Excel Autofill Keyboard Shortcuts for Fill Down and Right

To autofill a selected range in Excel, include the source cell and the cells you want to fill, then press Ctrl+D to copy the top cell down or Ctrl+R to copy the leftmost cell across. These shortcuts repeat a value or formula; they do not create a number or date series. Start with the source entry in place, and use a series-fill method when you want Excel to continue a pattern.

What You’ll Need

A workbook open in Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows.
A source cell containing the value, text, or formula you want to copy.
A target range that includes the source cell and the cells to fill. You can select it with the mouse, the keyboard, or the Name Box.

On current Excel for Mac, the fill-down and fill-right shortcuts are also Control+D and Control+R. Use the Control key, not Command. Excel for the web may respond to browser shortcuts instead, so use the Home ribbon’s Fill commands if a shortcut is intercepted.

Step-by-Step

Check the direction and source cell. For a vertical list, put the value or formula to repeat in the top cell of the intended range. For a horizontal row, put it in the leftmost cell. For example, if the entry is in B2 and you want it repeated through B12, B2 must be the top cell. If you need to copy across from C4, C4 must be the leftmost cell.
Select the full range, including the source. For the vertical example, select B2:B12, not just B3:B12. For the horizontal example, select C4:H4. The shortcut uses the top or left edge of the selection as its source. If you select only the destination cells, Excel may use the first destination as the source instead, which can produce blanks or the wrong result.

You can drag across the cells with the mouse, hold Shift while using the arrow keys, or click the Name Box to the left of the formula bar, type a range such as B2:B12, and press Enter. Typing a known range is useful when the list is long.
Fill down or right with the matching shortcut. With a vertical selection, press Ctrl+D on Windows to fill down. With a horizontal selection, press Ctrl+R to fill right. On Mac, press Control+D or Control+R, respectively. Excel fills the selected cells from the topmost or leftmost cell.
Inspect the filled cells. Check the last few entries and, if you copied a formula, click one of the filled cells and look at the formula bar. Excel normally adjusts relative references as a formula is copied. For example, if the source formula refers to the cell immediately to its left, a copy one row down will refer to the cell immediately to the left on that new row. References marked absolute with dollar signs stay fixed.
Use a series command when values should change. Ctrl+D and Ctrl+R duplicate; they do not infer that 1, 2 should become 3, 4. To continue a numeric or date pattern, enter at least two starting values, select those seed cells and the destination cells, then choose Home > Fill > Series. In the dialog, choose Rows or Columns, select Linear for a simple arithmetic sequence or Date for dates, set any step value needed, and confirm. You can also use the fill handle and choose a series option from its Auto Fill Options menu.
Use the ribbon if you prefer not to press a shortcut. Select the source and destination cells, then choose Home > Fill > Down or Home > Fill > Right. These commands perform the corresponding fill operation and are a useful fallback if a keyboard shortcut is unavailable or captured by a browser.

Common Mistakes

Selecting only the blank destinations: Fill Down takes its source from the top cell of the selected range. If the source is B2, selecting B3:B12 does not tell Excel to use B2. Include B2 in the selection, then press Ctrl+D.

Expecting a sequence from a repeat shortcut: Filling a cell containing 5 down a column gives you repeated 5s, not 5, 6, 7. Use Home > Fill > Series, or use the fill handle and select the series option. For a simple pattern, supplying two starting values helps Excel identify the intended increment.

Using the wrong direction: Ctrl+D fills down, while Ctrl+R fills right. A horizontal selection with Ctrl+D will not copy the leftmost entry across the row. Check that the selected range matches the shortcut before filling.

Overlooking formula references or formatting: Relative formula references adjust as they move, which is usually helpful but can change a result if a reference was meant to stay fixed. Also, Fill Down and Fill Right can carry the source cell’s formatting. Inspect the results and use absolute references or adjust formatting separately if needed.

