Google Sheets · Bold
Formatting
Windows · Linux
Ctrl+BMac
Cmd+BTurns the selected text bold or takes it back; italic sits right beside it on Ctrl+I, or Cmd+I on a Mac.
- Group
- Formatting
- Keys held
- 2
It runs inside the browser, so combinations the browser claims first — Ctrl+W, for one — never reach the sheet. That is why so many Sheets shortcuts use Alt/Option.
Reading the key names
- Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
- On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
- Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
- With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
- When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.
Common questions
Q. What is the shortcut for Bold in Google Sheets?
Turns the selected text bold or takes it back; italic sits right beside it on Ctrl+I, or Cmd+I on a Mac. It is Ctrl+B on Windows and Cmd+B on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
No — Ctrl+B on Windows, Cmd+B on a Mac.
Q. How many keys is that?
2 pressed together. The combination sits under Formatting in Google Sheets.