For whole rows 3 through 7, select row header 3, hold Shift and select header 7. For only the data cells, select A3:D7 instead; on Windows you can enter A3:D7 in the Name Box and press Enter. Ctrl+Shift+End extends to the last used cell, so it does not guarantee a chosen endpoint such as D7.
On this page8
Paste the sample at A1 on a spare sheet. B4 is deliberately blank. Add Side cell in F5 and Far used cell in F20 so you can check selection boundaries.
For five whole rows, select row header 3 and Shift-select row header 7. The selection is 3:7 and includes F5, because whole rows include every column.
For the finite rectangle, select A3 and Shift-click D7. On Windows, the Name Box to the left of the formula bar also accepts A3:D7 followed by Enter. This includes blank B4 but excludes F5 and F20.
If you mean every remaining worksheet row, decide that scope explicitly. In a modern .xlsx worksheet on Windows, enter 3:1048576 in the Name Box for whole rows 3 through the worksheet bottom. Do not use a last-used-cell shortcut as a substitute for the worksheet bottom.
Inspect the selected row numbers and column boundary before copying, formatting or deleting anything. This exercise only selects cells; every sample value should remain unchanged.
Compare whole rows with a finite rectangle
Paste at A1, then enter Side cell in F5 and Far used cell in F20. Compare row headers 3–7 with A3:D7 on separate selections. Leave the values unchanged.
A1| Row | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Qty | Status | Check |
| 2 | Ava | 12 | Open | Keep D2 |
| 3 | Ben | 18 | Done | Keep D3 |
| 4 | Cara | (blank) | Open | Keep D4 |
| 5 | Dee | 20 | Open | Keep D5 |
| 6 | Eli | 9 | Done | Keep D6 |
| 7 | Fay | 7 | Open | Keep D7 |
If columns are cut off, scroll the table sideways.
| Selection | Scope | Blank B4 | F5 | F20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole rows 3:7 | Every column in rows 3–7 | Included | Included | Excluded |
| Finite A3:D7 | A through D in rows 3–7 | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
If columns are cut off, scroll the table sideways.
- A3:D7 contains twenty cells, including blank B4; F5 is outside it.
- Whole rows 3:7 include F5 as well as A3:D7. Row 2 and F20 remain outside.
- No cell content changes during selection. Check the highlighted boundary before the next command.
- Modern .xlsx row limits differ from legacy .xls limits; the worksheet-bottom example is scoped to .xlsx.
Documentation reviewed .
Microsoft: Select cell contents, rows and columnsMicrosoft: Select a specific reference with the Name BoxMicrosoft: Select a range in Excel for the webMicrosoft: Excel keyboard shortcutsMicrosoft: Worksheet row limitsMicrosoft: Whole-row and cell-range references
Windows: the Name Box accepts an explicit reference such as A3:D7; press Enter. To select whole rows 3 through 7, select their row headers. Ctrl+Shift+End uses the last used cell, not your chosen endpoint.Mac: select row header 3 and Shift-select header 7 for whole rows, or select A3 and Shift-click D7 for the finite rectangle. Keep row selection separate from switching worksheet tabs.
What this does
A row-header selection covers the entire width of the worksheet. A3:D7 covers only four columns and five rows, even though both selections span rows 3 through 7. Blank B4 is still part of an explicit rectangle. Ctrl+Shift+End follows the worksheet’s last used cell, and extend-to-data shortcuts depend on the data layout; neither defines an arbitrary fixed range.
A worked example
Compare two separate selections on the same sample. Whole rows 3:7 include F5=Side cell. The rectangle A3:D7 excludes F5 but includes the blank B4. Both exclude F20=Far used cell. Its presence illustrates why the last used cell can be farther away than the data you intended to select. All twenty cells of A3:D7 belong to the finite rectangle, including its blank; selecting them does not move or delete their contents.
In Google Sheets
Use the instructions for the spreadsheet product you are working in. In Excel for the web, row headers select whole rows; for the finite rectangle, drag from A3 to D7 or hold Shift while selecting the opposite corner. Browser keyboard handling can differ from desktop Excel. Worksheet-tab selection is a different task from selecting rows or cells, and is not covered by this example.
Common mistakes
- Selecting cells in one column and treating them as whole rows.
- Expecting Ctrl+Shift+End to stop at
D7when a used cell exists farther down or right. - Letting a blank cell decide the selection when you already know the required finite range.
- Confusing worksheet tabs with worksheet rows, or applying an edit before checking the selected boundaries.
Frequently asked questions
How do I select every row below row 2?
For a modern .xlsx worksheet on Windows, the explicit whole-row reference is 3:1048576. Enter it in the Name Box and press Enter. This includes empty rows to the worksheet bottom, not just rows containing data.
How do I select a smaller block that contains blanks?
Use an explicit reference such as A3:D7, or select its two corners. The blank B4 remains inside that rectangle.
Does Ctrl+Shift+End select all remaining rows?
No. It extends the cell selection to the last used cell in the worksheet. That can be different from both your intended data boundary and the worksheet bottom.