Pivot Table Issues

How to Select an Entire Excel PivotTable with a Keyboard Shortcut

Emma Brown Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs a way to select a complete Excel PivotTable, including the report filter fields, using a keyboard shortcut because default shortcuts are insufficient.

How to Select an Entire Excel PivotTable with a Keyboard Shortcut

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to highlight and select an entire PivotTable quickly via the keyboard for formatting or copying purposes.
Observed behavior: Standard shortcuts like Ctrl+A or Ctrl+Shift+* only select the main body of the PivotTable, completely excluding the filter fields at the top of the table.

Before you start

Before proceeding, ensure you have enabled the Developer tab in your Excel ribbon and are prepared to save your file as a Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm).

Solution 1Recommended

Use a VBA Macro and Assign a Custom Keyboard Shortcut

Since native Excel shortcuts exclude the filter fields, creating a brief VBA macro is the most effective workaround to select the full PivotTable range with a custom key combination.

Microsoft Excel does not currently provide a native keyboard shortcut to select a PivotTable alongside its report filters. By utilizing a simple VBA script that calls the 'TableRange2' property, you can easily bypass this limitation.

Open the VBA Editor

Press Alt + F11 on your keyboard to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) window.

Insert a New Module

In the top menu bar, click 'Insert' and select 'Module' to create a blank scripting window.

Paste the Macro Code

Type or paste the following code exactly as shown: Sub SelectEntirePivotTable() ActiveCell.PivotTable.TableRange2.Select End Sub

Assign a Custom Keyboard Shortcut

Close the VBA Editor to return to your worksheet. Press Alt + F8 to open the Macro dialog box, select 'SelectEntirePivotTable', click 'Options', and assign your preferred shortcut key (e.g., Ctrl + Shift + P).

Quick Selection Ready: Click any cell inside your PivotTable and press your newly assigned shortcut key. The entire table, including all filter fields, will instantly be highlighted.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Ctrl+A select the entire PivotTable?

By default, pressing Ctrl+A inside a PivotTable only selects the 'current region', which includes the data body and row/column labels but intentionally excludes page filters. This design prevents accidental formatting or deletion of the filter fields.

How can I select the entire PivotTable using the ribbon menu instead of a shortcut?

Click any cell within your PivotTable, navigate to the 'PivotTable Analyze' tab (or 'Options' in older versions of Excel), click the 'Select' dropdown button in the Actions group, and choose 'Entire PivotTable'.

What is the difference between TableRange1 and TableRange2 in VBA?

In Excel VBA, the 'TableRange1' property refers to the PivotTable area excluding the page (report filter) fields. The 'TableRange2' property includes the entire PivotTable structure, encompassing both the data body and the page filter fields at the top.

Excel & Data Problems