How do you autofill a series (e.g., months) down a column?

How do you autofill a series (e.g., months) down a column?

• A. Manually type each value.
• B. Use Copy and Paste only.
• C. Use the Filter function.
• D. Enter the first value(s), then drag the fill handle or double-click the fill handle after establishing a pattern.

Answer: (D)

Autofill works by recognizing a pattern and extending it with the fill handle. After you establish the starting value (for months, typing January is enough once Excel recognizes the pattern, or you can show the pattern by entering January and February), grab the small square at the bottom-right corner of the selected cell and drag it down to fill the rest of the column. If a clear pattern is already set, you can double-click that same fill handle to auto-fill down to the end of the adjacent data. This lets you quickly generate a series like months without typing each one. Manually entering every value, copying and pasting, or using a Filter function won’t automatically extend the sequence in the same way.

Autofill works by recognizing a pattern and extending it with the fill handle. After you establish the starting value (for months, typing January is enough once Excel recognizes the pattern, or you can show the pattern by entering January and February), grab the small square at the bottom-right corner of the selected cell and drag it down to fill the rest of the column. If a clear pattern is already set, you can double-click that same fill handle to auto-fill down to the end of the adjacent data. This lets you quickly generate a series like months without typing each one. Manually entering every value, copying and pasting, or using a Filter function won’t automatically extend the sequence in the same way.