Select text in Numbers for iCloud
You select text to change its formatting, move it, copy it, and more. You can select any amount of text—from characters, to words, to paragraphs—and the text can be contiguous or noncontiguous (nonadjacent). Selecting noncontiguous text makes it easy to perform the same action on specific text selections throughout a sheet.
Before you can select text in a text box, shape, table cell, or title or caption text field, you first need to place the insertion point inside the object or text field. The insertion point is the blinking vertical line that indicates where the text you type appears.
Place the insertion point
You place the insertion point to indicate where you want to start typing or selecting text.
Note: If you’re working on a blank sheet, you need to add a text box, shape, or table to the sheet before you can place the insertion point.
Go to Numbers for iCloud
, then sign in to your Apple Account (if necessary).In your spreadsheet, do one of the following:
In a text box or shape: Click the object. The insertion point appears after you start to type. If the object already contains text, click again in the text where you want to place the insertion point.
In a table cell: Click the cell to select it, then click again where you want to place the insertion point.
In a title or caption: Click the title or caption to select the text field, then click again to place the insertion point.
After you place the insertion point, you can use the arrow keys to move it.
Select text
Go to Numbers for iCloud
, then sign in to your Apple Account (if necessary).In your spreadsheet, do any of the following:
Select one or more characters: Click in front of the first character and drag across the characters.
Select a word: Double-click the word.
Select a paragraph: Triple-click in the paragraph.
Quickly select a range of text (without dragging): Click in front of the first character, then hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click at the end of the text you want to select.
Select noncontiguous text: Press and hold the Command key (on a Mac) or Control key (on a Windows device) while selecting two or more nonadjacent words or ranges of text.
You can select a range of continuous text or multiple noncontiguous selections only within the same area of a sheet—for example, within a single text box, shape, or table cell.
To deselect all text selections, click anywhere on the sheet outside a selection. To deselect only one or some portion of your noncontiguous selections, press and hold the Command key (on a Mac) or Control key (on a Windows device), then select the text you want to exclude.