Wauvel

Excel like a finance pro.

← The library

Selection shortcut

Select the entire column

Ctrl + Space on Windows, Ctrl + Space on Mac.

Very commonDifficulty 950 · Capable
Practice · 3 questions →

When to use it

Selects the entire column of the active cell, all million rows.

The shape of it

Windows
Ctrl + Space
Mac
Ctrl + Space

Worked examples

  • Select a column

    Click any cell in C, press Ctrl + Space → Column C is selected

    Then format, hide, or delete it.

  • Insert a column

    Ctrl + Space, then Ctrl + Shift + + → A new column is inserted to the left

    Insert without the mouse.

  • Hide a column

    Ctrl + Space, then Ctrl + 0 → The column is hidden

    Hide without the mouse.

Worth knowing

  • Shift + Space selects the row.
  • Ctrl + Space then Shift + → extends to more columns.
  • In a Table, the first press selects the column data only; press again for the whole column.

Where it goes wrong

  • Applying a format to a whole column can bloat the file; format the data range instead.
  • Windows may intercept Ctrl + Space for input methods in some locales.

Related

Ctrl + Shift + ArrowCtrl + AShift + ArrowShift + SpaceCtrl + Shift + EndAlt + ;

Learn the moves here — or let Wauvel run them on your numbers.

Meet your AI CFO →

One CFO-grade Excel tip a week

A short, practical email for finance operators — functions, shortcuts, and the moves that save an afternoon. Free, unsubscribe anytime.