How to Use the Fill Handle in Microsoft Excel
See Microsoft Excel: Tips and Tricks for similar articles.If your Excel data follows a pattern, you can use the Fill Handle to quickly and easily add data to multiple rows and columns.
This feature works the same in all modern versions of Microsoft Excel: 2010, 2013, and 2016.
- Enter enough data to establish a pattern and then select the cells containing the pattern.
- Click on the Fill Handle, which is located in the bottom right cell of the selected cells.
- Drag the Fill Handle for as many rows or columns as desired.
Examples of scenarios in which it might be useful to use the Fill Handle include:
- Entering a numbered list.
- Entering days of the month.
- Entering months of the year.
- Entering yet to be named items which need to be differentiated.
- Copying formulas throughout a row or column.
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