Move Left Between Non-Adjacent Selections in Excel (Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow)
This shortcut allows you to move the active cell to the previous selection in a non-adjacent selection set, making it easy to navigate scattered cells without using the mouse.
Keyboard Shortcut
| Windows | Mac |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow | Cmd + Option + Left Arrow |
What Does This Shortcut Do?
Moves the active cell focus to the previous selection in a group of non-adjacent cells, allowing efficient navigation between scattered selections.
How to Use the Shortcut
- Select multiple non-adjacent cells using Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac)
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Cmd + Option + Left Arrow (Mac)
- The active cell will move to the previous selection in the group
Tips & Best Practices
- Efficiently navigate between non-adjacent selections without using the mouse
- Combine with Ctrl/Cmd + Click selection for faster multi-selection management
- Works in normal worksheets, tables, and filtered ranges
FAQ
- Q: Can I move forward to the next selection?
- Yes, use the corresponding right arrow shortcut to move to the next selection.
- Q: Does it work in filtered tables?
- Yes, the shortcut works for visible non-adjacent cells in filtered ranges.
- Q: Can I perform actions after navigating?
- Yes, after moving, you can apply formatting, copy, or delete actions on the active selection.