Paste Special Shortcut in Excel

Introduction to Paste Special in Excel

This is an outline on keyboard shortcuts for paste special. Probably 95% of your tasks in Excel can be done without touching the mouse at all. Keeping in mind the importance of shortcuts in excel I have decided to write an article on Paste Short Cut. Copy & Paste shortcuts are the basic shortcuts we all have learned and applying regularly in our workplace. If you think Ctrl + V is the only shortcut to paste in excel you are wrong. Because excel not only have just paste option rather it has a wide variety of paste option. For example, it has many paste option under Paste Special command. Today I will take you through all the keyboard shortcuts for paste special to increase your productivity.

Paste Special Window in Excel

Below is the window for paste special. This where all the magic happens. To open the past special window the keyboard shortcut for paste special is:

Shortcut #1 – Alternative to Ctrl + V in Excel

You must be is there a key alternative to paste other than Ctrl + V. Yes we have an alternative key in excel. Assume you have copied the cell A1 which has a value of 1724 and you want to paste in D1, you need not to press Ctrl + V rather you can press Enter key instead.

After Hitting the Enter key it Pastes the copied value.

Limitation: One of the limitations of hitting Enter key is you can paste only to selected cells. Once the action is completed if you want to paste to other cells you need to copy again and again.

Shortcut #2 – Paste Only Values in Excel

Often in excel, we may require to paste only the values instead of the formula. To do this task we need to apply paste special option. Under this paste special option, we can paste only values.

The keyboard shortcut for paste special to paste only values is:

I have a formula in A9 cell and I want to paste only values in the c9 cell.

I will copy the cell A9 and press the shortcut key Alt +E+ S+ V.

A Paste special dialog box appears then click on Ok.

So this will paste only values instead of the formula itself.

Shortcut #3 – Paste Only Formulas in Excel

We know how to paste values. Similarly, we can paste only formulas as well. Now look at the below image I have values from A2:A8 and there is a SUM function in the cell A9.

I want the same formula to be copied to the cell C9 I can just copy the cell A9 and paste it to the cell C9. The result will be like this.

The problem here is it not only pasted the formula it also pasted other formats like bold, color, and underline but I need only the formula, not the format.

We can do this under paste special method using keyboard shortcut key.

Once the cell is copied go to the targeted cell and press ALT + E + S + F.

So this will paste only formula nothing else.

Shortcut #4 – Paste the Only Format in Excel

This is the vice versa of the previous one. Take the same example here as well. I will copy the cell A9 but I don’t want formula, values but I want only the format. We can paste only formats using paste special method.

After copying the cell A9 go to C9 cell and press keyboard shortcut for paste special i.e ALT + E + S + T.

It will paste only formats nothing else.

Shortcut #5 – Paste Only Comments in Excel

In certain cells we have comments for our references in the future and the same comment may be required for some other cells as well. Editing each cell and entering the comment is a frustrating job for anybody but we can paste only comments.

I have Commented in cell A2 as “Sales value of ABC company”.

Copy the comment cell you want to paste and go to the targeted cell.

Press the shortcut key:

After Pressing shortcut key it pastes the comments to the targeted cell.

Shortcut #6 – Transpose Data in Excel

We can transpose our data in excel using keyboard shortcuts for paste special. I have a data from A1 to A10 and I want to transpose from C1 to L1.

Copy the numbers from A1 to A10.

Go to the cell C1 and press keyboard shortcut for paste special i.e ALT + E + S + E.

Shortcut #7 – Multiply in Excel

I have a series of numbers from the cell A1 to A10 and I want to multiply all the numbers from number 3.

Copy the number 3 and select all the numbers.

Now press the shortcut key ALT + E + S + M to multiply.

The Output is:

I not only multiplied but changed the format as well. If you do not want the format press ALT + E + S + M + V.

Shortcut #8 – Convert Negative Numbers to Positive Numbers in Excel

We can convert all the negative numbers to positive numbers and convert all the positive numbers to negative numbers using the paste method.

I have few positive & negative numbers from A1 to A10.

To do the task enter -1 in any of the cell & copy.

Copy the newly entered negative number, select the data and press ALT + E + S + M. It will multiply all the selected numbers by -1.

Conclusion

• Using the enter key as the paste option will restrict you to paste only to one or selected cells, you cannot paste for many cells individually.
• Using keyboard shortcuts for paste special we can add, subtract, and divide numbers from any number.
• ALT + E + S will open up the paste special window.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to Paste Special Shortcut in Excel. Here we discuss 8 different Paste Special Shortcut Keys to paste Data in different ways along with practical examples and downloadable excel template. You can learn more about excel from the articles below-

1. Top Easy 20 Microsoft Excel Shortcuts (Advance)
2. Best Microsoft Excel Shortcuts – Selection, data and formula
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