- Excel automatic calculation vs. Manual calculation (calculation mode) These options control when and how Excel recalculates formulas. When you first open or edit a workbook, Excel automatically recalculates those formulas whose dependent values (cells, values, or names referenced in a formula) have changed.
- Excelbuddy’s comprehensive list of Excel shortcuts. Enjoy the complete list of shortcuts for both Windows and MAC. Use the search filter to narrow down a particular shortcut.
- Found a solution to Excel Mac2016 as having to paste the code into the relevant cell, enter, then go to the end of the formula within the header bar and enter the following: Enter a formula as an array formula Image + SHIFT + RETURN or CONTROL + SHIFT + RETURN.
I am a software engineer and I perform a lot of calculations all the time. Obviously, the time to launch the Calculator on my MacBook is important and I want to save as much as possible. I could add the app to the Dock, but I do not want to clutter it with something so small. Today I want to share some productivity tips when it comes to making calculations.
The fastest keyboard shortcut to run Calculator is Command + Spacebar. This will open the Spotlight Search window in which users can enter mathematical operations and quickly get the results. The search results also show the Calculator app as a top hit.
The Spotlight Search is a universal app that is used to start applications and find files. But, besides searching, it can also perform a number of different operations.
Excel Shortcuts List for Mac and PC (Searchable) How to Use this Shortcut List: + Indicates to hold the previous key, while pressing the next key. Indicates to tap the previous key, releasing it before pressing the next key.
Various ways of calculating with Spotlight
Basic mathematical operations
Examples:
- Simple addition: 34 + 56
- Multiplication: 10*34
- Multiplication with x: 10×34
- Complex operations with parentheses: (2 * (2 + 3)) / 86.5 * 12.76
- Power function: e^2
- Logarithms: ln(10)
Conversions between different units
Examples:
Mac Excel Manual Calculation Shortcut Pdf
- Convert feet to centimeters: 5 feet in cm
- Convert pounds to kilos: 86 lb in kg
- Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion: 100 f in c
- Currency conversion: 100 USD to GBP
- Time conversion: 12 h in sec
Trigonometric functions
Examples:
- Sine: sin(30)
- Cosine: cos(30)
Square root
Example: sqrt(144)
Factorial
Example: 5!
Various Ways Launching Calculator
You can get to the Calculator with one of the following methods:
- From Spotlight Search
- From Launchpad. Click on Launchpad icon in the Dock, search for Calculator and click on it to start.
- From the Finder app. Click on the Finder app in the Dock. In the Sidebar click on Applications, find Calculator and double click.
Keyboard shortcut for Calculator
You can also add custom shortcut just for Calculator (or any other application on Mac).
Steps to create a keyboard shortcut for Calculator:
- Start Automator app from Spotlight Search
- Choose Quick Action as a document
- In the new window Select no input and any application in the first row (Workflow receives)
- In the leftmost pane select Utilities
- In the middle pane select Launch Application and drag it to the right pane
- Select Calculator.app from the dropdown
- Save quick action as “Run Calculator”
- Open System Preferences
- Click on Keyboard icon
- Click on Shortcuts tab
- Select Services
- Find “Run Calculator” and select the shortcut, e.g. Option (Alt), Command and slash.
- Close System Preferences and test the keyboard shortcut
I actually wanted to use another keyboard shortcut for my Calculator, but for some reason, the key combination I chose didn’t work, so I stopped on Option-Command-/. If this shortcut does not work on your Mac, try another one.
Adding Calculator to Notification Center
Some people love using Notification Center. Normally, you can add a bunch of simple applications (widgets) which you need constantly during the day. If you didn’t know you can activate the Notification Center by clicking on the icon that looks like a hamburger menu in the top right corner of the screen.
Adding Calculator widget is very easy:
- Open the Notification Center
- Click the Edit button at the bottom
- Click on the green plus icon next to the Calculator
- Click Done
How to clear Calculator
To clear the Calculator hold the Function button (fn) and hit the Escape button (esc).
Now, some users reported the problem with Calculator after adding it to the Notification Center: it gets stuck on some random number and does not get reset. Apparently, the problem is with the plug-in in the notification framework.
One way to reset the Calculator is to delete a specific file on Mac. Start Finder and click on the Go menu and then Go to Folder. Then type in “~/Library/Containers” folder and drill down to “com.apple.ncplugin.calculator”, then “Data”, “Library” and finally “Preferences”. In the Preferences folder find and delete file “com.apple.ncplugin.calculator.plist”. Reboot Mac.
Put Calculator on the Desktop
Some people prefer to have their apps on the Desktop. It is very easy to have an application on the Desktop in macOS.
To put a calculator on Mac Desktop do the following:
- Start Finder
- Open Applications folder in the Finder
- Right click on Calculator
- In the pop-up menu select Make Alias Option
- Drag the Calculator alias from Applications to the Desktop
Other Calculator Tips
Switching between Calculator types
The calculator on Mac has three views: Basic, Scientific, and Programmer. My favorite is the Programmer one, I use it every time I need to convert between binary, decimal and hex. You can switch between views with the menu, but it is much faster to do with shortcuts.
