How to write an "*" symbol in excel on Mac

Question

How do you write an "*" in excel on macbook
I have tried the "control+command+space2 method and also the "shift+8" method and neither of them work pls help me

Answer 1

It depends on which Keyboard Input Source you're using. If Hungarian, for example, the key combinations is Shift+Option+< but Option+8 if using Hungarian - QWERTY

Use the macOS Keyboard Viewer if necessary.If this doesn't help please provide additional descriptive details (For example, What does happen when using Command+8?) including the present Version Numbers of your Office software & macOS.

Please note that the AI bot's reply — though not actually wrong — contains a great deal of misinformation & unnecessary steps.

Answer 2

Dear @Bende Ákos Kovács,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

I understand how frustrating it can be when a basic symbol like the asterisk (*) cannot be typed, especially when it impacts your work in Excel. I’d like to clarify what is happening and guide you through the recommended steps to see if they can help:

This behavior may be not caused by Excel itself. On macOS, certain key combinations (including Shift + 8, which normally produces the asterisk ) can be intercepted at the system level before they reach Excel. When this happens, Excel never receives the keystroke, so the asterisk character does not appear. I also run a test on my Mac and Shift + 8 can type "*" normally in Excel (I use default settings for my Mac's keyboard). There are several reasons that may cause it:

• A macOS keyboard shortcut or background application using Shift + 8
• An incorrect keyboard layout or keyboard type detected by macOS
• MacOS Accessibility or Input Source settings overriding normal key behavior

Therefore, please try the steps below in order:

1.Check macOS keyboard shortcuts:

• Click Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts
• Review the sections Input Sources, Accessibility, App Shortcuts,...etc
• Make sure there is no shortcut assigned to Shift + 8
• If you find any third‑party app or helper tool running in the background (for example, screen recording or productivity tools), temporarily disable it and test again.

Here is a partially similar case that a user found out what happened to his settings for Shift + 8, you can consult as well: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253854176?sortBy=rank

Note: This information is provided as a convenience to you. These sites are not controlled by Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks before using any suggestions from the above links.

2.Set a standard keyboard layout as the default (recommended test)

This is a safe diagnostic step to confirm whether the issue is caused by keyboard mapping.

• Click Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard
• Under Text Input, click Edit
• Set U.S. or British keyboard as the default input source
• Temporarily remove any other input sources
• Restart Excel and test Shift + 8
• Click Change Keyboard Type and re‑run the Keyboard Setup Assistant to ensure macOS correctly identifies your physical keyboard

If the asterisk works after this step, it confirms the issue was related to the macOS keyboard layout rather than Excel.

You can consult these articles for helpful information that may be related to your situation:

• How To Fix Keyboard Type Problems
• Specify a keyboard type on Mac

Note: This information is provided as a convenience to you. These sites are not controlled by Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks before using any suggestions from the above links.

Also, from my perspective, restoring the macOS keyboard shortcuts to their default settings would be a reasonable and effective solution to try:

This is a safe and effective way to rule out shortcut conflicts.

• Click Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard
• Select Keyboard Shortcuts
• Click Restore Defaults (bottom-left)
• Restart Excel and test Shift + 8

If the asterisk works after this step, it confirms the issue was caused by a macOS shortcut override rather than Excel.

I hope this information can give you some insights and please let me know how things go on your side as your update can also assist others in the community who may be facing the same issue.

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Answer 3

On a MacBook, press Shift + 8 to type an asterisk (*).

In Excel, if you want to display an asterisk as text inside a formula (since it normally means multiplication), put it in quotes like "*".

If you need to use a literal asterisk in a formula where it would normally act as a wildcard, precede it with a tilde like "~*".

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If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin