Move One Cell Left in Excel

Moving one cell to the left helps you navigate data efficiently, especially when reviewing or editing rows without using the mouse.

Keyboard Shortcut

Windows Mac
Left Arrow Left Arrow

What Does This Shortcut Do?

Pressing the Left Arrow key moves the active cell selection one column to the left within the same row.

How to Use

  1. Select any cell in the worksheet
  2. Press the Left Arrow key
  3. The selection moves to the adjacent cell on the left

Tips & Best Practices

FAQ

Q: What if I reach column A?
The selection stops at column A and cannot move further left.
Q: Does this shortcut work while editing a cell?
No, while editing, the arrow key moves the cursor inside the cell instead.