How to Select Large Data in Excel Without Dragging (5 Easy Ways)

Sample dataset contains 5 employees’ names, sales, salaries, working hours, and nationality.

Sample Dataset to Select Large Data in Excel Without Dragging

Method 1 – Using Shift Key

Steps:

Select the first cell of your dataset (B5 here).

Select the B5 Cell

Press and hold the Shift key of your keyboard.
Click on the last cell of your dataset (F9 here).

Using the Shift Key to Select Your Data in Excel Without Dragging

The whole dataset will be selected without dragging as shown in the image below.

Selected Large Data n Excel Without Dragging

Method 2 – Combining Ctrl and Shift Key

Steps:

Select the first data of your dataset (B5 here).
Press and hold Ctrl + Shift.
Press the Right arrow key of your keyboard to select the data to the right.

Combine Ctrl and Shift Key to Select Large Data in Excel Without Formatting

All the data in the first row are now.
Holding Ctrl + Shift, press the down arrow.

Combine Ctrl, Shift and Down Arrow Key

The entire dataset is selected without dragging as shown in the image below.

Selected Large Data in Excel Without Dragging

Note:

The rows can be selected first by pressing the down arrow and then the columns by pressing the right arrow.
Holding only the shift key enables user to select only the next row rather than going to the last row before a blank cell.

Method 3 – Using Name Box Command

Steps:

Click on the first cell of your data (B5 here).
Go to the Name Box and insert the dataset range (B5:F9 here).
Hit the Enter.

Using Name Box to Select Large Data in Excel Without Dragging

This selects all the data in Excel without dragging as shown in the image below.

Selected Large Data

Method 4 – Using Go To Command

Steps:

Select the first cell of your data (B5 here).
Press the F5key on your keyboard.

Access the Go To Dialogue Box

Go To window will appear.
At the Reference:text box, insert the last cell position of your dataset (F9 here).
Hold the Shift key and click on the OK.

Using Go To Dialogue Box to Select Large Data in Excel Without Dragging

This selects the data without dragging as shown in the image below.

Selected Large Data

Method 5 – Using Ctrl Key to Select Multiple Rows/Columns

Steps:

Click on any row number that you want to select (5 here).

Click on the Number 5

The entire 5th row is selected.
For selecting multiple rows, hold the Shift key and press the Down arrow.

Using Shift Key to Select Multiple Rows

Multiple rows can be selected now.

Selected Multiple Rows

To select columns, select the column required (B here).

Click on Column Header Letter

The entire B column is selected.
For selecting multiple columns, hold the Shift key and press the Right.

Using Shift Key to Select Multiple Columns

Multiple columns can be selected.

Selected Multiple Columns

Note:

For selecting rows, you can also press Shift + Space rather than clicking on the row header number.
For selecting columns, you can also press Ctrl + Space rather than clicking on the column letter.

Download Practice Workbook

Select Large Data Without Dragging.xlsx

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