Date Excel Shortcut: Insert Today’s Date

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, press Ctrl+; (semicolon) to insert today’s date as a fixed value in the selected cell. On a Mac, press Control+;. The inserted date will not update tomorrow; use the =TODAY() formula when you want a date that recalculates.

The Excel shortcut and what it inserts

The date shortcut is useful when you need to record the date an entry was made, mark a task as completed, or add a dated note without typing the numbers yourself. Select a cell, press the shortcut, and Excel enters the current date according to the computer’s system clock. In most cases, the cell displays the date using its existing date format or Excel’s default date format.

The shortcut enters a date value, not a formula that keeps checking the calendar. For example, if you use it on November 2, the cell retains November 2 even when you open the workbook on November 3. That makes it suitable for timestamps in a log or a form where the original entry date should remain unchanged.

Windows: Ctrl+;
Mac: Control+;
Excel for the web: The Windows shortcut generally works when the browser and keyboard layout allow it; if it does not, use the ribbon or enter a date directly.

The semicolon key is the key itself; you do not need to hold Shift to type a colon. On a keyboard layout where semicolon is in a different position, use the key that produces the semicolon character, or use the alternative method described below.

How to enter today’s date

To put the date in one cell, click the cell or move the active-cell outline to it, then press Ctrl+; on Windows. On a Mac, press Control+;. Excel commits the entry immediately, so you do not need to press Enter afterward. You can also select a cell and type the date manually if your keyboard layout makes the shortcut awkward.

Choose the cell where the date belongs.
Press the date shortcut for your operating system.
Check that the displayed date is correct and formatted as intended.

For example, if the computer’s date is November 2, 2026, the shortcut inserts that date into the active cell. The visible result might be 11/2/2026, 2-Nov-2026, or another format depending on regional settings and the cell’s formatting. Those different displays can represent the same underlying date.

Fixed date versus a date that updates

A fixed date is right for records that should preserve when something happened: an order received, a payment logged, or a document signed. A changing date is more appropriate for a report that should always show the current day. The difference matters because the shortcut and a date formula do not behave the same way.

With a worksheet where you want the current date to recalculate, enter =TODAY() in the cell. The formula takes no arguments and returns the current date when Excel recalculates the workbook. It may update when the workbook is opened or recalculated, so it is not a reliable way to preserve the date an individual record was first entered.

With a worksheet where you want the current date and time to update together, enter =NOW(). It returns the current date and time, and, like TODAY, it can change on recalculation. Format the cell to display the date, time, or both. Use the keyboard shortcut for a one-time entry; use a formula when the value should reflect the current date later as well.

These formulas are not a substitute for an uneditable audit trail. A user can change a cell containing a formula, and recalculation can change its result. If a workbook needs a controlled record of who entered information and when, a formal data-entry or logging process may be more appropriate than either a shortcut or a volatile formula.

Adding the current time or both date and time

Excel also has a keyboard shortcut for inserting a fixed time. In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+;. On a Mac, the current-time shortcut is commonly Command+;. The result is a time value that does not keep advancing like a clock.

On Windows, you can enter a fixed date and time in one cell by pressing Ctrl+;, pressing the Space bar, and then pressing Ctrl+Shift+;. The space separates the two entries. The way the result appears still depends on the cell format: if the cell shows only a date, the time may be present but not visible until you apply a date-and-time format.

Date and time values are stored together as numbers in Excel, with the fractional part representing the time of day. This is why formatting changes what you see without necessarily changing the stored value. A cell formatted to show only a date can hide the time portion, while a time-only format can hide the date portion.

Formatting the date you entered

If the value appears as a number, select the cell and choose a date format from Home > Number Format. You can choose a common date style from the number-format list or open Format Cells to select a more specific format. In the Format Cells dialog, the Date category offers standard date displays, and the Custom category lets you choose a pattern such as a four-digit year or abbreviated month.

Formatting affects display, not the date itself. For instance, a date can be shown as 11/2/2026 or 2-Nov-2026 while remaining the same date value. A format with a two-digit year is shorter, but a four-digit year is usually clearer in records because it avoids ambiguity about the century.

