To select noncontiguous ranges with the keyboard in Excel, hold down the Ctrl key while selecting the individual ranges you want to select. For example, if you wanted to select cells A1:A5, C1:C5, and E1:E5, you would hold down the Ctrl key and click on each of those ranges individually. Once all the ranges are selected, you can release the Ctrl key and all of the selected ranges will be highlighted.

If you want to select an entire column or row that is not next to each other, you can use the Shift key instead of the Ctrl key. For example, if you wanted to select columns A through D, you would hold down the Shift key and click on column A, then column D. All of the columns in between those two will be selected as well.

Note:

• To select multiple cells that are next to each other, simply click and drag your mouse over those cells. You don't need to use the Ctrl or Shift keys for this.

Additional Tips

• If you want to add additional ranges to a selection that you have already made, hold down the Ctrl key and click on those additional ranges. The new ranges will be added to your existing selection.
• To remove a range from a selection that you have already made, hold down the Ctrl key and click on that range again. It will be removed from your selection.