The most common shortcut to quickly insert the current date in Excel is Ctrl;. 1. Press Ctrl; you can insert a static date into the selected cell, which is suitable for data records and report updates; 2. If you need to insert time at the same time, press Ctrl Shift: again, and the system will automatically add spaces to separate the date and time; 3. If you want the date to be updated automatically, you should use the =TODAY() or =NOW() function, which depends on the system time and refresh dynamically; 4. When the shortcut key is invalid, it may be due to cell locking, input method is not in English, plug-in interference or localization problems, and should be investigated and solved one by one. Mastering these skills can significantly improve office efficiency.

Quickly insert the current date in Excel, the most commonly used shortcut is Ctrl; (semi-colon). This key combination can instantly fill in the selected cell with the date of the day, which is very practical. If you often process data records, report updates, or need time stamps, mastering this technique can save a lot of time.

Shortcut key to insert the current date: Ctrl;

Just press Ctrl; to enter today's date into the currently selected cell. Note that this operation inserts a static date and will not change as the file is reopened. That is to say, it records the date of the moment when you press the shortcut key.

For example:
For example, if you use this shortcut key on April 5, 2025, the cell will display "2025/4/5". Even if the file is opened later, the date will not change.

Insert with time? You can use Ctrl Shift:

If you also want to insert the current time at the same time, you can press Ctrl Shift: , which will fill in the current time into the cell. These two shortcut keys can be used together:

• Press Ctrl first; insert the date
• Then press Ctrl Shift: Insert time, a space will be automatically added to the middle of the insertion time, and it will become a format similar to "2025/4/5 14:30".

What if you want the date to be updated automatically?

The above method inserts a fixed value. If you want the date to be automatically updated every time the file is opened, you cannot use shortcut keys, you need to use functions:

Use the =TODAY() function to automatically display the date of the day, and it will be refreshed every day when it is opened.
If time is still needed, you can use =NOW() , which will display the date and time at the same time and will also be updated dynamically.

?? Note: The results of these functions depend on system time, so make sure that the computer's time setting is correct.

FAQ: Why does the shortcut key not respond?

Sometimes you will find that Ctrl; has no effect, and there are several possible reasons:

• Cells are protected or locked
• Keyboard input method is not in English
• Some plug-ins or macros are used to interfere with shortcut keys
• Excel's locale does not support this date format

In this case, first check whether the editable cell is selected, then try to switch the input method to English, and try again.

Basically that's it. Inserting the current date in Excel seems like a small operation, but it is really convenient to work in daily office after mastering it.

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