Ctrl+Shift+Number Keys to quickly apply common number formats including:

- Number
- Currency
- Date
- Time
- Scientific
- Percent

There are also shortcuts to switch back to the General format and apply a black border around the selected range.

Please leave a comment below with any additional tips or shortcuts you use to apply number formatting.

Also leave a comment if you know how to change the default date format (dd-mmm-yy) for Ctrl+Shift+3. 🤷‍♂️

And checkout my Formatting Shortcuts Add-in, which allows you to create custom keyboard shortcuts for all your favorite number formats, font & fill colors, and cell styles.

Thanks! 🙂

Additional Resources:

#MsExcel
#ExcelCampus
#ExcelShortcuts
00:00 Introduction
00:15 Excel Number Formating Shortcuts
00:45 Apply General Format
01:00 Apply Time Format
01:29 Apply Currency Format
01:44 Apply Percent format
02:07 Apply Black Border

[bpbeary]

Instead of the (CTRL+SHIFT+key) I use the (ALT+key) to mimic the old-school menu selections, e.g. (ALT+H) for Home, (ALT+M) for Formulas, etc. So even if you don't remember the full shortcut, as soon as you type the (ALT+H) or whatever, all your possible options appear like tool tips, even if you've hidden the ribbon.

For formats the main ones I use are (ALT+H)K for "comma" style, and (ALT+H)9 or (ALT+H)0 for reducing or increasing the number of decimal places. Select a whole column of numbers with varying decimal places and hit (ALT+H)9 or (ALT+H)0 and they're all standardized based on the active cell.

The other one I use probably more than any other (and not just for numbers) is (ALT+H)FP for Format Painter; copy the format of the active cell (or range!) to a destination. This is VERY useful if you have a custom format, or one set by some previous user. Aside from the writing macros, Format Painter is the biggest time saver I rely on. Besides (ALT+H)FP, you can click the paintbrush icon in the right-click mini toolbar. It is normally just a one-time paint, BUT if you double-click the paintbrush, it works just like Copy; you can continue pasting the format to other destinations until you hit ESC. (I don't know if there's a way to get that behavior using the key sequence.)

[wayneedmondson]

Thanks Jon.. good review and reminder of these handy shortcuts. Thumbs up!

[hazelfroese]

I use control ; (semi colon) and this gives the date, which omits having to use the shift key. Although I haven’t tried to change the date format. I was just happy to find a shortcut to insert a current date!

[akputhoor]

14 hours ago
Thanks Jon.. good review and reminder of these handy shortcuts. Thumbs up !

[anillpatel]

Thanks Jon. This is just what I was looking for...,

[muthukumarneelakantan]

Thank you very much sir. These are very useful.

[sreehl]

Thank u Jon, can you please make video about macro

[asimali]

Sir, plz guide on how to use Columns and Rows Function combining with Averageifs Formula in Excel.

[Atif-Gi]

Thanks for sharing very useful shortcuts.


I have a question dear that I want to use the sign of Pakistani's Rupee (Rs.) in my sheet instead of Dollar ($). How to do this in my sheet?

[marcchekroun]

Hi Jon, none of the shortcut are working for me. Could it be related to the keyboard languages settings ?

[ginal]

Is there a shortcut for accounting format?

[flameout]

Why aren't these keys working my mac? It worked before and all the sudden it stopped working.