How to Apply AutoFill Shortcut in Excel (7 Methods)

This tutorial will help you to use Autofill shortcut in Excel of various types to conveniently autofill or populate the cells in Excel without any hassle. We will learn 7 different types of Excel autofill shortcut to let Excel automatically fill the rows for us. We will use Keyboard Shortcuts, Fill handle, Flash Fill, SHIFT, Alphanumeric Keys, Repeat Shortcut Keys, Own Autofill List, and VBA Macro Code.

Watch Video – Apply AutoFill Shortcut in Excel

How to Apply AutoFill Shortcut in Excel: 7 Suitable Methods

Excel Autofill Shortcut

Let’s assume a scenario where we have information about employees of a company. We have the first and last names of the employees, their monthly salaries, and the bonus they got last month for the sales they had made. Along with these columns, we also have empty columns named Serial, Full Name, and Net Income. We will autofill the cells in these columns using different Excel autofill shortcut.

1. Fill Formulas to Adjacent Cells Using Keyboard Shortcut in Excel

=SUM(F5,G5)

Fill Formulas to Adjacent Cells Using Keyboard Shortcut

Step 2:

● Drag the fill handle across the cells that you want to fill

Press Ctrl+<a href=D to Fill the Formula Down in a Column" width="700" height="492" />

2. Fill Down a Series Using the Fill Handle

We have a Serial column where all the employees will be serialized in ascending order. We can autofill the column using the Fill Handle(+) tool in Excel.

Step 1:

Fill Down a Series Using the Fill Handle

Step 2:

Excel Autofill Shortcut

 Excel Filled the Series with the Serial Numbers

3. Use the Flash Fill Feature in Excel

Flash Fill automatically fills your data when it senses a pattern in cells. For example, you can use the Flash Fill command to separate first and last names from a single column or combine them from two different columns. It helps to repeat formula and fill the cells simultaneously.

Step 1:

Use the Flash Fill Feature in Excel

Step 2:

Ful Names of the Employees

4. AutoFill Series Using Modifier and Alphanumeric Keys in Excel

There is another shortcut to autofill the series using only the keyboard. You have to do the following:

Step 1:

AutoFill Series Using Modifier and Alphanumeric Keys

Step 2:

Excel Autofill Shortcut

Rest of the Cells are Autofilled

5. Repeat Shortcut Key to AutoFill in Excel

Although there isn’t a shortcut key or Ribbon command that does the same thing as double-clicking the AutoFill handle, Excel still recognizes it as a command. This means that you can use Excel’s Repeat feature to AutoFill as many times as you need after you have done the first AutoFill manually.

Steps:

Repeat Shortcut Key to AutoFill

Press CTRL+Y Together to Fill Up the PABX Column

6. Create Own AutoFill List

There is a collection of AutoFill lists that Excel recognizes and refers to every time you use the feature. However, you can add your own lists to the collection, which extends the series Excel recognizes.

For example, the company we are working on may have to write down the name of some office materials every day. So, instead of writing the names of the materials every time, we can use our own custom list to autofill the names of the materials.

Step 1:

Create Own AutoFill List

● Select the Advanced Section

Step 2:

Edit Custom List

Custom List to Autofill in Excel

Step 3:

Excel Autofill Shortcut

Excel Custom List to Autofill

7. AutoFill Using the VBA Macro

You can also use a VBA macro to autofill the cells. Just follow these steps:

Step 1:

Recording macro

Add Macro in Excel to Autofill

Step 2:

Excel Autofill Shortcut

Excel Autofill Shortcut

Stop Recording Macro in Excel

Step 3:

Excel Autofill Shortcut

Things to Remember

First, click File > Options.

Then click Advanced.

Under Editing Options, check the Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop box.

Download Practice Workbook

Download this practice book to exercise the task while reading this article.

AutoFill Shortcut.xlsm

Conclusion

In this article, we have learned to use Excel autofill shortcuts. I hope from now on you will find it very easy to use the Excel autofill shortcut. However, if you have any queries or recommendations about this article, please leave a comment below. Have a great day.

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