Selection · original practice scenario
Add a separate cell or range to a selection
B2 and E5 are two input cells that need the same highlight.
Start here: Windows worksheet grid; selecting separate areas
Some commands cannot operate on multiple separate areas; confirm the command supports your selection.
Follow these instructions in your own desktop Excel workbook. This page explains the operation; it does not send commands to Excel.
Windows keys and context
Ctrl allows separate selections. This entry does not infer a Mac modifier from the Windows instruction.
Ctrl+Click
Select non-adjacent cells or ranges. Microsoft reference ↗
Walk through the operation
- Click B2.
- Hold Ctrl while clicking E5.
- Release Ctrl before applying the highlight.
Instruction 1 of 3: Click B2.
Expected result: Both separate cells are selected.
Recall the keys
Which listed Windows combination or sequence starts this operation in the context above?
Related walkthroughs
- Extend a rectangular selection to a clicked cell
- Select nonadjacent worksheet tabs
- Select adjacent worksheet tabs
- Select differences within one column
Catalog updated 2026-10-18. US keyboard notation: + joins held keys; commas separate successive presses. Function keys may require Fn. Desktop instructions are separate from this browser's own keyboard shortcuts.