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Formatting shortcut
Apply General format
Ctrl + Shift + ~ on Windows, Ctrl + Shift + ~ on Mac.
OccasionalDifficulty 1050 · Capable
When to use it
Applies the General format, removing any number, date, or currency formatting.
The shape of it
- Windows
Ctrl + Shift + ~
- Mac
Ctrl + Shift + ~
Worked examples
Reset to General
Select formatted cells, Ctrl + Shift + ~ → Plain numbers
Strip formatting.
Reveal a date serial
On a date, Ctrl + Shift + ~ → The serial number appears
See what is really stored.
Reveal a fraction
On a percentage, Ctrl + Shift + ~ → 0.256 instead of 26%
The underlying value.
Worth knowing
- The ~ is on the ` key: Ctrl + Shift + `.
- General shows up to 11 digits and switches to scientific for big numbers.
- Does not remove fonts or borders; Clear Formats does.
Where it goes wrong
- Reveals long decimals that were hidden.
- Dates become numbers, which alarms people.
Related
Learn the moves here — or let Wauvel run them on your numbers.
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