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Excel · Type in the current time

Editing

Windows · Linux

Ctrl+Shift+;

Mac

Cmd+;

Types the current time in as a fixed value; this is one place the platforms split — Ctrl+Shift+; on Windows but Cmd+; on a Mac.

Group
Editing
Keys held
3

Excel diverges most on the Mac. F4 for absolute references is Cmd+T there, and a few Ctrl combinations stay Ctrl rather than becoming Cmd.

Reading the key names

  • Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
  • On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
  • Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
  • With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
  • When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.

Common questions

Q. What is the shortcut for Type in the current time in Excel?

Types the current time in as a fixed value; this is one place the platforms split — Ctrl+Shift+; on Windows but Cmd+; on a Mac. It is Ctrl+Shift+; on Windows and Cmd+; on a Mac.

Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?

No — Ctrl+Shift+; on Windows, Cmd+; on a Mac.

Q. How many keys is that?

3 pressed together. The combination sits under Editing in Excel.

The same action elsewhere

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