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How to Use the Google Sheets Insert Row Shortcut

December 26, 2023 3.1K views

Shortcuts exist to help us work faster because they reduce the overall time taken to carry out a function. In this case, the insert row shortcut makes the process more accessible compared to doing it the long way. But how do you make use of this feature?

Continue reading to understand how to utilize the Google Sheets insert row shortcut on your Windows or Mac.

How to Insert Row Shortcut in Google Sheets

You usually know how to perform a function in Google Sheets but need to do it faster. That is the main reason why these processes have shortcuts. They help you perform various tasks that would otherwise take long.

Shortcuts are your best friends because they make your work seamless and easier. In this section, we’ll look at how you can insert rows in Google Sheets using the shortcut for Mac and Windows.

On Mac:

Step 1: Open Google Sheets on your desktop browser.

A fresh dummy Google Sheet document


 

That will serve as the sheet where you will insert the rows. If you’re already working on an existing sheet, you don’t have to open a fresh one. The reason is that the shortcut works well with either option.

Step 2: Highlight the row(s) around the area you would like to insert more rows.

Selecting the affected rows


 

Selecting one row limits any change you make to that row. If you want to change multiple rows simultaneously, select them together. That will make your work faster by preventing repetitions.

Note: The number of inserted rows will be the exact number of rows you selected.

Step 3: Use your keyboard's shortcut ‘⌘ + option + =’.

In the exemplary scenario, you won’t have to click or move your mouse before inserting the rows.

Step 4: Select your preferred choice from the options provided.

Select your preferred choice from the available options


 

A couple of options will pop up after using the shortcut mentioned in Step 3. Choose the option that best suits your work or the format you want.

On Windows:

The Google Sheet insert row shortcut on Windows follows steps similar to Mac's. However, the process differs regarding the exact keys used on your keyboard.

Step 1: Open Google Sheet on your desktop browser.

A new or existing Google Sheet document


 

Most times, you probably have it opened already if you’re working on a project in the Google Sheet workspace.

Step 2: Select the number of rows around where you want to insert your desired rows.

Select the row(s) you want to work on


 

Remember that the number of rows selected directly affects the number of rows that will be inserted.

Step 3: Use your keyboard's shortcut ‘CTRL + ALT + =.’

This shortcut does the same thing as the one for Mac. They both present you with options for inserting rows in Google Sheets.

Step 4: Select your preferred option for inserting one or more rows into your document.

Select the option that best fits your preference


 

Alternative Way to Use the Insert Row Shortcut in Google Sheet

Here’s another way to insert row(s) in Google Sheets using a slightly different set of keys. This method allows you to insert rows above or below your selected rows.

Step 1: Open Google Sheets and select the rows where you want to insert a row.

Open Google Sheets and select the relevant rows

 

Step 2: Use ‘Alt + Shift + i + r’ for Windows. For Mac, use ‘Ctrl + Option + i + r.’ That will allow you to insert the row or rows above or below your selected ones.

Choose your preferred option between inserting above or below

 

Standard Shortcut Keys of Google Sheets

The following keys work as shortcuts for various standard functions in Google Sheets. Firstly, we take a look at Windows and then Mac.

For Windows:

Select column

Ctrl + Space

Select row

Shift + Space

Select all

Ctrl + a

Ctrl + Shift + Space

Undo

Ctrl + z

Redo

Ctrl + y

Ctrl + Shift + z

F4

Find

Ctrl + f

Find and replace

Ctrl + h

Fill range

Ctrl + Enter

Fill down

Ctrl + d

Fill right

Ctrl + r

Save

(every change is saved automatically in Drive)

Ctrl + s

Open

Ctrl + o

Print

Ctrl + p

Copy

Ctrl + c

Cut

Ctrl + x

Paste

Ctrl + v

Paste values only

Ctrl + Shift + v

Show common keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl + /

Insert new sheet

Shift + F11

Compact controls

Ctrl + Shift + f

Input tools on/off

(available in spreadsheets in non-Latin languages)

Ctrl + Shift + k

Select input tools

Ctrl + Alt + Shift + k

Tool finder (formerly Search the Menus)

Alt + /

For Mac:

Select column

Ctrl + Space

Select row

Shift + Space

Select all

⌘ + a

⌘ + Shift + Space

Undo

⌘ + z

Redo

⌘ + y

⌘ + Shift + z

Fn + F4

Find

⌘ + f

Find and replace

⌘ + Shift + h

Fill range

⌘ + Enter

Fill down

⌘ + d

Fill right

⌘ + r

Save

(every change is saved automatically in Drive)

⌘ + s

Open

⌘ + o

Print

⌘ + p

Copy

⌘ + c

Cut

⌘ + x

Paste

⌘ + v

Paste values only

⌘ + Shift + v

Show common keyboard shortcuts

⌘ + /

Insert new sheet

Shift + Fn + F11

Compact controls

Ctrl + Shift + f

Input tools on/off

(available in spreadsheets in non-Latin languages)

⌘ + Shift + k

Select input tools

⌘ + Option + Shift + k

Tool finder (formerly Search the Menus)

Option + /

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How to download and use WPS Office for free

Browser:

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Go to the WPS Office official site

 

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Choose where you want the file saved

Choose where you want the file saved

 

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Tick the box and click ‘install now’ to begin the process

Tick the box and click ‘install now’ to begin the process

 

Microsoft Store:

Step 1: Open your Microsoft Store on Windows.

 Open the Microsoft Store on your PC

Open the Microsoft Store on your PC

 

Step 2: Search for ‘WPS Office’ in the store.

WPS Office appears as the first search result

WPS Office appears as the first search result

 

Step 3: Click on WPS Office from the search results.

Step 4: Click the ‘Install’ button to start the download.

 Click ‘install’ to start the download process

Click ‘install’ to start the download process

 

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FAQs

1. How do I put lines around cells in Google Sheets?

You can add borders to cells in Google Sheets by following these processes.

Step 1: Select the cell or cells you want to add a border to.

Select the cells you’d like to give borders

Select the cells you’d like to give borders

 

Step 2: Select the Borders button and choose your desired border from the options in the drop-down menu. In the picture below, we chose the ‘all borders’ option.

Click on ‘Borders’ to open up the various options

Click on ‘Borders’ to open up the various options

 

Step 3: Google Sheets will apply the chosen border option to your selected cells.

The border is applied to the cells you selected

The border is applied to the cells you selected

 

2. Can Google Sheets handle up to 100,000 rows?

Although you start with 1,000 rows, Google Sheets can handle more than 100,000. You can go as high as 10,000,000 rows for your project.

However, you must stay within this maximum number of rows.

Summary

We’ve shown you an easy way to use the insert row shortcut in Google Sheets for Windows and Mac, and also provides several shortcuts for standard processes in Google Sheets.

Not only that, you now know an excellent alternative to Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel, which is WPS Office.

WPS Office offers a powerful office suite with several beautiful features and templates. The tool has a high compatibility and works well across platforms and gadgets. You can start with all of its features by following the steps in this article.


15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.