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Paste Special Shortcut in Excel

ExcelExcelValues and formatsChecked 2 Nov 2026

Paste Special box

CtrlAltV

Then values only

V

Then press Enter

Ribbon, paste values

AltHV

Then V again, one after another

Excel for Mac

ControlCommandV

The paste special shortcut in Excel is Ctrl + Alt + V. After copying cells, press it to open the Paste Special box, then a letter to choose what to paste: V for values, T for formats, F for formulas, and so on, followed by Enter.

The most common use is pasting values: the results of formulas without the formulas themselves. The ribbon sequence Alt, H, V, V does that in one go.

Quick facts

  • Open Paste Special

    Ctrl + Alt + V

  • Values

    V

  • Formats

    T

  • Formulas

    F

  • Transpose

    E

  • Paste values via ribbon

    Alt, then H, then V, then V

Paste special shortcut in Excel: the letters

Letters in the Paste Special box
PressPastes
VValues only, no formulas
FFormulas only
TFormats only
WColumn widths
ETranspose: rows become columns (a tick box, add it to another choice)
EnterApply the choice

Copy first with Ctrl + C. If nothing is copied, the box offers only limited choices.

Paste values shortcut in Excel, step by step

  1. Highlight the formula cells and copy them with Ctrl + C.
  2. Click where the values should go, or stay on the same cells to replace formulas with their results.
  3. Press Ctrl + Alt + V, then V, then Enter.
  4. Press Esc to clear the moving border.

The quicker ribbon version is Alt, H, V, V. It skips the box and pastes values at once.

Transpose and other useful pastes

To turn a vertical list into a row, copy it, press Ctrl + Alt + V, press E to tick Transpose, then Enter. To copy only the look of a table onto new data, use T for formats. Copying column widths with W saves resizing a pasted table by hand; see AutoFit column width for the other way to fix widths.

Paste Special can also do maths: copy a cell containing 1000, select prices, open the box and choose Divide to convert rupees to thousands in place.

Why paste values matters

Formulas break when the cells they depend on move, are deleted or live in another file. Before emailing a report, copying results into another workbook, or deleting helper columns, paste the results as values. The numbers stay exactly as shown, and nobody can see or break your formulas.

When paste special does not work

Problems and fixes
ProblemFix
Box shows text options onlyYou copied from a web page or Word; Excel offers text pastes instead
Ctrl + Alt + V does nothingCopy cells first in Excel itself
Transpose failsThe target overlaps the copied range; paste somewhere else
Values still show formulasYou chose Formulas; use V for Values
A sales analyst builds a commission sheet with lookup formulas. Before sending it to branch managers, he selects the results, presses Ctrl + C, then Alt, H, V, V, so the file works without the source data.

Paste values from the right click menu

When you right click a cell after copying, the Paste Options row shows small icons. The one with 123 pastes values, the paint brush pastes formats, and the one with arrows transposes. Hover over each to see a live preview in the sheet before you choose. The keyboard is faster once learned, but the preview is helpful when you are not sure which paste you need, for example when copying from a sheet with merged cells or unusual number formats.

Paste special in other places

In Excel for Mac, Control + Command + V opens Paste Special. For Word, browsers and other programs, see the paste special shortcut guide. Removing formulas is also covered in Excel formulas, and every other key on the Excel shortcut keys page.

This site is not affiliated with Microsoft or Apple; this is an independent explanation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the paste special shortcut in Excel?
Ctrl + Alt + V.
What is the paste values shortcut in Excel?
Ctrl + Alt + V, then V and Enter, or Alt, H, V, V.
How do I transpose with paste special?

Press Ctrl + Alt + V, then E, then Enter.

How do I paste only formatting?

Open Paste Special and press T.

What is the paste special shortcut on Mac Excel?
Control + Command + V.
Why paste values instead of normal paste?

So results stay fixed even if the source data changes or is deleted.