Excel Paste Special Shortcuts
To paste special in Excel on Windows, copy the cells, press Ctrl+Alt+V, then press a letter: V for values, T for formats, F for formulas or E for transpose, and Enter. On a Mac, press Control+Command+V and choose the option. Microsoft 365 also has Ctrl+Shift+V to paste values in one step.
Paste Special options and keys
Copy first, then open Paste Special. On Windows each option has a letter; press it, then Enter. Excel for Mac opens the same dialog, where you pick the option with the mouse or the Tab and arrow keys.
| Paste option | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| All (contents and formatting) | Ctrl+Alt+V, A, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose All |
| Formulas only | Ctrl+Alt+V, F, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Formulas only |
| Values only | Ctrl+Alt+V, V, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Values only |
| Formats only | Ctrl+Alt+V, T, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Formats only |
| Comments and notes | Ctrl+Alt+V, C, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Comments and notes |
| Data validation | Ctrl+Alt+V, N, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Data validation |
| All using source theme | Ctrl+Alt+V, H, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose All using source theme |
| All except borders | Ctrl+Alt+V, X, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose All except borders |
| Column widths | Ctrl+Alt+V, W, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Column widths |
| Formulas and number formats | Ctrl+Alt+V, R, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Formulas and number formats |
| Values and number formats | Ctrl+Alt+V, U, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Values and number formats |
| Transpose (tick the box) | Ctrl+Alt+V, E, Enter | ⌘+⌃+V, then choose Transpose |
| Paste values in one step (Microsoft 365) | Ctrl+Shift+V | — |
Mac alternatives for opening Paste Special: ⌃+⌥+V or ⌘+⌥+V.
How to paste values only (3 steps)
- Copy the cells. Select the cells with formulas and press Ctrl+C (Command+C on a Mac).
- Open Paste Special. Select the destination cell and press Ctrl+Alt+V (Control+Command+V on a Mac).
- Choose Values. Press V and then Enter on Windows, or choose Values and click OK on a Mac. Only the results are pasted.
When to paste values instead of formulas
Paste values when you want to freeze results: sending a report that should not change, removing links to another workbook, or replacing a helper column of formulas with fixed numbers before you delete its inputs. Paste formulas when you want the same calculation to run on new data. Paste formats to copy styling without touching the numbers.
FAQ
What is the Paste Special shortcut in Excel?
On Windows, copy the cells and press Ctrl+Alt+V to open the Paste Special dialog, then press the underlined letter for the option you want, such as V for values or T for formats, and press Enter. On a Mac, press Control+Command+V to open Paste Special and pick the option.
How do I paste and transpose rows into columns?
Copy the range, select the top-left destination cell, press Ctrl+Alt+V, then press E to tick Transpose and Enter. Rows become columns and columns become rows. On a Mac, open Paste Special with Control+Command+V and tick Transpose. The destination must not overlap the copied range.
Is there a one-step paste values shortcut?
Yes, in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Excel for the web: press Ctrl+Shift+V after copying cells to paste values only. Microsoft added it in 2022. Older perpetual versions such as Excel 2021 do not have it, so use Ctrl+Alt+V, V, Enter instead.
All other keys: Excel shortcuts cheat sheet. Working in Google Sheets? See the Google Sheets shortcuts.
Sources: Microsoft Support, Keyboard shortcuts in Excel (Paste Special dialog table and macOS tab); Microsoft 365 Insider blog, New paste options when using keyboard shortcuts in Excel. Checked October 20, 2026. E (Transpose) is the dialog's checkbox accelerator.
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