Shortcut to insert current time:

In Microsoft Excel on Windows, pressing Ctrl + Shift + : enters the current time into the selected cell as a static value. This means the time value is fixed and won’t update when the worksheet recalculates or the file is reopened. This shortcut is particularly useful when you need to timestamp entries, record specific actions, or maintain logs.

Multiple reputable Excel reference sources confirm this: Exceljet notes that “Ctrl + Shift + :” inserts the current time on Windows systems , while Microsoft Support explains that this shortcut places a snapshot of the current time into the cell . These static timestamps are useful for tracking data entry, logging events, or manually marking when tasks occurred.