To select multiple cells in Excel that are not next to each other, you mainly use the Ctrl key (or Command on Mac) along with mouse clicks or certain shortcuts.

Basic way (mouse + keyboard)

This is the most common method and works in almost every modern version of Excel.

  1. Click the first cell you want to select.
  1. Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac).
  1. While still holding the key, click each additional cell you want.
  1. Release the key when you’re done.

You can also click and drag to select a small block of cells while still holding Ctrl, then move and select another block.

Selecting non-adjacent ranges with Shift + F8

If you prefer the keyboard or have many scattered areas, you can build up a selection using Add or Remove Selection mode.

  1. Select your first cell or range normally (click and drag or Shift + arrows).
  1. Press Shift + F8 to turn on Add or Remove Selection mode.
  1. Use the arrow keys to move to a new area.
  1. Hold Shift and use the arrow keys to expand a new range.
  1. Repeat steps 2–4 to add more separate blocks.

Excel keeps all of those non-adjacent ranges selected so you can format, copy, or delete them at once.

Using the Name Box for precise picks

If you know the exact cell addresses, you can type them in.

  1. Click the Name Box (the small box to the left of the formula bar).
  1. Type the cell and range references separated by commas, for example:
    A2, C5, E7:G7, J10.
  1. Press Enter.

Excel will select all those non-adjacent cells and ranges in one go.

Quick notes and limitations

  • This works the same idea for rows/columns: select a row/column, then hold Ctrl and click another header to select non-adjacent ones.
  • After you perform some actions (like clicking in the sheet without Ctrl, or pressing certain keys), Excel may drop the multi-selection and keep only one area active.
  • You can use these selections to format, delete, or include scattered cells in a chart.

Tiny example story

Imagine you have a grade sheet and want to highlight only the failing scores scattered in B3, B8, D5, and F10.
You would click B3, hold Ctrl, click B8, D5, and F10, then apply a red fill once—all those scattered cells change together.

TL;DR:
Use Ctrl + click to select scattered cells with the mouse, Shift + F8 + arrows to add non-adjacent ranges by keyboard, or type multiple addresses in the Name Box to select them all at once.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.