Use the following shortcuts to switch between Calculator views:
- Command + 1: Basic
- Command + 2: Scientific
- Command + 3: Programmer
Troubleshooting tips
If you’ve been adding a long list of numbers, e.g. travel expenses, and you are not sure that the total is correct you can use Tape in the Calculator to review the numbers you entered.
To see the current list of operations click Window menu and then Show Paper Tape or use Command-T shortcut.
But frankly, if you need to add multiple numbers Spotlight Search is a much better tool.
Mac Excel Manual Calculation Shortcut Excel
Conversions
Remember those conversions I performed with Spotlight Search. You can do the same and even more with Calculator. In fact, I believe the Spotlight was using Calculator to perform those behind the hood.
To perform the conversion in the Calculator select Convert menu and in the dropdown list the ones you need: Area, Currency, Energy or Work, Length, Power, Pressure, Speed, Temperature, Time, Volume, Weights, and Masses.
Always on Top
The most annoying thing about working with two apps at the same time is when one app gets hidden when you switch to another one. I wish that Calculator had Always On Top option especially when I am calculating my travel expenses. Unfortunately, this is not a case.
So I keep hitting Command-Tab to switch between apps or have to align them so they do not block each other.
Not long ago there was a program that turns most apps to floating apps: Afloat. You can still download it from archives, but I am not sure its compatibility with newer macOS versions.
That’s all I have. If you have any other tips on the topic please send me an email at [email protected]
Use Calculator to perform basic, advanced, or programmer calculations. If your Mac has a Touch Bar, you can easily do quick calculations—without even moving the pointer.
Tip: To learn a key’s function, hold the pointer over the key to see its help tag.
Change the calculator
In the Calculator app on your Mac, choose an option from the View menu:
Basic: Perform simple arithmetic operations.
Scientific: Use memory functions and perform advanced calculations involving fractions, powers, roots, exponents, logarithms, trigonometry, and more.
Programmer: Perform binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal calculations, including bitwise operations. You can also view the ASCII and Unicode characters represented by the current value.
Convert values
In the Calculator app on your Mac, enter the original value, choose Convert in the menu bar, then choose a category, such as Temperature or Currency.
Note: You must be connected to the internet to get the most recent currency conversion rate.
Round results
In the Calculator app on your Mac, choose View > Decimal Places, then choose the number of decimal places to display. Calculator stores the full value and displays the rounded value. If the displayed value shows fewer decimal places than you specified, the undisplayed decimal places are zeros.
Enter complex equations using Reverse Polish Notation (RPN)
In the Calculator app on your Mac, choose View > RPN Mode.
The stack is shown in Calculator’s display, the Equal Sign key (=) becomes the Enter key, and four keys appear for manipulating numbers on the stack.
Do any of the following:
Swap the bottom two numbers on the stack: Click the Exchange Registers key .
Move the most recently entered number up or down on the stack: Click the Roll Up key or Roll Down key .
Remove the bottom number from the stack: Click the Drop key.
Correct unexpected results
In the Calculator app on your Mac, do any of the following:
Repeat the calculation, keeping in mind that Calculator uses the fundamental order of operations to evaluate expressions. For example, multiplication operations are completed before addition and subtraction.
If the programmer calculator displays numbers in an unexpected format, change to octal, decimal, or hexadecimal format: click the 8, 10, or 16 key, respectively, under the calculator’s display. Or use the basic or scientific calculator.
If the result contains no decimal points:
Choose View > Basic or View > Scientific, because the programmer calculator truncates all digits after the decimal point. For example, if you enter 99 / 10 =, the result is 9. Use the basic or scientific calculator to get more precise results.
Choose View > Decimal Places (in any calculator), because the number of decimal places may be set incorrectly and the calculator rounds the result. For example, if decimal places is set to zero and you enter 99 / 10 =, the result is 10.
If you’re not sure you entered the calculation correctly, use the Paper Tape (choose Window > Show Paper Tape) to review what you entered.
If you prefer to display a comma separator, choose View > Show Thousands Separators to display the comma in larger numbers.
Use keyboard shortcuts
In the Calculator app on your Mac, use keyboard shortcuts to quickly enter calculations; the shortcuts vary based on the type of calculator you’re using.
All calculator types
Action | Shortcut |
---|---|
Clear | Esc C key |
Clear All | Option-Esc |
Negate the displayed value | Option-Minus Sign (–) |
Percent | Percent Sign (%) |
Divide | Forward Slash (/) |
Multiply | Asterisk (*) |
Subtract | Minus Sign (–) |
Add | Plus Sign (+) |
Equal | Equal Sign (=) |
Remove the most recently entered digit or letter | Delete key |
Scientific calculator
Action | Shortcut |
---|---|
Raise the displayed value to the power of the next value entered | Caret (^) |
Calculate the natural logarithm of the displayed value | E key |
Calculate the factorial of the displayed value | Exclamation Point (!) |
Exponential notation | Shift-E |
RPN Mode
Action | Shortcut |
---|---|
Swap the bottom two numbers on the stack | Command-E |
Move the most recently entered number up on the stack | Command-Up Arrow |
Move the most recently entered number down on the stack | Command-Down Arrow |
Remove the bottom number from the stack | Command-Delete |
To show a running list of your calculations, choose Window > Show Paper Tape.
To perform advanced calculations involving equations and graphs, use the Grapher app. See the Grapher User Guide.