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Giving up my mouse seems so daunting. Where do I even start?
We break down ditching the mouse into two main areas – navigation and formatting – with easy-to-follow steps so you don’t have to tackle it all at once (although you can!). We’ve included some of the highlights below – watch the full video for a comprehensive overview. You can also review to the specific sections in the full video as outlined below.
| Topic | Time Stamp |
| Navigation: Within the worksheet | 3:27 - 18:45 |
| Navigation: Within the cell | 18:49 - 32:23 |
| Formatting: Master shortcuts | 32:48 - 36:47 |
| Formatting: Paste special | 36:49 - 42:52 |
Navigating without the mouse
Learning to navigate around the worksheet without the mouse is all about getting repetitive practice and working that muscle memory and intuition.
Click on the videos below to learn how to effectively navigate around your spreadsheet without the mouse.
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Navigating within the worksheet
At a glance
- Move from cell to cell: Arrow keys
- Jump across blocks of text: Ctrl (PC) / Cmd (Mac)
- Select cells: Shift + Arrow keys
- Jump + Select cells together: Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Arrow keys
Click on the videos below to learn how to efficiently navigate within the worksheet without your mouse:
Follow along in the class file on the Nav Pt 1 tab
The basics
Copying and Pasting across datasets
Copying 50 rows of data without the mouse!
Additional practice: Mazes!
For additional practice, navigate to the Maze tab and jump into some maze exercises. What’s your personal best?
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Navigating within a cell
Editing text
When we navigate to a cell in our spreadsheet (using our arrow keys, not our mouse of course 😀) and hit F2, we are then able to edit the contents of that cell. Once inside, we can use our arrow keys to move around.
Tip: We can also use home/end to navigate to the beginning or end of the cell’s contents respectively, and our jumping keys (Ctrl (PC) and Cmd (Mac) + Arrow keys) to jump left or right.
Watch a quick example here and follow along in the {class file} on the Nav Pt 2 tab:
Editing a formula
We edit a formula the same way as text (hitting F2 in the cell with the formula), but things get a bit complicated when you need to add or edit cell references to an existing formula – watch the clip below for a step-by-step guide and how to avoid common mistakes when doing so. Follow along in the {class file} on the Nav Pt 2 tab.
Formatting without the mouse
Formatting in Excel and Google Sheets without the mouse really comes down to effectively leveraging shortcuts and the paste special function.
Click on the videos below to learn how to efficiently format within the worksheet without your mouse:
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Master Shortcuts
At a glance
Use master shortcuts wherever possible to reduce the number of individual shortcuts you need to memorize. Click on the video below depending on your computer and spreadsheet program to learn more about the master shortcuts:
Master Shortcuts:
- Excel: Ctrl +1 (PC) or Cmd + 1 (Mac)
- PC Excel Ribbon shortcuts: Alt
- Google Sheets: Alt + / (PC) or Option + / (Mac)
Follow along in the class file on the Format tab
Formatting: Master Formatting Box - Excel only
Formatting: Alt Ribbon - PC Excel only
Formatting: Search as the Master Shortcut - Sheets only
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Paste Special
At a glance
Minimize rework and use existing formatting wherever possible. Use your paste special shortcuts to copy existing formatting and column widths without affecting formulas or values.
- Excel: Alt + E + S (PC), Cmd + Ctrl + V (Mac)
- Sheets: Use your search master shortcuts (Alt + / , Option + /)
Follow along in the class file on the Format tab
Formatting: Paste Special