Excel Function Keys: What F1 to F12 Do

Excel function keys, F1 to F12 on the top row of your keyboard, are shortcuts for commands you'd otherwise find in menus. A few of them save time every day: F2 to edit a cell, F4 to lock a reference with $ signs, F9 to recalculate and F12 for Save As. This guide lists what each key does on Windows and Mac, which ones to learn first, and how to fix keys that change your screen brightness instead.

What each Excel function key does#

Here is every function key on its own, with the Mac equivalent where it differs. On a Mac, press fn with the key unless you've set the top row to act as standard function keys.

You don't need all twelve. The next sections cover the ones that matter most in daily work and in timed Excel tests.

The function keys to learn first#

If you learn only five, make them these:

1. F2 to fix a cell without retyping it.
2. F4 to lock references before you fill a formula down.
3. F9 to recalculate, or to check part of a formula.
4. F5 to jump to any cell or range by typing its address.
5. F12 to save a copy under a new name before you change a file.

The full Excel keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet lists the Ctrl and ⌘ shortcuts that pair with these.

F2: edit a cell#

F2 puts the active cell into edit mode, with the cursor at the end of what's already there. You can then use the arrow keys, Home and End to move inside the text and fix one character. Press Enter to keep the change or Esc to cancel it.

There's one more trick. While you're editing a formula, pressing F2 again switches between moving the cursor inside the formula and pointing at cells with the arrow keys. The status bar at the bottom shows Edit or Point so you know which mode you're in. The guide to editing cells, undo and redo covers the rest of the editing keys.

F4: lock references and repeat actions#

While you edit a formula, F4 cycles the reference at the cursor through four types: E1, $E$1, E$1, $E1. The $ signs stop that part of the reference from changing when you copy the formula. When you're not editing, F4 repeats your last action, such as inserting a row or applying a fill colour.

Here's the classic use. Prices are in B2:B4 and a 15% discount is in E1. In C2, type =B2*(1-E1), click on E1 in the formula and press F4:

=B2*(1-$E$1)

The result is 34 (40 × 0.85). Fill it down (Windows: Ctrl+D; Mac: ⌘D) and the next rows give 102 and 72.25, all using the same discount cell. The guide to what F4 does has every detail, including Mac keys.

F9: recalculate and check part of a formula#

F9 recalculates every formula in all open workbooks. You only need it when calculation is set to Manual (Formulas > Calculation Options), which some large files use to stay fast. If your totals don't change when you edit a number, the guide on formulas not updating explains how to switch back to Automatic.

F9 has a second, lesser-known use for checking formulas. While editing a formula, select part of it, such as (1-$E$1), and press F9. Excel replaces that part with its result, here 0.85. Press Esc to leave the formula unchanged. If you press Enter instead, the result stays in the formula as a fixed number, so be careful.

Shift, Ctrl and Alt combinations#

Holding a modifier key gives each function key a second job. These are the most useful on Windows:

Shift+F11 also works on a Mac. For other Mac combinations, the guide to Excel on Mac vs Windows covers the main differences.

Why function keys don't work on a laptop or Mac#

If pressing F2 changes your screen brightness instead of editing the cell, the key is set to its hardware function. Fix it in one of three ways:

• Hold Fn (or fn on a Mac) while you press the function key.
• Turn on Fn Lock on Windows laptops. On many models it's Fn+Esc, but it varies by brand; look for a small padlock symbol on a key.
• Change the system setting. On a Mac, open System Settings > Keyboard and turn on the option to use F1, F2 and so on as standard function keys. Some Windows laptops have a similar option in their settings software or BIOS.

If a key still does nothing, check that you're in the right mode. F4 only toggles references while you edit a formula, and F3 only works when the workbook has named ranges.

Practise it#

Function keys only save time once your fingers know them. Practise editing, clearing and undoing in a live spreadsheet to make F2 and Esc a habit, then use F4 in the relative vs absolute references lesson to lock a rate before filling down. The move around the sheet lesson covers the navigation keys that pair with F5. Each step is checked instantly.