Select All Images in Excel: Ctrl+A, Selection Pane, and Go To Special in 1 Minute
To select pictures and shapes scattered across a worksheet at once, use Ctrl+A, the Selection Pane, or Go To Special → Objects. After selecting them, you can apply size, alignment, spacing, grouping, and locking settings all at once to save time.
Quick Fix — The 3 Fastest Methods
- Click one picture, then press Ctrl+A (Mac: Cmd+A) to select all objects. (You must click an object first.)
- Use Home → Find & Select → Selection Pane (Alt+F10) to select even overlapping objects precisely.
- Use Ctrl+G/F5 → Special → Objects to select all objects on the worksheet at once.
Selection Pane
You can view a list of all objects, show or hide them, rename them, and select multiple objects. It also lets you select overlapping pictures precisely.
Go To Special → Objects
Select all objects at once to apply deletion, formatting, or alignment in bulk. Because this also includes charts and shapes, exclude unwanted items in the Selection Pane.
Bulk Editing
- Size: Picture Format → Size (enter numeric values)
- Alignment/spacing: Align → Align Left/Right/Top/Bottom, Distribute
- Grouping: Align → Group/Ungroup
- Layer: Bring Forward/Send Backward
- Locking: Lock position and size to protect the layout
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Only cells are selected | You did not click an object first | Click a picture, then press Ctrl+A |
| Cannot select overlapping pictures | Objects overlap in layers | Use the Selection Pane (Alt+F10) |
| Charts are selected too | Objects includes all objects | Exclude them in the Selection Pane or deselect them with Ctrl+click |
| Cannot click a picture | Object display is hidden | In Advanced options, set “For objects, show: All” |