Google Sheets · Insert rows above or columns to the left
Rows
Windows · Linux
Ctrl+Alt+=Mac
Cmd+Option+=Inserts above when rows are selected and to the left when columns are selected; what appears is decided by your selection, not by the keys.
- Group
- Rows
- Keys held
- 3
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 Insert rows above or columns to the left in Google Sheets?
Inserts above when rows are selected and to the left when columns are selected; what appears is decided by your selection, not by the keys. It is Ctrl+Alt+= on Windows and Cmd+Option+= on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
No — Ctrl+Alt+= on Windows, Cmd+Option+= on a Mac.
Q. How many keys is that?
3 pressed together. The combination sits under Rows in Google Sheets.