Confusing Fill with Flash Fill: On Windows, Ctrl+E runs Flash Fill, which recognizes a text pattern such as extracting first names from full names. It is different from Ctrl+D and Ctrl+R, which copy cell contents or formulas in a direction.

Tips

Use the keyboard to select a continuous range. Click the source cell, then hold Shift and press an arrow key to extend the selection. Ctrl+Shift+Down can extend a selection through a contiguous block below, but it stops at gaps and may extend farther than intended. Review the highlighted range before filling.
Keep source and target cells in the same row or column. Fill Down uses the top edge, and Fill Right uses the left edge. This makes the result predictable and helps avoid copying from an unintended cell.
For formulas, decide which references should move. Relative references change with the destination cell. If a formula must always refer to a particular input cell, make that reference absolute before filling by adding dollar signs to the column and row, or use the F4 key while editing the reference on Windows.
Consider Excel tables for repeated formulas. In a table, entering a formula in a calculated column often fills it through the column automatically. If it does not, select the relevant table cells and use Ctrl+D, checking that the top cell contains the intended formula.
Confirm the selection before filling a large area. A shortcut acts immediately and can replace existing entries in the selected cells. If the range is substantial, verify its first and last cell in the Name Box before pressing the shortcut.

Troubleshooting

The shortcut appears to do nothing: Confirm that the worksheet is active, the intended cells are selected, and the source cell is at the top or left edge. If you are editing text inside a cell, press Enter or Esc to leave edit mode, select the range again, and retry. In Excel for the web, a browser may intercept a key combination; use Home > Fill > Down or Home > Fill > Right instead.

The filled cells are blank or contain an unexpected value: Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z on Windows, then check which cell is at the top or left of the selection. Make sure the intended source is included and contains the correct entry. If the source is blank, the fill operation can copy that blank into the rest of the selected range.

Formulas show unexpected results: Click a filled cell and inspect its formula. Relative references may have shifted, while absolute references remain fixed. If you intended a repeating value rather than a changing formula, copy the value or adjust the formula references before filling. If formulas display as text, check whether the destination cells are formatted as Text; change them to General, then re-enter or refill the formula.

The result repeats instead of continuing a pattern: That is normal for Ctrl+D and Ctrl+R. Undo if necessary, enter two or more starting values that establish the pattern, select the seed and destination cells, and use Home > Fill > Series. For a date sequence, choose Date in the Series dialog and select the appropriate date unit.

Some cells refuse to fill or the selection behaves oddly: Merged cells can interfere with filling across a range. Unmerge the affected cells or choose a range with matching, unmerged cell shapes. Also check whether the worksheet is protected; protection can prevent edits to locked cells. If needed, ask the workbook owner to allow editing or unprotect the sheet before filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the keyboard shortcut to autofill down in Excel?
On Windows, select the source cell and the cells beneath it, then press Ctrl+D. On Mac, use Control+D. The top cell supplies the content for the rest of the selected range.

What is the shortcut to autofill across a row?
Select the leftmost source cell and the cells to its right, then press Ctrl+R on Windows or Control+R on Mac. Excel copies the leftmost cell across the selection.

Can Ctrl+D automatically count numbers or dates?
No. It repeats the source cell rather than extending a series. Use Home > Fill > Series or the fill handle’s series option to continue a number or date pattern.

Will autofill copy formulas and adjust cell references?
Yes. Fill Down and Fill Right copy formulas, and relative references generally shift to match each destination cell. Absolute references containing dollar signs remain anchored.

Do these shortcuts work in Excel for the web?
They may work, but browser key handling can vary. If Ctrl+D or Ctrl+R triggers a browser action or does not fill the cells, select the range and use Home > Fill > Down or Right.

Is Ctrl+E the same as autofill?
No. In Windows Excel, Ctrl+E starts Flash Fill to recognize patterns in text. Use Ctrl+D for Fill Down and Ctrl+R for Fill Right when you want to copy cell contents or formulas.

Try it: the Formula Explainer: paste any formula and see each function and reference in plain English.

More in Formulas & functions

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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