Autofill in Microsoft Excel
Autofill in Microsoft Excel is a feature that allows users to quickly fill cells with data following a specific pattern or copying the same content across cells. It's especially useful for extending series (like days, dates, or numbers) or repeating text, numbers, or formulas across multiple cells.
How to Use Autofill in Excel
- Select the Cell
with the Starting Data:
- Click on the cell
with the data you want to autofill, such as a number, date, or formula.
- Locate the Fill
Handle:
- The fill handle is
the small square at the bottom-right corner of the selected cell.
- Drag the Fill
Handle:
- Click and drag the
fill handle down, up, left, or right to fill adjacent cells with the
data.
- When you release the
mouse, Excel will autofill the selected cells.
- Autofill Options:
- After you release the
mouse, an “Auto Fill Options” icon may appear at the end of the filled
cells. Click it to see different options for filling data:
- Copy
Cells: Repeats the original cell data in each cell.
- Fill
Series: Extends a series of numbers, dates, etc.
- Fill
Formatting Only: Copies only the formatting.
- Fill
Without Formatting: Fills data without copying the original cell's
formatting.
- Double-Click for
Quick Filling:
- If you have a column
with data adjacent to the column you want to fill, double-click the fill
handle. Excel will automatically fill down to match the length of the
adjacent data.
Common Autofill Patterns
- Numbers: Select
a number, then drag to repeat the same number or create a sequence (like
1, 2, 3).
- Dates: Select a
date, then drag to fill in subsequent dates.
- Days and Months:
Type a day or month (like “Monday” or “January”), and Excel will continue
the sequence.
- Formulas: When
you drag a cell with a formula, Excel will adjust cell references in the
formula based on the fill direction.
Autofill Shortcuts
- Ctrl + D: Fills
the content of the cell above into the selected cell(s).
- Ctrl + R: Fills
the content of the cell to the left into the selected cell(s).
Advantage of Autofill:
Autofill helps save time and minimize errors by efficiently filling out large datasets following a logical sequence.
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