ShortcutdrillExcel shortcuts / formatting / Change the font color
Change the font color in Excel: Alt, H, F, C (Windows only)
| Windows | Alt, H, F, C |
|---|---|
| Mac | No key sequence. Excel for Mac has no ribbon key tips; use the menu or the nearest shortcut noted below. |
| Group | formatting |
Drill: Blue font for inputs. Pro drill. Twenty-five drills are free.
What it does and when to use it
Alt, H, F, C opens the font color picker. Arrow to a color or pick it, then Enter. Banks color hard-coded inputs blue, formulas black and links to other sheets green, so a reviewer can see where numbers come from.
The common mistake
Applying blue to a cell that also has a formula. Blue means typed-in; a blue formula hides an input.
On a Mac
Excel for Mac does not show key tips when you press Option, so this ribbon sequence has no direct equivalent. The same command is in the menu bar, and many of the menus accept the keyboard once open. If you work on a Mac but your team is on Windows, learn the sequence anyway: it is what you will need on a Windows machine, and the Shortcutdrill sheet accepts Option in place of Alt so you can practice it.
Related shortcuts
- Bold the selection Ctrl+B
- Italic Ctrl+I
- Underline Ctrl+U
- Format as currency Ctrl+Shift+4
- Thousands separators and two decimals Ctrl+Shift+1
- The printable cheat sheet
Questions
What is the blue-black-green convention?
Blue font for typed numbers, black for formulas on the same sheet, green for formulas that pull from another sheet. Some firms add red for links to other files.
Learn it by pressing it
Shortcutdrill gives you a task on a live sheet and a limit on key presses, so the shortcut has to become a reflex. Twenty-five drills are free; Pro unlocks all 80 for $9 a month, $29 a year, or $49 once.
Start the drill