Formulas and references shortcuts in Excel
F4 adds the $ signs to a reference while you type, Alt+= writes a SUM, and Ctrl+` shows every formula on the sheet at once. The calculate keys matter only when calculation is set to Manual, which is also the usual reason a formula seems stuck.
Checked against Microsoft's official lists on . Where Microsoft lists a key for one platform only, the other column says so instead of guessing.
Learn these first
| Shortcut | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Switch a reference between A1, $A$1, A$1 and $A1 How to: Absolute reference shortcut in Excel (F4 and Cmd+T) Put the cursor on a reference while editing a formula. Outside a formula, F4 on Windows repeats your last action. | F4 | Command+T or F4 |
| AutoSum the cells above or to the left How to: AutoSum shortcut in Excel Check the dashed border before you press Enter: it stops at the first blank cell. | Alt+= or Alt+H, U, S | Shift+Command+T |
| Show formulas instead of results, and back How to: Show formulas shortcut in Excel The ` key is left of 1 on a US keyboard. Press it again to switch back. | Ctrl+` | Control+` |
| Insert a function (Insert Function dialog, Formula Builder on a Mac) How to: Insert function shortcut in Excel | Shift+F3 | Shift+F3 |
Step-by-step shortcut guides
All formulas and references shortcuts
| Shortcut | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Switch a reference between A1, $A$1, A$1 and $A1 How to: Absolute reference shortcut in Excel (F4 and Cmd+T) Put the cursor on a reference while editing a formula. Outside a formula, F4 on Windows repeats your last action. | F4 | Command+T or F4 |
| AutoSum the cells above or to the left How to: AutoSum shortcut in Excel Check the dashed border before you press Enter: it stops at the first blank cell. | Alt+= or Alt+H, U, S | Shift+Command+T |
| Insert a function (Insert Function dialog, Formula Builder on a Mac) How to: Insert function shortcut in Excel | Shift+F3 | Shift+F3 |
| After typing a function name, open its arguments How to: Insert function shortcut in Excel Type =VLOOKUP, for example, then press it: Windows opens Function Arguments, a Mac opens the Formula Builder. | Ctrl+A | Control+A |
| After typing a function name, insert its argument names How to: Insert function shortcut in Excel Not in Microsoft's Mac list. | Ctrl+Shift+A | —No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list |
| Enter a legacy array formula (CSE)Only for Excel 2019 and earlier. Excel 365 and 2021 spill array formulas with plain Enter. | Ctrl+Shift+Enter | Shift+Command+Return or Control+Shift+Return |
| Show formulas instead of results, and back How to: Show formulas shortcut in Excel The ` key is left of 1 on a US keyboard. Press it again to switch back. | Ctrl+` | Control+` |
| Calculate all open workbooks How to: Recalculate shortcuts in Excel (F9) Only needed when calculation is set to Manual. While editing a formula, F9 replaces the selected part with its value. | F9 | F9 or Command+= |
| Calculate the active sheet How to: Recalculate shortcuts in Excel (F9) | Shift+F9 | Shift+F9 |
| Calculate everything, changed or not How to: Recalculate shortcuts in Excel (F9) | Ctrl+Alt+F9 | Control+Option+F9 |
| Recheck dependent formulas, then calculate every cell How to: Recalculate shortcuts in Excel (F9) | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F9Web Ctrl+Shift+Alt+F9 | Control+Option+Shift+F9 |
| Turn formula-checking tooltips on or off | Ctrl+Alt+P | Control+Option+P |
| Expand or collapse the formula bar | Ctrl+Shift+U | Control+Shift+U |
| Open the menu of an Error Checking buttonNot in Microsoft's Mac list. | Alt+Shift+F10 | —No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list |
| Open the pop-up menu of an on-sheet button, such as the one after you pasteNot in Microsoft's Windows list. | —No Windows shortcut in Microsoft's list | Option+Shift+F10 |
| Paste a defined name into a formulaNot in Microsoft's Mac list. Works only when the workbook has names. | F3 | —No Mac shortcut in Microsoft's list |
| Define a name | Alt+M, M, D | Control+L or Command+F3 |
| Create names from the labels in a selection | Ctrl+Shift+F3 | Command+Shift+F3 |
Why a shortcut sometimes does nothing
F4 vs Cmd+T on a Mac
On Windows, F4 has two jobs: while you edit a formula it switches a reference between A1, $A$1, A$1 and $A1, and the rest of the time it repeats your last action. On a Mac, Command+T and F4 both switch the reference, but Command+T creates a table when you are not editing a formula. On a Mac laptop F4 may need Fn.
Laptop function keys
On many laptops the top row changes volume or brightness first, so F2 or F4 does nothing in Excel. Hold Fn with the key (Fn+F4), or turn on the laptop's function-key lock. On many Windows laptops that lock is Fn+Esc, but it varies by brand, so look for a small padlock or "Fn" icon on the Esc key.
Mac function keys
Excel for Mac uses the function keys for real commands, but macOS gives them to brightness, Mission Control and volume first. Press Fn with the key, or turn on "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" (System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Function Keys on recent macOS). After that, the printed features need Fn instead, so Fn+F12 changes the volume.
Non-US keyboards
Microsoft's lists are written for the US keyboard layout and say that keys on other layouts might not correspond exactly. Shortcuts named after a symbol, such as Ctrl+;, Ctrl+` or Ctrl+Shift+$, are the ones most likely to sit somewhere else or not work. When one does nothing, use the ribbon route on its task page instead.
Related guides
- Absolute vs relative cell references in ExcelA relative reference like B2 shifts when you copy a formula; an absolute reference like $B$2 always points to the same cell.
- Excel AutoSum selecting the wrong rangeAutoSum guesses its range from the block of numbers next to the active cell, so a blank row, a number stored as text or a subtotal row breaks the guess.
- Excel formula not calculating or updating: how to fix itIf a formula keeps showing an old result after you change its inputs, the workbook is almost always set to manual calculation.
- Excel formula showing as text instead of the resultWhen Excel shows a formula as text instead of the result, one of three things is wrong: the cell was formatted as Text before you typed, Show Formulas is turned on (Ctrl + `), or the formula starts with a space or an apostrophe.
Related functions
In the glossary: Absolute referenceMixed referenceCalculation modeArray formula