How to Autofill in Microsoft Excel

Autofill in Microsoft Excel is one of those features that saves you time, reduces mistakes, and makes working with spreadsheets way less tedious. If you’re tired of typing the same thing over and over—or you want to quickly create a series of numbers, dates, or patterns—autofill is your new best friend.

Here’s how to use it.

What is Autofill?

Autofill lets you automatically fill cells with data that follows a pattern or copies the content from other cells. You can use it for numbers, dates, days of the week, custom lists, formulas, and more.

How to Use Autofill in Excel

1. The Basics

1. Enter your starting value.
   Type a value into a cell. For example, “Monday” or “1.”
2. Select the cell.
   Click on the cell to highlight it.
3. Drag the fill handle.
   Hover over the bottom-right corner of the cell until you see a small black cross (this is the fill handle). Click and drag it down, up, left, or right across the cells you want to fill.
4. Release the mouse.
   Excel will fill the cells with data that follows the detected pattern.

2. Autofill Numbers and Dates

• Numbers:
  Type “1” in the first cell and “2” in the next. Select both, then drag the fill handle. Excel continues the sequence: 3, 4, 5…
• Dates:
  Enter “7/10/2025” in a cell. Drag the fill handle down. Excel fills the next cells with consecutive dates.

3. Custom Lists

If you always use a particular list (like “New Hire,” “Onboarding,” “Training”), you can create a custom autofill list:

1. Go to File > Options > Advanced.
2. Scroll down to General and click Edit Custom Lists.
3. Add your list, click Add, then OK.

Now, type any item from your list, drag the fill handle, and Excel will autofill the rest.

4. Autofilling Formulas

Excel autofill isn’t just for text and numbers. If you have a formula, drag the fill handle to apply that formula to other cells. Excel automatically adjusts cell references (unless they’re absolute references, with “$”).

Tips and Shortcuts

• Double-click the fill handle:
  Instead of dragging, double-click the fill handle. Excel will autofill down as far as there’s data in the adjacent column.
• Control the fill:
  After dragging, you’ll see an “Auto Fill Options” button. Click it to choose how you want to fill: copy, fill series, fill formatting only, etc.
• Undo:
  Made a mistake? Press Ctrl + Z to undo.

Wrapping Up

Autofill in Excel is simple but powerful. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll never want to do repetitive typing again. Try these steps out and watch your productivity go up.

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Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!