Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 31, 2018)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
One of the interesting shortcut keys in Excel is the one that allows you to change the point size of the selected cells. The shortcut key is Ctrl+Shift+P, but exactly how the shortcut functions depends on what you have displayed on the screen.
This may sound odd, but you can try it out. If you have the Formatting toolbar displayed (as most people do), then pressing Ctrl+Shift+P selects the Font Size control on the toolbar. You can then type the font size you want to use and press Enter. (Pretty handy if you don't want to take your hands off the keyboard.)
If you don't have the Formatting toolbar displayed for some reason, then it seems obvious that the Font Size control can't be selected—it isn't even visible. Instead, pressing Ctrl+Shift+P results in the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog box being displayed.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3373) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Excel provides a couple of different ways to copy formatting from one cell to another. Perhaps the easiest way is to use ...
Discover MoreWhen you create custom formats for your data, Excel provides quite a few ways you can make that data look just as you ...
Discover MoreWhen you get a bunch of raw data into Excel from an external source, it isn't going to be formatted to your liking. The ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-10-02 12:08:00
Ed Sproull
For me (Office 365, MSO (16.0.10730.20102 32 bit) CTRL-SHIFT-P opens the font dialog and then ALT-S selects the font size drop down. I then use the up and down arrow to select the size I want and ENTER to finish.
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments