Selection · original practice scenario
Select cells carrying legacy notes
Put 12 in B2 and 18 in B4. Add a simple Note to each of those cells; leave B3 unannotated.
Start here: Worksheet containing simple cell notes, historically called comments, outside edit mode
Legacy notes and modern threaded comments are different features. This scenario does not certify a selection of every modern discussion thread.
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
The publisher uses the historical word comments. The Mac Fn+Control+Shift+O notation is withheld pending independent verification; no Mac binding is supplied here.
Ctrl+Shift+O
Publisher-documented binding. Native desktop execution has not been tested.
Desktop key table and operation notes; reviewed 2026-10-18. Exceljet publisher reference ↗
Walk through the operation
- Return to a worksheet cell and leave the note editor.
- Use the listed combination to select annotated cells.
- Inspect B2 and B4 and verify that cell values were not edited.
Instruction 1 of 3: Return to a worksheet cell and leave the note editor.
Expected result: Annotated cells can be identified without reading each value; no-cells-found is a valid outcome on a sheet without matching annotations.
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
- Add a separate cell or range to a selection
- Select nonadjacent worksheet tabs
- Select adjacent worksheet tabs
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.