When it comes to working with Microsoft Excel, keyboard shortcuts can save us loads of time and effort. One of the most commonly known keyboard shortcuts is Ctrl + D, which quickly fills data from the top cell to the bottom in a selected column.
But what if you want to fill data from the left cell to the right?
Surprisingly, not everyone knows there’s a shortcut for that too!
Let’s dive in and explore this handy Excel trick.
The Shortcut: Ctrl + R:
Yes, you read that right!
The shortcut to fill data from the left cell to the right in Excel is Ctrl + R. While it’s not as commonly known as Ctrl + D, it’s incredibly useful when you’re working with rows instead of columns.
Here’s how it works:
- Enter Data in the Leftmost Cell: Start by typing the value, text or formula into the leftmost cell of the row.
- Select the Range: Highlight the range of cells you want to fill, including the leftmost cell with the data.
Pro Tip: You can also click the left cell (A1), hold Shift, and press the Right arrow key to quickly select the range without using the mouse.
- Press Ctrl + R: With the range selected, press Ctrl + R on your keyboard. Instantly, the content from the leftmost cell will be copied to all the cells in the selected range.
It works with values, formulas, and formatting — just like Ctrl + D does for columns.
Example:
Imagine you’re managing an attendance sheet for your team for the month of April.
Here’s a part of the sheet:
Let’s say Krishna is present for all 10 days from April 1st to April 10th. Instead of typing “Present” manually into each cell (or dragging), you can use Ctrl + R.
Steps:
- Enter “Present” in cell B2.
- Select the range from B2 to K2
- Press Ctrl + R
No need to drag your mouse or type multiple times. Just one shortcut and done!
Alternative Method: The Fill Handle
If you prefer using the mouse or don’t want to memorize shortcuts, you can still fill data to the right manually:
- Enter your data in the left cell.
- Hover the mouse over the bottom-right corner of the cell until the fill handle (a small square) appears.
- Click and drag the handle to the right across the desired cells.
Why Use Ctrl + R?
- Speed: Instead of manually copying and pasting or dragging the fill handle, Ctrl + R gets the job done in a fraction of a second.
- Accuracy: It ensures the exact content from the left cell is replicated without accidental edits.
- Versatility: Works with text, numbers, dates, formulas and even cell formatting.
A Quick Comparison: Ctrl + D vs. Ctrl + R
- Ctrl + D (Fill Down): Copies data from the top cell downward in a column.
- Ctrl + R (Fill Right): Copies data from the left cell rightward in a row.
Bonus Tip: Use Both Ctrl + D and Ctrl + R Together!
Want to fill both down and right in a block of cells?
Just select the block, press Ctrl + D, then Ctrl + R.
This is especially helpful when working with tables or templates.
Excel shortcuts are real productivity boosters, and knowing both Ctrl + D (for down) and Ctrl + R (for right) gives you more control over your data entry process.
While Ctrl + D is a crowd favorite, Ctrl + R is the underrated hero of row-based data entry. Now that you know about it, try using it in your next Excel session — you might just wonder how you ever lived without it.