How can you quickly insert the current date in an Excel cell?

The method of quickly inserting the current date in an Excel cell by pressing Ctrl + ; (semicolon) is efficient and straightforward. This keyboard shortcut allows users to input the current date in the cell without needing to type anything manually or use additional functions. When you use this shortcut, Excel automatically populates the cell with the date in the default format set for dates on your system.

In contrast, the NOW() function provides both the current date and time, which might not be suitable if you only want the date. Similarly, using the Today button in the Ribbon does not exist; Excel does not have a dedicated button named "Today" that would insert a date with one click. Lastly, the =DATE() formula requires parameters (year, month, day) to specify a particular date and does not generate the current date automatically, making it less efficient for this specific task. Therefore, the shortcut of Ctrl + ; is the quickest and most direct way to achieve this.