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In Excel for Mac, press Option+F11 to open Visual Basic—the Mac equivalent of Excel for Windows’ Alt+F11. If the shortcut does not work, try Fn+Option+F11, or open the editor from Excel’s Developer tab.
Use the Mac shortcut in Excel
With Excel active, press Option+F11. Microsoft lists this as the shortcut for opening Visual Basic in Excel for Mac. In Windows Excel, the corresponding command is Alt+F11. These shortcuts apply to Excel; they are not universal commands for every Mac app.
Microsoft’s custom-functions instructions give the Mac combination as Fn+Alt+F11. On an Apple keyboard, try Fn+Option+F11 if Option+F11 alone does not open the editor.
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Open Visual Basic from the Developer tab
- In Excel, open Excel > Preferences and enable the Developer tab if it is not already visible.
- Select the Developer tab.
- Choose Visual Basic.
This menu route avoids relying on a function-key shortcut. Microsoft documents it in Use the Developer tab to create or delete a macro in Excel for Mac.
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If Option+F11 does not work
- Add Fn: Press Fn+Option+F11. Microsoft advises adding Fn when a function key does not behave as expected.
- Check function-key behavior: macOS settings determine whether the top-row keys act as standard function keys or perform their alternate system functions. Adjust the function-key preference if needed; the change can affect function keys outside Excel too.
- Consider keyboard layout and conflicts: Microsoft’s shortcut reference describes a US keyboard layout, so another layout may not match exactly. macOS or keyboard utility apps can also interfere with shortcuts or function-key operations.
- Use the menu route: Open Visual Basic from the Developer tab if troubleshooting the shortcut is inconvenient.
Microsoft’s Excel for Mac shortcut guidance says, “If a function key doesn’t work as you expect it to, press the Fn key in addition to the function key.” See Keyboard shortcuts in Excel and Common Office for Mac keyboard shortcuts.
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