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When I press F2 in a cell I can edit it inside the cell. However often it's just more convenient to make the edit in the formula bar.

I can switch to formula bar by mouse, just wondering whether there is a keyboard shortcut for that?

when editing in formula bar, highlights are applied there and also cursor blinks there:
when editing in formula bar, highlights are applied there and also cursor blinks there

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4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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In the Excel options menu, turn off the option Allow editing directly in cells. Now when you press F2, you'll always be editing in the Formula bar.

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I don't believe there's a keyboard-based solution to this.

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If you do not want to disable editing directly in cells, there's this long workaround:

If the cell is empty, it's easy: Press F2, then Ctrl+A.

Unfortunately, that shortcut only works if the cell is empty. If the cell is not empty, you must first clear the contents. So you could use this key sequence: Del, then F2, then Ctrl+A.

But assuming you want to retain the original formula, you'd have to copy and paste it.

Thus, if the cell is not empty, this key sequence does the job:

  1. F2 (modify the cell in place)
  2. Ctrl+A (select the formula)
  3. Ctrl+X (cut the formula to clipboard)
  4. Ctrl+A (jump to formula bar)
  5. Backspace (remove equal sign, since it is already on the clipboard)
  6. Ctrl+V (paste original content)

Note that steps 2-4 can be reduced to a single step: Ctrl+A,X,A.

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You can use CTRL+F2 to do this!

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    Which version and settings do you use? CTRL+F2 opens print settings for me (Excel 365, 2404)
    – Máté Juhász
    Commented Jun 18 at 7:15
  • I'm using Microsoft 365 Family, and 2407. (Insider, Beta Channel)
    – Wanderlei Hüttel
    Commented Jun 19 at 9:15
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    In fact I don't know why CTRL + F2 works in my personal computer, but I've just updated my work computer from work to (2407 Build 16.0.17830.20016) 64 bits and this shortcut not works. Sorry!
    – Wanderlei Hüttel
    Commented Jul 12 at 10:57
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There is unfortunately no way to do this in Excel 365, as discussed here.

Will update this answer if this feature arrives.

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  • Which extra information your post contains compared to existing answer?
    – Máté Juhász
    Commented Nov 1, 2022 at 18:14
  • I arrived here, tried the accepted answer but it didn't work (in excel 365). So spent another 15 minutes looking for a solution for excel 365 only to discover that there isn't one. Hence wrote this answer to save those 15 minutes for the next person like me.
    – nu_popli
    Commented Nov 2, 2022 at 11:26

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