ShortcutdrillExcel shortcuts / formatting / Bold the selection
Bold the selection in Excel: Ctrl+B (Mac: Cmd+B)
| Windows | Ctrl+B |
|---|---|
| Mac | Cmd+B |
| Group | formatting |
Drill: Bold the header row. Free, no sign-up.
What it does and when to use it
Ctrl+B toggles bold on the selected cells. Select the header with Ctrl+Shift+Right first and the whole row goes bold in two presses.
The common mistake
Pressing it while editing a cell: it bolds only the selected text inside the cell.
Related shortcuts
- Italic Ctrl+I
- Underline Ctrl+U
- Format as currency Ctrl+Shift+4
- Thousands separators and two decimals Ctrl+Shift+1
- Format as percentage Ctrl+Shift+5
- The printable cheat sheet
Questions
How do I bold a whole row?
Shift+Space to select the row, then Ctrl+B. For just the filled header cells, Ctrl+Shift+Right then Ctrl+B.
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.
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