Google Sheets vs Excel: shortcut differences

30 shortcuts, including copy, bold, Ctrl+arrow, F2 and Ctrl+D, use the same keys as Excel. The differences are inserting and deleting rows, the types of paste, clearing formatting and some number formats. Some keys also do something different.

Shortcuts with different keys

Action	Google Sheets	Excel
Go to the next sheetIn Chrome, Ctrl+PgDn switches browser tabs instead.	`Alt`+`↓`	`Ctrl`+`PgDn`
Go to the previous sheet	`Alt`+`↑`	`Ctrl`+`PgUp`
Copy to rangeIn Excel, pressing it while typing enters the value in every selected cell. In Sheets, pressing it while typing adds a line break in the cell.	`Ctrl`+`Enter`	`Ctrl`+`Enter`
Insert the current time	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`;`	`Ctrl`+`:`
Show all formulas	`Ctrl`+`~`	`Ctrl`+`
Paste values onlyIn Excel, you open Paste Special and choose Values.	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V`	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`V`+`→`+`V`
Paste format onlyIn Excel, Ctrl+Alt+V opens the Paste Special dialog.	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`V`	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`V`+`→`+`T`
Strikethrough	`Alt`+`Shift`+`5`	`Ctrl`+`5`
Clear formattingIn Excel, you use the Alt key to choose Clear → Clear Formats on the ribbon.	`Ctrl`+`\`	`Alt`+`H`+`E`+`F`
Center align	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`E`	`Alt`+`H`+`A`+`C`
Left alignIn Excel, Ctrl+Shift+L toggles filters.	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`L`	`Alt`+`H`+`A`+`L`
Right align	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`R`	`Alt`+`H`+`A`+`R`
Time format	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`2`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`@`
Date format	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`3`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`#`
Currency formatExcel's currency format shows no decimals for yen (¥300).	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`4`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`$`
Percent format	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`5`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`%`
Scientific format	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`6`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`^`
Outer border	`Alt`+`Shift`+`7`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`&`
Clear borders	`Alt`+`Shift`+`6`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`_`
Insert row	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`=`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`+`
Delete row	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`-`	`Ctrl`+`-`
Hide rows	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`9`	`Ctrl`+`9`
Hide columns	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`0`	`Ctrl`+`0`
Convert to tableIn Chrome, Ctrl+T opens a new tab.	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`T`	`Ctrl`+`T`
Open a linkIn Excel, Alt+Enter adds a line break in the cell. Same keys, different action.	`Alt`+`Enter`	`Alt`+`Enter`
Search the menusIn Excel, it takes you to the Search box (Microsoft Search).	`Alt`+`/`	`Alt`+`Q`

Same keys, different action

If you press them out of Excel habit, you get no error, just a different result.

Alt+Enter
Excel
Line break in the cell
Google Sheets
Open the cell's link
Ctrl+Enter
Excel
Pressed while typing, enters the value in every selected cell
Google Sheets
Copy to range (pressed while typing, adds a line break in the cell)
Ctrl+Shift+L
Excel
Toggle filters
Google Sheets
Left align
Ctrl+T
Excel
Create a table
Google Sheets
New browser tab (convert to table is Ctrl+Alt+T)

How to add a line break in a cell

Excel's Alt+Enter opens a link in Google Sheets. In Sheets, press Ctrl+Enter (⌘+Return on a Mac) while typing to add a line break. In Chrome on a Mac, Option+Return and control+Return did not add a line break.

A setting that enables Excel keys

When you open the shortcut list with Ctrl+/, there is a switch at the top: "Enable compatible spreadsheet shortcuts" (off at first). Turn it on, and the Excel-style keys marked "compatible" in the list start working.

Things to watch on a Mac

Number format keys (currency, percent, number and so on) use control, not ⌘, even on a Mac, because ⌘+Shift+3 to 5 are the Mac screenshot keys. Selecting a whole column (control+Space) also uses control.

Practice only the keys that differ

Checked in October 2026 in Chrome on a Mac and in the app's shortcut list. Excel keys are for Microsoft 365 on Windows.

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