Formulas and references shortcuts
Recalculate shortcuts in Excel (F9)
The keys
| Shortcut | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Calculate all open workbooksOnly 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 | Shift+F9 | Shift+F9 |
| Calculate everything, changed or not | Ctrl+Alt+F9 | Control+Option+F9 |
| Recheck dependent formulas, then calculate every cell | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F9Web Ctrl+Shift+Alt+F9 | Control+Option+Shift+F9 |
Checked against Microsoft's official lists on . Where Microsoft lists a key for one platform only, the other column says so instead of guessing.
You only need these in Manual mode
With calculation on Automatic (the default), Excel recalculates as you type, and F9 changes nothing you can see. If formulas only update when you press F9, the workbook is set to Manual: go to Formulas > Calculation Options > Automatic. Manual mode is saved with the file, and the first workbook you open sets it for the session, so one file set to Manual can make another look broken. See formulas not calculating.
Which one to press
- F9: everything that changed, in every open workbook. The everyday one in Manual mode.
- Shift+F9: the active sheet only. Faster in a huge workbook.
- Ctrl+Alt+F9: every formula, changed or not. Use it when results look stale, for example after a custom function changed.
- Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F9: rebuilds the dependency tree first, then calculates everything. The last resort.
F9 inside a formula
While editing a formula, select part of it and press F9: Excel shows that part's value in place, which is a quick way to debug. Press Esc afterwards, or the value replaces the formula part when you press Enter.
RAND, TODAY and NOW are volatile: they get a new value every time you press F9.
Why a shortcut sometimes does nothing
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.
Excel for the web: the browser takes some keys
In a browser, a few keys belong to the browser first: F1 opens the browser's help, Ctrl+O opens a file, Ctrl+W closes the tab, and F6 moves around the browser. Excel for the web uses Ctrl+F6 instead of F6, Ctrl+Alt+Page Down for the next sheet in Chrome, and Alt+Windows key with a letter for ribbon tabs. To get desktop behavior back, go to Help > Keyboard Shortcuts and select Override browser shortcuts. If the file opened in Viewing mode, editing shortcuts do nothing until you switch to Editing.
Related shortcuts
| Shortcut | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| 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+` |
| Edit the active cell How to: Absolute reference shortcut in Excel (F4 and Cmd+T) The cursor goes to the end of the contents. While you edit a formula, F2 switches arrow keys between moving the cursor and pointing at cells. | F2 | F2 or Control+U |
FAQ
What is the shortcut to recalculate in Excel?
F9 for all open workbooks, Shift+F9 for the active sheet. On a Mac, F9 or Cmd+=.
Why do I have to press F9 to update formulas?
Calculation is set to Manual. Change it to Automatic in Formulas > Calculation Options.
Why does F9 change my random numbers?
RAND and RANDBETWEEN recalculate on every calculation. Paste them as values to fix them.
Related guides
- 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.
- Pick random names in Excel without duplicatesPut =RAND() next to each name, freeze the numbers with Paste Values, then take the names with the largest numbers: =INDEX(A2:A11,MATCH(LARGE(B2:B11,1),B2:B11,0)) gives the first winner, LARGE(...,2) the second, and so on.
Related functions
In the glossary: Calculation modeVolatile function
All formulas and references shortcutsAll Excel shortcutsPrintable sheet