Apple Numbers is built for spreadsheet work that feels native on macOS. The faster you can move between sheets, edit tables, and format data, the more it feels like an extension of your hands. This guide rounds up the essential Numbers shortcuts from Apple's official list.
File, window, and sheet basics
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Open template chooser | ⌘ + N |
| Open template chooser with language menu | ⌥ + ⌘ + N |
| Open spreadsheet | ⌘ + O |
| Save | ⌘ + S |
| Duplicate spreadsheet | ⇧ + ⌘ + S |
| Save As | ⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + S |
| Print | ⌘ + P |
| Add a new sheet | ⇧ + ⌘ + N |
| Previous sheet | ⇧ + ⌘ + { |
| Next sheet | ⇧ + ⌘ + } |
| First sheet | ⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + { |
| Last sheet | ⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + } |
| Close window | ⌘ + W |
| Close all windows | ⌥ + ⌘ + W |
| Minimize window | ⌘ + M |
| Minimize all windows | ⌥ + ⌘ + M |
| Enter/exit full screen | ⌃ + ⌘ + F |
| Preferences | ⌘ + , |
| Quit Numbers | ⌘ + Q |
| Quit and keep windows open | ⌥ + ⌘ + Q |
Navigation and movement
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Move one character | ← / → |
| Move one line | ↑ / ↓ |
| Move backward/forward one character | ⌃ + B / ⌃ + F |
| Move one word | ⌥ + ← / ⌥ + → |
| Move to beginning/end of line | ⌘ + ← / ⌘ + → |
| Move to top/bottom of text area | ⌘ + ↑ / ⌘ + ↓ |
| Move to beginning/end of paragraph | ⌥ + ↑ / ⌥ + ↓ |
| Scroll one page | Page Up / Page Down |
| Scroll to start/end of sheet | Home / End or Fn + ↑ / Fn + ↓ |
Selection and editing essentials
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Select all objects/text | ⌘ + A |
| Deselect everything | ⇧ + ⌘ + A |
| Extend selection by character/line | ⇧ + Arrow keys |
| Extend selection by word/paragraph | ⌥ + ⇧ + Arrow keys |
| Bold | ⌘ + B |
| Italic | ⌘ + I |
| Underline | ⌘ + U |
| Show Fonts panel | ⌘ + T |
| Show Colors panel | ⇧ + ⌘ + C |
| Delete word before cursor | ⌥ + Delete |
| Delete word after cursor | ⌥ + Forward Delete |
| Delete to end of paragraph | ⌃ + K |
| Superscript | ⌃ + ⌘ + + |
| Subscript | ⌃ + ⌘ + - |
| Indent list item | Tab |
| Outdent list item | ⇧ + Tab |
Table and cell navigation
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Move to next/previous cell | Tab / ⇧ + Tab |
| Move to cell below/above | Return / ⇧ + Return |
| Stop editing cell and select table | ⌘ + Return |
Rows, columns, and cells
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Add row above/below | ⌥ + ↑ / ⌥ + ↓ |
| Add column left/right | ⌥ + ← / ⌥ + → |
| Delete selected rows | ⌥ + ⌘ + Delete |
| Delete selected columns | ⌃ + ⌘ + Delete |
| Merge selected cells | ⌃ + ⌘ + M |
| Unmerge selected cells | ⌃ + ⇧ + ⌘ + M |
Objects, charts, and arrangement
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Move selected object 1 point | Arrow keys |
| Move selected object 10 points | ⇧ + Arrow keys |
| Duplicate selected object | ⌘ + D |
| Send to back | ⇧ + ⌘ + B |
| Bring to front | ⇧ + ⌘ + F |
| Send backward | ⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + B |
| Bring forward | ⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + F |
| Group selected objects | ⌥ + ⌘ + G |
| Ungroup selected objects | ⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + G |
| Lock selected object | ⌘ + L |
| Unlock selected object | ⌥ + ⌘ + L |
Customize your shortcuts
Numbers supports system-level shortcut customization in macOS. Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts... → App Shortcuts, add Numbers, and assign custom shortcuts to any menu item.
Show your shortcuts on screen
Recording a tutorial or presenting live? KeyScreen displays your keystrokes beautifully on screen so your audience always knows what shortcuts you're using.