Use the Excel paste values shortcut key to speed up your work. We will show you various shortcut keys to perform this operation quickly.
This definitive guide will use useful examples to show you the shortcuts most commonly used for pasting values. OK, here we go!
Keyboard Shortcut to Paste Values in Excel
If you are working with Excel, you should use the Copy and Paste commands daily. Sometimes, you only need to paste values. In other cases, you want to paste formulas without using the cell border or font color.
The keyboard shortcut depends on your task! Some articles mention that using Excel shortcuts is the best way to increase productivity. The main goal of today’s guide is to show you all the options regarding paste values shortcut keys in Excel.
Steps to paste values using a shortcut
- Copy the data using Ctrl + C
- Select the target cell where you want to paste the values.
- Press Alt, E, S, then V (Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + V + V) to open the Paste Special dialog.
- Choose Values under the “Paste” group in the Paste Special dialog.
- Click OK to paste the values without formatting.
Example
The shortcuts below do the task in seconds.
Windows
Mac
So, let us see the detailed steps to use the paste values shortcut:
Select the source range you want to copy using the Ctrl+C shortcut.
Select the target cell (or a range of cells) and select the top-left cell where you want to paste values. In this example, cell G2.
Use the ALT, E, and S shortcut. Do not press all keys at the same time. ALT, E, S is a keyboard sequence. Now, the Paste Special dialog appears. Take a closer look at the window. You can find various paste options, from formulas to comments.
Under the Paste Special dialog box, choose the Paste Group and press V to paste values only. Check the Operation Group and leave the None option checked.
Click OK to complete the process. In this example, Excel will paste the values into the selected range, starting at G2, without applying any formatting or formulas from the original data.
Why is the paste shortcut not working?
It can be frustrating when a shortcut doesn’t work consistently.
Important: The Ctrl + Alt + V shortcut sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. But why is that? How can it be possible? This could happen for several reasons, often related to different versions of Excel, conflicts with other system shortcuts, or customizations in your settings.
In our testing with Microsoft 365, the paste values shortcut (Ctrl + Alt + V, V) works reliably. However, due to system variations, it can still fail in some instances. Because of this inconsistency, we highly recommend using an alternative, more reliable shortcut.
Instead of Ctrl + Alt + V, we suggest using Alt, E, S. This method is more trusted and looks better because it works consistently across all versions of Excel.
If you still prefer using the secondary shortcut to open the Paste Special dialog, you can press:
- Ctrl + Alt + V for Paste Special
- Ctrl + Alt + V, V for pasting values directly
This alternate method is useful but may not be as dependable, so we recommend trying Alt, E, S for better results.
Paste Values Using the Home Tab, Clipboard Group
In the next example, you will learn to use a shortcut if you prefer the Ribbon and the Home Tab. It’s a logical decision because it is to the fore.
First, copy the cells to the clipboard, then use the drop-down list. The paste-related commands are in one place.
Under the Paste Values section, click the values options to paste values if you do not want to use the keyboard shortcut.
The shortcut is Alt, H, V, V
Tip: This small drop-down menu is helpful. It contains additional commands that are unavailable in the Paste Special dialog box.
Drag and drop method
This drag-and-drop method is not commonly used in Excel to paste values, but it can be a quick and handy alternative in certain situations. The first step is to select the cell or range of cells you want to copy and paste.
Once the range is selected, right-click on the selection and hold the mouse button. Now, drag the table to move the green outline over the target cells where you want to paste the values. When you release the mouse button, a context menu will appear.
From the context menu, choose the “Copy Here as Values Only” option to paste only the values without any formatting.
The drag-and-drop method offers a quick, visual way to move and paste values in Excel without needing to navigate menus or use keyboard shortcuts. It can be especially useful when working with small data ranges and want a simple, mouse-driven approach.
Paste (not just) in Excel using the Ribbon
It is good to know that the simple copy-paste operation (Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V) will transfer the cell content with all available formatting styles.
Select the range B1:E6, press Ctrl + C, and click on the target cell in the new range’s top-left corner.
Now press Ctrl + V to paste the data.
Nothing happens; the source format remains because we have copied the header style, not just the values.
Final Thought: Must-have Shortcuts
Keep in mind the frequently used shortcuts:
- Use the ALT + E + S + V keyboard shortcut to paste cell content as values.
- ALT + H + V + V shortcut key is a great combo that provides more options
- The Ctrl + Alt + V shortcut is untrusted
- The Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V operations are pasting all, not just values
In summary, using these keyboard combinations can significantly improve your efficiency in Excel.