Today’s Date in Excel: Shortcut and TODAY() Formula

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, press Ctrl+; (Control plus semicolon) to insert today’s date as a fixed value in the selected cell. To insert a date that updates automatically, enter =TODAY() instead; it recalculates when Excel updates the workbook.

The shortcut for inserting today’s date

Click the cell where the date should go, then press Ctrl+;. Excel inserts the current date into that cell. You can also select a cell while editing a worksheet and use the shortcut there; if you are typing in the formula bar or editing text inside a cell, finish or cancel that edit first so the keystroke is treated as a worksheet command.

The shortcut inserts a date value, not a formula. That makes it useful for entries that should preserve the date they were recorded: an order received date, a meeting date, a time-sheet entry, or the day a task was completed. The value will not change tomorrow just because the calendar has advanced.

Select the destination cell.
Press Ctrl+; on a Windows keyboard.
Press Enter or move to another cell to finish the entry.

On a standard US keyboard, the semicolon key is beside the L key and does not require Shift. Keyboard layouts differ, so the key combination needed to produce a semicolon may vary. If Excel does not insert a date, check that the worksheet has focus and that you are pressing the semicolon key rather than a nearby punctuation key.

Fixed date versus the TODAY() formula

The shortcut and the TODAY function answer two different needs. A shortcut records the date once. The formula =TODAY() asks Excel for the current date and updates when the workbook recalculates. Use the shortcut for a historical record that should stay put; use the formula when a worksheet should always display the current date.

For example, with cell A1 empty, enter =TODAY() in A1. If the current date is November 2, 2026, the formula returns November 2, 2026, although the displayed format may show it as 2-Nov-2026 or 11/2/2026 depending on the cell format and regional settings. The formula has no arguments. It does not continually refresh every second; Excel updates it during calculation, such as when the workbook opens or recalculates.

Because TODAY is dynamic, a cell containing it can show a different date later without anyone editing that cell. That is often helpful for a report header or a formula calculating days remaining. It is a poor choice for a permanent “date received” record unless you deliberately convert the result to a fixed value. Copy the cell, then use Paste Special > Values to replace the formula with its current result.

Adding the current time as well

Excel has a separate shortcut for the current time on Windows: Ctrl+Shift+;. To put both date and time into one cell, press Ctrl+; first, press the Space bar, and then press Ctrl+Shift+;. The space separates the two entries. The resulting value is fixed, just like the date entered by itself.

Whether you can see both parts depends on the cell’s number format. If the cell shows only a date, select it and choose a date-and-time format from Home > Number Format. You can also open Format Cells with Ctrl+1 and choose a suitable option on the Number tab. A format changes how the value appears; it does not turn a fixed entry into a live clock.

For a live date-and-time value, Excel provides =NOW(). Unlike the keyboard shortcut, NOW is a formula and updates when the workbook recalculates. It can be useful for a report timestamp that should reflect the latest calculation, but it is not a reliable permanent audit timestamp: recalculation can change the displayed value. For records that must preserve when an event happened, use a fixed entry and follow the record-keeping rules relevant to your work.

Formatting the date so it is readable

A date can be stored correctly while appearing in an unexpected style. Excel’s display depends on the cell’s number format and regional settings. For instance, the same date might appear as 11/2/2026 in one setting and 2/11/2026 in another. That difference can be ambiguous when a workbook is shared internationally, so a format such as 2-Nov-2026 can make the day and month clearer.

To change the appearance, select the date cell and use Home > Number Format, then choose a date option. For more control, press Ctrl+1, select the Number tab, and choose Date or Custom. A custom format can show a four-digit year, abbreviated month, or weekday. The precise choices available can depend on the Excel version and locale.

Formatting does not change the underlying date. This matters when sorting, filtering, or calculating: an actual Excel date can be ordered chronologically and used in date arithmetic, while text that merely looks like a date may not behave the same way. If a date appears as a row of number signs, the column may simply be too narrow; widen it before assuming the entry is wrong.

Using today’s date in worksheet calculations

A dynamic date is especially useful when a workbook needs to compare another date with today. For example, a project sheet can show how many days remain until a due date. Put due dates in column B and, in C2, use =B2-TODAY(). If B2 contains November 12, 2026, and the current date is November 2, 2026, the result is 10 days. Copy the formula down column C to calculate the difference for other rows.

This is a day difference, not a count of working days, and the result can be negative if the due date has passed. Format the result as General or Number if it displays as a calendar date. For a status that labels a deadline as overdue or upcoming, you can build on the same comparison with an IF formula, but first make sure the due-date cells contain real dates rather than text.

For a report that should show the date the report was generated, decide whether it should change. A TODAY formula is convenient for an always-current dashboard. A shortcut is more appropriate when the date marks a specific event, such as the date a form was submitted. Confusing those purposes can make an old record appear newly dated or make a current report look stale.

Windows, Mac, and Excel for the web

This page’s primary shortcut is for Excel on Windows: Ctrl+; inserts the current date, and Ctrl+Shift+; inserts the current time. Excel for Mac also uses Control+; for the date. On Mac, the time shortcut is Command+; rather than the Windows Ctrl+Shift+; combination. To enter both on a Mac, use Control+; then Space, then Command+;.

Excel for the web supports the date shortcut in many browser and keyboard setups, but browser or operating-system shortcuts can sometimes take precedence. If Ctrl+; does not enter the date, use the formula =TODAY() in the selected cell, or open the formula bar and enter it there. Menus and key behavior can also differ slightly between the desktop app and the web version, so check that the active selection is in the worksheet.

On any platform, formulas such as TODAY and NOW are a practical alternative when a keyboard shortcut is unavailable. Their results are dynamic, however, while the keyboard shortcuts create fixed entries. That distinction is more important than the platform difference when choosing the right method.

Common problems and quick checks

The shortcut does nothing: Click a worksheet cell, exit cell-editing mode, and try again. Check the keyboard layout and whether another application or browser is intercepting the keys.
The date looks wrong: Check the date format and regional settings. A short numeric date can be interpreted differently across locales; use an unambiguous month name if needed.
The date appears as a number: The value may still be a valid Excel date. Apply a date number format using Home > Number Format or Ctrl+1.
The date changes later: Check the formula bar. If the cell contains =TODAY(), it is designed to update; the keyboard shortcut inserts a fixed value.
The date does not update: A TODAY formula depends on recalculation. On Windows, check Formulas > Calculation Options and select Automatic if appropriate for the workbook.

Also distinguish the value from its appearance. Formatting a date as text-like characters does not necessarily remove its date value, but importing or typing dates in an unfamiliar format can result in text. If sorting gives a strange order or subtraction does not produce a day count, inspect the cell and confirm Excel recognizes it as a date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the keyboard shortcut for today’s date in Excel?
In Excel for Windows, press Ctrl+; (Control plus semicolon). It inserts today’s date as a fixed value in the selected cell.

Does Ctrl+; update to tomorrow’s date automatically?
No. It inserts a date value that stays the same. Use =TODAY() if the cell should update when Excel recalculates the workbook.

How do I insert today’s date and the current time in one cell?
On Windows, press Ctrl+;, then Space, then Ctrl+Shift+;. On Mac, use Control+;, Space, then Command+;.

Why does my date show as a number or in the wrong format?
Excel stores dates as values and displays them according to the cell’s number format and regional settings. Select a suitable date format from Home > Number Format, or use Ctrl+1 for more options.

What is the difference between TODAY() and NOW()?
TODAY returns the current date. NOW returns the current date and time. Both are formulas that can update during recalculation, unlike the fixed date or time entered by a shortcut.

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

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