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🚀 Excel Shortcut Tips: How to Use [Ctrl] + [.] (Period) to Move Clockwise in a Selected Range

Hello there! 👋
I'm Michael Leng, and welcome back to my blog “Exceltip2day”—your friendly place for quick, powerful Excel tips.

In today’s post, we’re going to explore a handy Excel shortcut:
👉 [Ctrl] + [.] (Period or Full Stop)

This small but mighty shortcut helps you move clockwise between the corners of a selected range in Excel—especially useful when working with large datasets.

🔍 Why Should You Learn This Shortcut?

  • ✅ To navigate quickly around the selected area without using the mouse.

  • ✅ To check the four corners of large tables or selection ranges.

  • ✅ To save time and avoid getting “lost” in big spreadsheets.

📝 How Does [Ctrl] + [.] Work?

When you select a range in Excel, pressing [Ctrl] + [.] will take you from one corner to the next in a clockwise direction.

Here's how to do it:

  1. Select your cell range.

  2. Press and hold [Ctrl].

  3. Press the [.] (Period/Full Stop) key.

  4. Release both keys.

  5. Press again to keep moving around the corners.

👉 This works in both small and large selection areas.

📌 Shortcut Summary:

Task Shortcut Key
Move clockwise between corners Ctrl + . (Period)
Select all data in worksheet Ctrl + A
Save As dialog box F12
Extend selection Shift + Arrow Keys

💡 Tip Quiz Time!

What is the shortcut to select all the data in an Excel worksheet?

a. Ctrl + *
b. Ctrl + A
c. ALT + *

✅ Answer: b. Ctrl + A

🎯 Benefits of Using Ctrl + . (Period)

  • Quickly access each corner of your selection.

  • Easier to inspect large datasets without scrolling.

  • Helps when working with charts, formatting, or applying formulas.

👉 Recommended Reads:

Thank you for reading! I hope this quick tip helps make your Excel journey smoother.
👉 Don’t forget to share this post, like it, or leave a comment with your thoughts or questions.

See you next time,
Michael Leng
“I've known, then I've grown.”

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