Shortcuts to insert current date and time ( CTRL + ; ) don't work in EXCEL 2013

Dietmar5
Copper Contributor
Aug 30, 2019
In 365 it was until late ( CTRL + ; ) -- Now thanks your post and after some while I find it on ( CTRL + . ) I have but no clue what benefit this change shortcuts around has for an Microsoft employee, for Millions of users searching what it might be today it is a huge waste of time.

Add, some kind of sorry, found out most probably why:
It was ( CTRL + ; ) on 365 with English Keyboard and English Excel.
Now it is ( CTRL + . ) on 365 with English Keyboard but German Excel.

That makes a difference, for what reason whatsoever we need sometimes . and sometimes ;
It would help those users which travel lots and far and use different types of IT like I do if Microsoft could decide that they like the most. The dot or the semicolon. We are already a global community, thanks also to Microsoft.
- George-S
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 20, 2019
  For Russian Windows users (even if you use it English interface and English Excel): CTRL+; (on Ж button) is not works too. You're need to use it CTRL+SHIFT+4
  
  Для тех у кого русская виндоуз, чтобы вставить текущую дату в ячейку необходимо нажать CTRL+SHIFT+4
  - Lost_in_the_wind
    Copper Contributor
    Feb 07, 2022
    George-S thank you so much for your help! I got really frustrated trying to find a combination that actually works! Thanks once again for sharing it with everyone and good luck!
Jens Stolle
Copper Contributor
Apr 28, 2017
Great links. And strangely the documentation seems to be false. It is CTRL+. (= STRG+.) in all versions in german. I teach Excel and in all versions it has been CTRL+. I also just tested CTRL+; in 2016 and that doesnt work in the german Version.

So still no idea what the correct Shortcut is in the language Version Raffaele uses (sounds italian to me?).
- Claudio Cantatore
  Copper Contributor
  Apr 28, 2017
  Sorry for not having specified that. I'm Italian, I use a QWERTY Italian keyboard.
  The shortcuts in ITA keyboard have always been CTRL+;/CTRL+:
  
  And also the support.office.com help file in Italian says it :
  
  https://support.office.com/it-it/article/Scelte-rapide-da-tastiera-e-tasti-funzione-di-Excel-per-Windows-1798d9d5-842a-42b8-9c99-9b7213f0040f?omkt=it-IT&ui=it-IT&rs=it-IT&ad=IT#ID0EAAEAAA=2013
  - rbianchi
    Copper Contributor
    Dec 06, 2018
    It works if you enter in the excel field before pressing CTRL+;
    
    Double click on the field and press CTRL+; and it works.
- Anonymous
  Apr 28, 2017
  Hi all,
  
  I have Excel 2016 in German and I am using a german keyboard. For inputting the current date in an empty cell, I can use Ctrl+Dot as known from previous versions. So, in this case, it's for now an error in online help article regarding Ctrl+Semicolon.
  
  For Excel 2016, there are some more errors in the Online Help Article for the German shortcuts, such as some Alt shortcuts, for example Alt+M which opens the Tell Me Box instead of the formulas tab. I already reported this to the MS localization team and they are going to check this.
  
  Another problem in the online help article for the shortcuts (at least for German) is, that the shortcuts always refer to an English US keyboard. There is a note about this on the top of the article.
  
  Therefore, the mentionned shortcuts (keystrokes) can lead to confusion and may be appear as incorrect. An example: for applying a date format, the German Online Article mentions that I can use Ctrl+Shift+#. This does not work, I have to use Ctrl+#. This is due to that # is on a german keyboard reachable without pressing the shift key. But from an en_US keyboard layouts' perspective, Ctrl+Shift+# is correct.
  
  So, sometimes, it can be useful to try a mentionned shortcut from the online help in both combinations (Shifted/Unshifted) depending from the keyboard layout.
  
  Best,
  Mourad

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Shortcuts to insert current date and time ( CTRL + ; ) don't work in EXCEL 2013

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