How to Use Flash Fill in Excel (4 Ways with Shortcuts)

4 Ways to Use Flash Fill in Excel to Extract, Combine, Clean or Format Data

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated February 12, 2022

Applies to: Microsoft^® Excel^® 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 or 365 (Windows)

You can use Flash Fill in Excel to extract, combine, clean or format data quickly without using formulas. In order to use Flash Fill, Excel must be able to understand a pattern in a column to the left of the column where you want to fill the data so the source data should be entered in a consistent way. You can use Flash Fill by clicking a button, using shortcuts or by using the Fill handle.

You can automatically fill in values using Flash Fill if you have Microsoft Excel 2013 or a later version. Flash Fill can be used to extract names, phone numbers, emails and even to format data.

If you have a blank column between the column that is being flash filled and the column with the values being referenced, Excel will display a message that it cannot find a pattern in the adjacent data.

Although you may have used functions like LEFT, RIGHT and MID to extract data in previous versions of Excel, Flash Fill can extract data without using formulas. For example, if you have a column of full names and you wanted to extract the first and last names in separate columns, you could use Flash Fill.

Unlike formulas, Flash Fill does not update the generated data so if the original data changes, you would need to repeat the Flash Fill process.

Do you want to learn more about Excel? Check out our virtual classroom or live classroom Excel courses >

1. Using Flash Fill with a keyboard shortcut

To use Flash Fill with a keyboard shortcut:

Select the first cell immediately to the right of one or more columns of data you want to extract, combine, clean or format.
Enter the value you want to extract, combine, clean or format (such as the first name from a cell in the same row in a column to the left). Flash Fill is case sensitive so enter the data in the desired case.
Press Enter.
In the cell below the first value, press Ctrl + E. Excel should generate data values from the adjacent column(s) to fill data in the cells in the current column.

2. Using Flash Fill in the Ribbon

To use Flash Fill using Flash Fill in the Ribbon:

Select the first cell immediately to the right of one or more columns of data you want to extract, combine, clean or format.
Enter the value you want to extract, combine, clean or format (such as the first name from a cell in the same row in a column to the left). Flash Fill is case sensitive so enter the data in the desired case.
Press Enter.
With the cell below the first value selected, click the Data tab in the Ribbon and click Flash Fill in the Data Tools group. Excel should generate data values from the adjacent column(s) to fill data in the cells in the current column.

Below is the Flash Fill command in the Ribbon:

3. Using Flash Fill with a context menu

To use Flash Fill with a context menu:

Select the first cell immediately to the right of one or more columns of data you want to extract, combine, clean or format.
Enter the value you want to extract, combine, clean or format (such as the first name from a cell in the same row in a column to the left). Flash Fill is case sensitive so enter the data in the desired case.
Press Enter.
In the cell below the first value, enter a new value (such as the first name from a cell in the same row in a column to the left). A pop-up of generated data should appear if Excel understands the pattern.
Press Enter. Excel should generate data values from the adjacent column(s) to fill data in the cells in the current column.

If the data is not consistent, try the above method by entering three values.

4. Using Flash Fill with a Smart Tag

To use Flash Fill with a Smart Tag:

Select the first cell immediately to the right of one or more columns of data you want to extract, combine, clean or format.
Enter the value you want to extract, combine, clean or format (such as the first name from a cell in the same row in a column to the left). Flash Fill is case sensitive so enter the data in the desired case.
Press Enter.
Click the cell in which you entered the first value and drag the bottom right corner handle (Fill handle) down to the last cell you want to fill. A Smart Tag should appear.
Click the Smart Tag and select Flash Fill.

Example 1 – Extracting first and last names using Flash Fill

If you have a column of names, you can extract first and last names in the adjacent columns as in the following example (column B and C data was generated using Flash Fill):

Example 2 – Combining last names and first names using Flash Fill

If you have columns of first names and last names, you can reorganize the data as last name, comma and then first name or generate emails for people in the same company as in the following example (column C and D data was generated using Flash Fill):

Example 3 – Formatting phone numbers using Flash Fill

You can use Flash Fill to format phone numbers by adding brackets not included in the original data as in the following example (column B data was generated using Flash Fill):

Example 4 – Extracting names from email addresses using Flash Fill

With Flash Fill, you can extract the text before the @ symbol from email addresses as in the following example (column B data was generated using Flash Fill):

These are just a few examples of Flash Fill to get you started. You can even use Flash Fill with date and time data so give it a try.

This article was originally published on January 31, 2016 and has been updated for clarity and content.

Subscribe to get more articles like this one

Did you find this article helpful? If you would like to receive new articles, join our email list.

More resources

How to Freeze Row and Column Headings in Excel Worksheets

3 Excel Strikethrough Shortcuts to Cross Out Text or Values in Cells

How to Highlight Errors, Blanks and Duplicates in Excel Worksheets

How to Replace Blank Cells in Excel with Zeros (0), Dashes (-) or Other Values

10 Excel Flash Fill Examples (Extract, Combine, Clean and Format Data with Flash Fill)

Related training

Microsoft Excel: Intermediate / Advanced

Microsoft Excel: Data Analysis with Functions, Dashboards and What-If Analysis Tools

Microsoft Excel: Introduction to VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)

VIEW MORE COURSES >

Our instructor-led courses are delivered in virtual classroom format or at our downtown Toronto location at 18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (some in-person classroom courses may also be delivered at an alternate downtown Toronto location). Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca if you'd like to arrange custom instructor-led virtual classroom or onsite training on a date that's convenient for you.

Excel XLOOKUP Function (Syntax + Formula Examples)

The XLOOKUP function is a replacement for Excel's traditional VLOOKUP function (as well as HLOOKUP and INDEX / MATCH functions). It has a new set of arguments and is available in Excel 2021 and 365. It allows you to look up a value from an array in a range or table and return one or more results. One of the primary benefits of XLOOKUP is that it can look up from columns to the left in a data set and return a range.

How to Lock Cells in Excel (3 Ways)

It's easy to lock and protect cells in Microsoft Excel to prevent users from changing data or formulas. This involves a two-step process …

How to Stop or Control Green Error Checking Markers in Excel

In Microsoft Excel, errors are flagged with small green marker or triangle in the upper left corner of the cell. However, these indicators display when there may be an error but is, in fact, not an error.

How to Use Flash Fill in Excel (4 Ways with Shortcuts)

4 Ways to Use Flash Fill in Excel to Extract, Combine, Clean or Format Data