Excel Flash Fill Shortcut (Ctrl+E)
Flash Fill detects a pattern from your example and fills the rest of the column automatically. On Windows press Ctrl+E after typing one or two examples next to your data. On Mac, recent Excel builds also accept Ctrl+E; if it does nothing, use Data → Flash Fill.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Fill (Excel Windows) | Ctrl + E (recent builds) or Data → Flash Fill | Ctrl + E | |
| Flash Fill via ribbon | Data menu → Flash Fill | Alt, A, FF |
How Flash Fill works
Type the result you want in the cell beside your source data (e.g. a first name extracted from a full name). Move to the next cell down and press Ctrl+E. Excel recognises the pattern and fills the whole column — extracting, combining, re-casing or reformatting text without a formula.
Windows vs Mac
On Windows Ctrl+E is the dedicated Flash Fill key. On Mac the same shortcut works in current Microsoft 365 builds; on older versions it has no binding, so open the Data tab and choose Flash Fill. The ribbon accelerator on Windows is Alt, A, FF.
If Flash Fill doesn't trigger
Give it one more example so the pattern is unambiguous, make sure the column next to your data is empty, and check Flash Fill is enabled under File → Options → Advanced.
FAQ
What is the Flash Fill shortcut in Excel?
Press Ctrl+E on Windows after typing one or two example values beside your data. Excel fills the rest of the column by matching the pattern.
Does Flash Fill work on Mac?
Yes — Ctrl+E works in recent Microsoft 365 for Mac builds. On older versions use the Data tab → Flash Fill.
Why isn't Ctrl+E filling my column?
Add another example so the pattern is clear, keep the target column empty, and confirm Flash Fill is on in File → Options → Advanced.