Confirm Ribbon Control Change in Excel
When you select a control in the Excel Ribbon—such as a dropdown, gallery, or formatting option—you need to confirm the change to apply it. This shortcut lets you do that instantly without touching the mouse.
Keyboard Shortcut
| Windows | Mac |
|---|---|
| Enter | Enter |
What Does This Shortcut Do?
Pressing Enter confirms and applies the currently selected Ribbon option. This is especially useful for dropdown menus, font pickers, style galleries, and other Ribbon controls.
How to Use the Shortcut
- Open Excel
- Activate the Ribbon using Alt (Windows)
- Navigate to a Ribbon control using arrow keys or Tab
- Select an option from the control
- Press Enter to confirm the change
Tips & Best Practices
- Use this after navigating Ribbon dropdowns with arrow keys
- Works best with font size, color, styles, and formatting controls
- Essential for fast keyboard-only workflows
FAQ
- Q: Is this different from activating a Ribbon control?
- Yes. Activation opens a control, while confirmation applies the selected option.
- Q: Does this work on all Ribbon dropdowns?
- It works on most Ribbon controls that require confirmation.