In Excel: press Ctrl+` on Windows or Ctrl+` on Mac to show formulas instead of results on the active sheet; press it again to switch back.
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Keyboard shortcut: To View Formula
| Platform | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Windows | Ctrl+` |
| Mac | Ctrl+` |
Open the sheet whose formulas you need to inspect; the setting applies to the active sheet.
Press Ctrl+` on Windows or Ctrl+` on Mac to show formulas in the grid.
Check a formula cell, such as B2 containing =SUM(C2:D2), against its calculated result.
Press the same shortcut again when you want to see results.
What this does
The Show Formulas shortcut Ctrl+` on Windows (Ctrl+` on Mac) toggles the active sheet between calculated results and the formulas stored in its cells. It changes the view, not the formulas or values. Press the same keys again to return to results. Before you run it on a workbook other people depend on, try it on a copy or a few rows first. Undo only reaches back through the current session, so a quick trial run is the cheapest way to see exactly what will change before the file is saved and shared. Treat “shortcut key to view formula in excel” as a small repeatable workflow rather than a one-off click you hope to remember next time. Use a small test block before the live file, so any surprise in the affected formula shows up while it is still harmless. When this is a ribbon command, the selection matters more than the button: confirm the range, apply the command, then spot-check the output before saving. That turns a workspace setting that makes a big sheet comfortable to navigate into a method you can reuse, explain, and defend when the workbook leaves your screen.
A worked example
In practice: A budget sheet shows 150 in B2, while the cell contains =SUM(C2:D2). With that sheet active, use the shortcut to show the formula in the grid; use it again to return to the result. If the outcome is not the intended To View Formula effect, stop and inspect the selection or workbook state before trying again. Use Show Formulas when you need to audit references or compare calculations across several cells. Toggle back to results after checking the formulas; the shortcut does not edit the cells. When the result is not what you expected, undo straight away rather than repairing it by hand — undo restores the sheet exactly, while manual fixes tend to leave small inconsistencies behind that surface later.
In Google Sheets
This is a command rather than a formula, so there is no syntax to carry over. Google Sheets arranges its commands in menus across the top instead of a ribbon, names some of them differently and does not have every Excel command — look for the equivalent in the Sheets menus or its help before assuming the steps match. Nothing on this page is behind a login or a download: the exact answer is at the top, and the detail below it is there for when you need it. That is the whole promise here — the answer first, and just enough context to make it stick. Treat “shortcut key to view formula in excel” as a routine rather than a one-off. Once you know which setting or command controls it, the same few steps handle every workbook where it comes up in Excel, and you can explain them to a colleague in a sentence.
Common mistakes
- Looking only at the formula bar shows one selected cell; Show Formulas displays formulas across the active sheet.
- Pressing the shortcut a second time turns the formula view off. It does not repeat an edit.
- If a formula appears as plain text after leaving Show Formulas, check the cell format and leading apostrophe.
Frequently asked questions
Does Show Formulas change my calculations?
No. It changes how formulas appear on the active sheet. Press the shortcut again to show the calculated results.
What is the Mac shortcut?
Use Ctrl+` in Excel for Mac to toggle Show Formulas on the active sheet.
Why do I still see a formula after switching back?
The cell may be formatted as Text or contain a leading apostrophe. Check the cell entry before changing the formula.