Autosum Shortcut in Google Sheets

Autosum is a fast way to drop a SUM formula into a cell without typing the whole thing. You click once, Sheets guesses the range from the numbers nearby, and you press Enter. That’s it.

It’s most useful when you have a column or row of numbers and want a quick total at the bottom or end. Works the same whether you have 5 rows or 500.

There’s no built-in keyboard shortcut for autosum in Google Sheets on Windows or Mac. Unlike Excel, where Alt + = does the job instantly, Sheets doesn’t have an equivalent. The fastest route is the toolbar Sum button (the Σ icon), or just typing =SUM().

Is There a Keyboard Shortcut for Autosum in Google Sheets?

Autosum Keyboard Shortcut (Windows Windows)

No native keyboard shortcut on Windows. Use the toolbar Sum button below.

Autosum Keyboard Shortcut (Mac Mac)

No native keyboard shortcut on Mac. Use the toolbar Sum button below.

No combo works on either platform. Excel’s Alt + = is the one thing that didn’t make the jump to Sheets.

The toolbar Σ button is the closest equivalent. One click and it inserts =SUM() with a range already guessed from the numbers above or to the left of your active cell.

If you prefer the keyboard, typing =SUM( and selecting the range manually is just as fast.

How to Autosum in Google Sheets (Step by Step)

  1. Click the empty cell below a column of numbers (or to the right of a row) where you want the total.
  2. In the toolbar at the top of the sheet, click the Σ icon. It’s labelled “Functions” and lives near the right end of the toolbar.
  3. A small menu drops down. Pick SUM.
  4. Sheets inserts =SUM(range) with a range it guessed for you. Check the highlighted cells.
  5. Press Enter to confirm. If the range was off, edit it before pressing Enter.

A quick example. You have monthly sales in cells B2 through B13 and want the total in B14.

Click B14. Click the Σ icon. Pick SUM.

Sheets fills in =SUM(B2:B13) with the range already highlighted in blue. Press Enter and B14 shows the total.

Another Way to Sum

If you’d rather stay on the keyboard, just type the formula directly:

=SUM(

Then select the range with your mouse or arrow keys. Close the bracket and press Enter.

That’s three keystrokes (=, s, u) before autocomplete suggests SUM. Press Tab to accept it. From there, click and drag for the range.

The Functions menu in the toolbar (the Σ button) also has these one-click options:

  • AVERAGE for the mean
  • COUNT for how many numeric values
  • MAX for the largest value
  • MIN for the smallest value

Useful when you don’t remember the exact function name.

Things to Watch For

  • Range guess can be wrong. Sheets picks up contiguous numbers above or to the left of your active cell. If there’s a gap or a header row of numbers, the guess can over-include or under-include. Always glance at the highlighted cells before pressing Enter.
  • No Alt + = equivalent. This is the one Excel-to-Sheets gap that still trips people up. Macros and add-ons can fake it, but stock Sheets has no key combo for it.
  • The Σ button is hidden on narrow screens. On a small window or a tablet, the toolbar collapses. If you can’t spot the sigma icon, look for a three-dot overflow menu at the toolbar’s right end.
  • Insert, Function from the menu. Same options as the toolbar button, just one extra click deep. Useful if you’ve hidden the toolbar.
  • Mobile app. The Σ button is right at the top of the keyboard area in the iOS and Android Sheets app. Tap, pick SUM, and the range fills in.

Google Sheets keyboard shortcuts

Related Google Sheets shortcuts: