How to use the Bold, Italic, and Underline commands in Excel 2016?

Formatting text in Excel 2016 makes your spreadsheet easier to read and visually appealing. The Bold, Italic, and Underline commands are simple but powerful tools to highlight important information.

1. Using the Home Tab

The Home tab is the easiest way to format text quickly.

• Select the cell(s) with the text you want to format.
• Go to the Home tab on the Ribbon.
• In the Font group, you’ll see three main options:
• Bold (B): Click to make text bold.
• Italic (I): Click to italicize text.
• Underline (U): Click for a single underline.
• More underline options: Click the drop-down arrow next to “U” to select double or accounting underline.

2. Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts save time and are perfect for frequent formatting.

• Bold: Press Ctrl + B.
• Italic: Press Ctrl + I.
• Underline: Press Ctrl + U.
• Strikethrough: Press Ctrl + 5.

3. Using the Format Cells Dialog Box

This method gives more control over font styling and multiple effects at once.

• Select the cell(s) you want to format.
• Right-click and choose Format Cells.
• Go to the Font tab.
• Under Font style, select Bold, Italic, or Bold Italic.
• In the Underline drop-down, choose Single, Double, Single Accounting, or Double Accounting.
• You can also add Strikethrough, Superscript, or Subscript by checking the boxes.
• Click OK to apply all formats at once.

Quick Steps Summary

• Select the cell(s) to format.
• Go to the Home tab.
• Click B, I, or U as needed.
• Or use shortcuts: Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U.

5 FAQs of Using Bold, Italic, and Underline in Excel 2016

How can I apply bold, italic, or underline to multiple cells at once?

Select all the cells you want to format, then click the corresponding button in the Home tab or use the keyboard shortcuts.

Can I combine Bold, Italic, and Underline together?

Yes, you can apply multiple styles at the same time using either the Home tab buttons or the Format Cells dialog box.

What is the fastest way to format text?

Using keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U) is the quickest method.

Can I change underline style?

Yes, the Format Cells dialog box allows Single, Double, and Accounting underline styles.

Do these steps work for all text types in Excel?

Yes, these commands work for text in cells, headers, and even formulas in Excel 2016.

Conclusion

Using Bold, Italic, and Underline in Excel 2016 is simple but powerful. With the Home tab, keyboard shortcuts, or Format Cells dialog, you can make your spreadsheets clear, readable, and professional.