Office Settings & Configuration

Excel Keyboard Shortcut to Increase Font Size: Quick Guide

Emma Brown Sep 30, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to find the specific Windows keyboard shortcut for increasing the font size in Microsoft Excel.

How to Increase Font Size in Excel Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Formatting cell text size quickly using the keyboard instead of the mouse.
Observed behavior: Standard Word shortcuts like Ctrl+Shift+> do not work in Excel, prompting the need for the correct Excel-specific ribbon shortcut sequence.

Before you start

Ensure you have selected the cell or highlighted the specific text within a cell that you want to enlarge before executing the keyboard shortcut.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Ribbon Key Sequence (Alt + H, F, G)

The official and most reliable way to increase font size in Excel for Windows is by using the built-in ribbon shortcut keys.

Unlike Microsoft Word, Excel does not support the Ctrl + Shift + > shortcut for increasing font size by default. Instead, you need to use the ribbon navigation keys to trigger the Home tab commands.

Select your target cells

Click on the cell or highlight the range of cells containing the text you want to resize.

Activate ribbon shortcuts

Press and release the `Alt` key on your keyboard. You will see small letters appear over the ribbon tabs.

Navigate to the Home tab

Press the `H` key to select the Home tab, which contains the font formatting tools.

Trigger the Increase Font Size command

Press `F`, and then `G` sequentially. The font size of the selected cells will increase immediately.

Use the Ribbon Key Sequence (Alt + H, F, G)

Sequential Pressing: You do not need to hold these keys down simultaneously. Simply press them one after the other: Alt, then H, then F, then G.

Solution 2

Add to Quick Access Toolbar for Faster Access

If you find the ribbon sequence too long to type repeatedly, you can create a custom shortcut by adding the command to the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT).

Format Data Easily in WPS Office

Format Your Spreadsheets Effortlessly with WPS Office

WPS Spreadsheet offers an intuitive interface with highly visible formatting tools, allowing you to format text, adjust font sizes, and stylize data quickly without memorizing complex key sequences.

1. Open your spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open your workbook in WPS Spreadsheet.
2. Select the data: Highlight the cell, row, or column where you wish to increase the font size.
3. Navigate to the Home tab: Look at the top ribbon menu and ensure you are on the 'Home' tab.
4. Increase font size directly: Click the 'A^' (Increase Font Size) button located in the Font group, or simply select a larger number from the font size dropdown.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsFree, lightweight, and fast office suiteFamiliar interface with easy-to-access formatting toolsRich set of built-in styles to enhance your data presentation

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Ctrl + Shift + > not work in Excel?

In Microsoft Office, `Ctrl + Shift + >` is specifically assigned to Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for increasing font sizes. Excel relies on a different shortcut architecture, using the `Alt` ribbon sequence (`Alt, H, F, G`) for this formatting action.

How do I decrease the font size using a shortcut in Excel?

To decrease the font size in Excel for Windows using the keyboard, select your cell and use the ribbon key sequence `Alt, H, F, K`. This navigates to Home > Font > Decrease Font Size.

What is the shortcut to increase font size in Excel for Mac?

On Excel for Mac, the shortcuts differ from Windows. You can generally use `Command + Shift + >` to increase the font size of the selected cells, which is much closer to the standard Word shortcut.

Can I create a custom keyboard shortcut in Excel for increasing font size?

Excel does not feature a native tool for customizing standard keyboard combinations (like Ctrl+Shift+Letter) without using VBA macros. The best workaround is adding the command to the Quick Access Toolbar and using an `Alt + [Number]` shortcut.

Office App Problems