Regional settings influence how Excel interprets and displays dates. In one locale, 3/4/2026 may mean March 4; in another, it may mean April 3. The shortcut uses the computer’s current date, but the display follows the workbook’s format and regional conventions. When sharing a workbook across regions, a format such as 4-Mar-2026 can make the intended month clearer.

Putting the date into multiple cells

The shortcut is designed to enter the date in the active cell. If you need the same fixed date in many cells, enter it once, copy that cell, select the destination range, and paste. This copies the same date value rather than generating a new date at each destination. That can be useful for applying one reporting date to a set of rows.

If each row needs a separately entered date, it may be safer to enter dates as the records are created or use a structured data-entry process. A formula such as TODAY can fill a column with the current date, but every formula can recalculate; it does not automatically preserve a different original entry date for each row. Copying a formula and pasting it as values can preserve its current result, but that extra conversion needs to be done deliberately.

When pasting, check whether Excel copied the formatting as well as the value. If the destination cells have their own required styles, use Paste Special options that retain values or apply the desired format afterward. The precise paste choices can vary by Excel version and context menu, so confirm the cells look right before relying on the sheet.

Common problems and fixes

The shortcut does nothing: Confirm that Excel has focus and that a worksheet cell, rather than a text box or the formula bar, is selected. Try the operating-system-specific key combination and check how your keyboard produces a semicolon.
The cell shows a serial number: The date value may be present but displayed with a General or numeric format. Apply a date format using Home > Number Format.
The date looks backwards: Check the workbook’s date format and regional settings. A day/month order difference can make a valid date look wrong.
The date changes unexpectedly: Check the formula bar. A cell containing =TODAY() or =NOW() is a formula, not a fixed shortcut entry.
The date is treated as text: The cell may have been formatted as Text before entry, or the value may have been entered with an apostrophe. Change the cell to General or a date format and re-enter the value.

For a number that appears to be a date but is not recognized as one, inspect the formula bar and test the cell’s number format. If the contents remain left-aligned or do not respond to date formatting, they may be text. Re-entering the date after setting the cell to General or a date format often resolves the issue. Avoid changing formats across a large imported dataset until you have checked a few sample values.

When to use a shortcut, formula, or manual entry

Choose the shortcut when you want a fixed date with minimal typing. It is especially convenient in a daily checklist, a simple register, or a worksheet where a date is entered once and then retained. Choose TODAY when a cell should always show the date on which the workbook is recalculated, and NOW when it should show the current date and time.

Manual entry is reasonable when you are recording a date other than today, correcting a historical record, or using a keyboard without a convenient semicolon key. Enter the date in a form Excel recognizes for your region, then verify it in the formula bar or with an unambiguous display format. If dates are being imported, use a consistent source format and validate that Excel interpreted the day and month as intended.

A common misconception is that pressing the shortcut creates a live date. It does not. Another is that changing the cell’s date format changes the stored date; normally, it changes only the display. Keeping these two distinctions in mind helps prevent accidental changes to records and makes troubleshooting easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut for today’s date in Excel?
In Excel for Windows, press Ctrl+;. On a Mac, press Control+;. The shortcut inserts the current system date as a fixed value.

How do I insert a date that updates automatically?
Enter =TODAY() in the cell. Unlike the keyboard shortcut, this formula can update when Excel recalculates the workbook.

How do I insert the current time in Excel?
On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+; to enter a fixed time. On a Mac, the current-time shortcut is commonly Command+;.

Why does Excel show a number instead of a date?
The cell may be displaying the date’s underlying serial number. Select it and apply a date style from Home > Number Format.

Does the Excel date shortcut update tomorrow?
No. It inserts a fixed value based on the current system date at the time you press the shortcut. Use =TODAY() if you need a date that can update.

Can I insert both the date and time in one cell?
On Windows, press Ctrl+;, Space, then Ctrl+Shift+;. Apply a date-and-time format if both parts are not visible.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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