How to select a large data range in one click in Excel

Excel 365
Sometimes you need to select a large data range. This tip shows how to select rows, columns, rectangular, or free form ranges in a few clicks.

To select a large data range in your Excel spreadsheet, in the Name Box, enter the range you want to select:

  • To select full rows, just type the range of rows. For example, from 2 to 50:
    Select rows in Excel 2016
  • To select full columns, type the range of columns. For example, from A to I:
    Select columns in Excel 2016
  • To select the data range, type the first cell, colon, and the last cell. For example, A2:M50:
    Select rectangular data range in Excel 2016
  • To select several data ranges, type the first cell, colon, the last cell for each data range, separated by a comma. For example, A2:D50, G2:I50:
    Select free form data ranges in Excel 2016

See also this tip in French: Comment sélectionner une grande plage de données en un clic dans Excel.

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