Activating the Formula Bar with the Keyboard

The Formula bar, just above the work area in Excel, shows the formula or value in the currently selected cell. You can click on the formula bar to edit information within a cell, if desired. What if you want to activate the Formula bar by using the keyboard, however?

The quickest way to do this is simply to press F2. This tells Excel that you want to edit the contents of a cell. When you press F2, it is highly possible that Excel will simply expand the information in the cell and allow you to edit the information directly in the cell itself. If you don't like this behavior, but instead want F2 to activate the Formula bar, follow these steps:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Edit tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Clear the Edit Directly In Cell check box.
4. Click on OK.

These steps won't work in Excel 2007. Follow these steps, instead:

1. Click the Office button and then click Excel Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
2. Click the Advanced option at the left of the dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Make sure the Allow Editing Directly In Cell check box is cleared.
4. Click on OK.

Now, whenever you press F2, the Formula bar is selected and you can edit the formula there.