How to Apply All Borders in Excel Shortcut?

The most efficient way to apply all borders to selected cells in Excel is by using the keyboard shortcut Alt + H + B + A. This shortcut allows you to quickly format your data for improved readability and presentation without needing to use your mouse.

Understanding the "All Borders" Shortcut (Alt + H + B + A)

This powerful shortcut is a sequence of key presses that navigates Excel's Ribbon interface to apply borders. Here's what each part means:

Alt: Pressing the Alt key activates the access keys (small letters and numbers) on the Excel Ribbon, allowing you to control the program with your keyboard.
H: This key selects the "Home" tab on the Ribbon, where most common formatting options reside.
B: This key opens the "Borders" dropdown menu within the Font group of the Home tab.
A: This final key selects the "All Borders" option from the dropdown menu, applying borders to all selected cell boundaries.

How to Use the Shortcut:

Select Cells: First, select the range of cells where you want to apply all borders. This can be a single cell, a row, a column, or a larger block of data.
Press Alt: Press and release the Alt key. You'll see letter and number overlays appear on the Excel Ribbon.
Press H: Press the H key to go to the Home tab.
Press B: Press the B key to open the Borders dropdown menu.
Press A: Finally, press the A key to select "All Borders."

Your selected cells will instantly have all internal and external borders applied.

Other Essential Border Shortcuts

While "All Borders" is frequently used, Excel offers several other useful border shortcuts to quickly format your data. These are part of the same Alt + H + B sequence, with a different final key to select the specific border type.

Border Type	Keyboard Shortcut	Description
All Borders	Alt + H + B + A	Applies borders to all cell boundaries (inside and outside).
No Border	Alt + H + B + N	Removes all borders from selected cells.
Bottom Border	Alt + H + B + O	Applies a border only to the bottom edge of each selected cell.
Outside Borders	Alt + H + B + S	Applies a border only to the outer edges of the entire selected range.
Thick Box Border	Alt + H + B + T	Applies a thick border to the outside edges of the entire selected range.
Top Border	Alt + H + B + P	Applies a border only to the top edge of each selected cell.
Left Border	Alt + H + B + L	Applies a border only to the left edge of each selected cell.
Right Border	Alt + H + B + R	Applies a border only to the right edge of each selected cell.

Alternative Methods for Applying Borders

While shortcuts are fast, it's also helpful to know other ways to apply borders in Excel:

1. Using the Ribbon Menu

This is the most common mouse-based method:

Select the cells you want to border.
Go to the Home tab on the Excel Ribbon.
In the Font group, click the Borders dropdown arrow (it looks like a square with a bottom line).
Select "All Borders" from the options.

2. Using the Format Cells Dialog Box

For more advanced border customization, like changing line style, color, or applying specific internal borders, use the Format Cells dialog:

Select your desired cells.
Press Ctrl + 1 (or right-click and choose "Format Cells...").
Go to the Border tab in the Format Cells dialog box.
Choose your desired Style, Color, and then click on the various border buttons (Outline, Inside, Top, Bottom, Left, Right) to apply them.
Click OK.

3. Adding to Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)

If you frequently use a specific border type, you can add it to your Quick Access Toolbar for a one-click solution:

Click the small dropdown arrow at the top left of Excel (above the Ribbon).
Select "More Commands...".
In the Excel Options dialog, choose "Commands Not in the Ribbon" or "All Commands" from the "Choose commands from:" dropdown.
Scroll down and find "All Borders" (or "Bottom Border," "No Border," etc.).
Select it and click "Add >>".
Click OK.
Once added, you can click the icon directly or use its assigned Alt + (number) shortcut on the QAT.

Tips for Efficient Border Usage

Consistency is Key: Use borders consistently across your spreadsheets to maintain a professional and organized look.
Highlight Important Sections: Use thicker or colored borders to draw attention to summary rows, totals, or critical data sets.
Printing Considerations: Borders are especially useful for printed reports, ensuring data tables are clearly defined on paper.
Conditional Formatting: For dynamic borders based on cell values, explore Excel's conditional formatting features (Home tab > Styles group > Conditional Formatting).

By mastering the Alt + H + B + A shortcut and understanding its variations, you can significantly speed up your Excel formatting tasks and create more visually appealing and readable spreadsheets. For more detailed information on borders and formatting, refer to Microsoft's official Excel support.