In Microsoft Excel I frequently use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+' (apostrophe) to copy the value from the cell above the current one. The same keystrokes in Google Sheets instead toggles the display of formula and I cannot find an equivalent shortcut to copy the value from the cell above. Any ideas please?
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support.google.com/docs/answer/181110?hl=en– kroweCommented Mar 1, 2015 at 1:15
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@krowe I can't see anything in that link that can do what Ctrl+' does in Excel.– CaltorCommented Mar 1, 2015 at 8:40
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Which leads me to believe that it isn't possible.– kroweCommented Mar 1, 2015 at 9:05
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Well I guess that's an answer then. 😂– CaltorCommented Mar 1, 2015 at 9:06
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7 Answers
Ctrl+D will copy the value from the above cell (not sure if/when they modified this functionality). You do not need to highlight the above row, just select the blank cell below the value you want to copy and hit Ctrl+D.
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1nice spot! This does appear to have been changed. It was formerly necessary to select the cell above.– CaltorCommented Jan 31, 2022 at 15:52
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CTRL+D Doesn't work if the line above is 'filtered out' Commented Mar 29, 2022 at 8:21
Something that comes close is "Fill Down" (Ctrl+D).
If you highlight the cell with the formula you want as well as the cell below it, then use this shortcut, it'll be just like you used the fill handle, without having to do all that mousing.
In fact, this may be more useful, because you could just put the formula on the first row, add all the rest of your data, then do the fill-down at the end.
Not as convenient as Ctrl+', but I've found it pretty useful lately.
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It's no longer necessary to select the cell above as per the answer by erjiang webapps.stackexchange.com/a/162035/26653– CaltorCommented Jan 31, 2022 at 15:55
If you're trying to copy down a value that you just entered/typed into the cell above, then you can use F4.
(F4 in Excel and Google Sheets does something along the lines of "repeat the last thing I just did".)
You might want to adjust your keyboard settings if you want to use this frequently so you don't have to hit fn + F4 every time since on most new computers the function keys are assigned to system functions (e.g. volume, app switcher, etc.).
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hmmm not bad. This only works if you have just typed the number above though, so won't work in all scenarios but it's pretty good.– CaltorCommented Feb 13, 2019 at 14:28
First highlight the range where you are going fill with data, including the row/cell with the initial data. Enter the initial data, (on Windows) press Shift+Enter (to get to the last row in the range) then press Ctrl+D.
This will copy down all values by column.
You can also click on the bottom right corner of the cell that contains the value you want to copy down, and when it changes to a small square you can drag it down to the cell below (or to the cell(s) right,left, above. Also, for text, typing in an initial letter will often "fill" the string.
- Shade cell above,
- Hold Shift key and shade your target cell (or use the mouse to shade both cells),
- Type CTRL + D. You're done!
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Already suggested in the answer by ale webapps.stackexchange.com/a/88613/26653; but welcome to Web Application on StackExchange!– CaltorCommented Mar 11, 2019 at 11:23
Are you wanting to copy the value because you only want to paste values? If so, then copy works just as it always does (Ctrl + C) and then the shortcut for pasting values only is
Shift + Ctrl + V
answered Jan 8, 2016 at 6:25
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The Asker presumably already knows about the "old fashioned" copy-paste. That's quite a few more keystrokes than
Ctrl-', though.– aleCommented Jan 8, 2016 at 21:05 -
the only reason i mentioned that is because of specifically paste values only is slightly different than excel Commented Jan 8, 2016 at 21:08
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Yeah I know about copy and paste values thanks. I'm after a quicker way to copy the value from the cell above. In Excel this is only 2 keystrokes.– CaltorCommented Jan 11, 2016 at 11:25