Editing · original practice scenario
Select text from the caret to the cell start
Put Cedar Harbor Review in B2, enter edit mode and move the caret to the end of the text.
Start here: Text caret in a cell editor containing a single line of text
Mac notation targets a compact keyboard using Fn+Left for Home. Multiline editing and other keyboard layouts are not certified by this example.
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
Shift+Home
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
- Confirm that the caret is in the cell text rather than the grid.
- Use the listed combination to extend the text selection toward the beginning.
- Inspect the highlight and press Esc to preserve the original value.
Instruction 1 of 3: Confirm that the caret is in the cell text rather than the grid.
Expected result: The single-line text before the caret is highlighted; the worksheet selection does not expand.
Recall the keys
Which listed Windows combination or sequence starts this operation in the context above?
Related walkthroughs
- Abandon the current edit
- Select one character right while editing
- Select one character left while editing
- Insert complete worksheet rows
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.