Format Painter Shortcut in Excel

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Format Painter is a useful tool for quickly copying and applying the format from one cell to another.

Excel does not have a dedicated keyboard shortcut for activating the Format Painter directly. However, we can use a keyboard shortcut sequence to activate Format Painter.

In this Excel tutorial, you will learn to use the shortcut key sequence to use Format Painter.

Shortcut for Format Painter


What is Format Painter?

In Microsoft Excel, the Format Painter is a powerful tool that allows you to copy the formatting from one cell or range of cells and apply it to another.

The Format Painter is a quick and efficient way to replicate formatting without having to manually adjust each cell. It’s convenient when you want to maintain a consistent look across different parts of your Excel worksheet.

To find the format painter:

  1. Navigate to the “Home” tab in the Ribbon.
  2. Look for the “Format Painter” icon. It usually resembles a small paintbrush.

Format Painter

Note: You can also use the Fill Handle, or Paste Special feature to copy the formatting too.

Format Painter Shortcut

The shortcut sequence to activate Format Painter is “Alt+H+FP”. We will use this shortcut for the Format Painter option to have our desired formatting styles from one cell/ range to another.

To activate Format Painter with the shortcut, you can follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell that contains the desired formatting.
  2. Press ALT, H, F, and P (you have to press these keys individually).
  3. Click on the cell or select the range of cells where you want to copy the formatting.
    This copy and paste the formatting to the desired cell as shown in the image below.Shortcut for Format Painter
  4. Or, you can press the F5 key instead of clicking on the cell.
    This will enable a “Go To” box.
  5. Type the desired cell/range of cells where you want to paste the formatting.
    This will apply the formatting to the desired range of cells.Using Go To Box

Note: Remember, this shortcut is specific to Microsoft Excel and might not apply to other applications. Also, the exact sequence can vary depending on the version of Excel and the customizations you might have.

Read More: How to Use Format Painter in Excel for Multiple Sheets


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Conclusion

In this article, we have tried to cover the easiest ways to use format painter shortcuts in Excel effectively. I hope you will find it useful. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to share them with us.


Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enable Format Painter in Excel?

To enable Format Painter:

  1. Open your Excel workbook.
  2. Go to the ‘Home’ tab on the Excel ribbon (the toolbar at the top of Excel).
  3. In the ‘Clipboard’ group, you will find the Format Painter tool, represented by a paintbrush icon.
  4. Make a single click for one-time use or double-click to use it multiple times.

What is the shortcut to paste format in Excel?

To copy formatting, select the source row, press Ctrl+C, choose the target row, press Shift + F10, and then R. Now, your selected row has the same formatting. Repeat for multiple rows as needed.


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Tanjima Hossain
Tanjima Hossain

TANJIMA HOSSAIN is a marine engineer who enjoys working with Excel and VBA programming. For her, programming is a handy, time-saving tool for managing data, files, and online tasks. She's skilled in Rhino3D, Maxsurf C++, MS Office, AutoCAD, and Excel & VBA, going beyond the basics. She holds a B.Sc. in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from BUET and is now a content developer. In this role, she creates tech-focused content centred around Excel and VBA. Apart from... Read Full Bio

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