How to Paste Values and Other Paste Shortcuts in Excel on Mac (5 Methods Compared)

You copied a formula, but need the displayed result—not the formula, cell colour, borders, or comments. That is exactly what Paste Values does in Excel for Mac: it pastes the value Excel currently shows and leaves the copied formula and formatting behind.

Quick answer: Copy with ⌘C, select the destination, then press ⌃⌘V, V, Return to choose Values from Paste Special. For a mouse-first route, use Home → Paste ▼ → Values. If you use MacCove's Mac Excel Shortcuts, press Alt, E, S, V after copying to run the same Paste Values action, just like you would on Windows.

What Paste Values does—and why normal paste behaves differently

Normal paste (⌘V) copies the full cell package: value or formula, formatting, comments or notes, and other supported cell attributes. If the source cell contains `=B2*C2`, a normal paste copies that formula and adjusts its relative references.

Paste Values instead writes the formula’s current calculated result. For example, a source cell containing `=125*0.08` becomes `10` in the destination. The destination no longer updates when the inputs change. This is useful when you need to:

• turn a calculation into a fixed result before sharing a report;

• preserve the destination table’s formatting;

• remove formula links from a final export; or

• combine results from another workbook without carrying its formulas along.

Before you start: Copy a cell or range with ⌘C, then select the upper-left destination cell (or a same-size destination range). Paste Special options are available in current Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac, Excel 2024 for Mac, and Excel 2021 for Mac.

At a glance: which method should you use?

Method 1: Paste Values from the Ribbon

1. Select the source cells and press ⌘C.

2. Click the first destination cell.

3. On the Home tab, click the arrow beside Paste.

4. Choose Values.

This is the clearest option when you are learning: Excel labels the choice, and its icon shows a clipboard with `123`. Use it when you want a quick visual check that you are not about to paste formulas or formats.

Method 2: Use the Excel menus

1. Copy the source cells with ⌘C.

2. Select the destination cell.

3. In the macOS menu bar, choose Edit → Paste Special.

4. Select Values, then choose OK.

The Paste Special dialog is the best route when you need a less common option as well as Values. It exposes choices such as Formulas, Formats, Multiply, Divide, Skip Blanks, Transpose, and Paste Link in one place.

Method 3: Use Excel’s native Paste Special shortcut

For values only:

1. Copy with ⌘C.

2. Select the destination.

3. Press ⌃⌘V to open Paste Special.

4. Press V to select Values, then select Return.

Excel also documents ⌃⌥V and ⌘⌥V as alternatives for opening Paste Special on Mac. The most dependable choice is the one that works in your Excel and does not conflict with another app or a custom macOS shortcut.

This is not a single native “paste values” keystroke: the first shortcut opens the dialog, then you choose Values. In Microsoft 365 for Mac version 16.33 or later, Excel allows **Paste Values** to be assigned to a custom key combination through Office’s keyboard-shortcut settings. Choose a combination that does not already open Paste Special.

Other useful native Paste Special choices

Open Paste Special, then choose the relevant option:

Method 4: Use the Paste Options button with the mouse

1. Copy the source cells and paste normally with ⌘V.

2. Click the small Paste Options button that appears by the pasted range.

3. Choose Values.

This can feel faster when your hand is already on the mouse and you want to inspect the normal paste before replacing it. It is also a useful recovery path: if you accidentally pasted a formula or unwanted formatting, choose Undo (⌘Z) and then paste values with one of the first three methods.

The button is contextual—it appears after a paste and may disappear when you continue working—so it is not ideal for repeat-heavy work.

Method 5: Use MacCove for Windows-style Paste Special sequences

MacCove’s Mac Excel Shortcuts lets you use familiar Windows Excel key sequences in Excel for Mac. After copying and selecting the destination, press these keys in order:

MacCove translates the sequence into Excel for Mac’s Paste Special action and confirms the selected option. It is most useful if you already work from Windows Excel muscle memory or repeat Paste Special commands all day. Set up the app’s required Accessibility and Input Monitoring permissions before relying on the sequences.

Real-world example: freeze a monthly report before sending it

Suppose `F2:F25` contains revenue formulas that reference a live assumptions sheet. You need to email a final snapshot while keeping the report’s number format, column widths, and styling untouched.

1. Copy `F2:F25` with ⌘C.

2. Select `F2`.

3. Use Alt, E, S, V with MacCove.

4. Check one cell in the formula bar. It should now contain a number such as `12450`, not a formula beginning with `=`.

Because Values replaces formulas with their displayed results, this deliberately stops future recalculation for that range. Keep an original formula-driven version of the workbook if you may need to update the report later.

Common mistakes when pasting values on Mac

Using ⌘V and expecting formulas to disappear

⌘V is normal paste, so it intentionally copies formulas and formatting. Use Paste Special → Values instead.

Pasting values into the only copy of your model

Paste Values is destructive to formulas at the destination. Save a version first, duplicate the sheet, or paste into a separate output area.

Choosing Formats instead of Values

**Formats** copies the visual style; it does not copy the calculated results. Choose **Values** when the numbers or text are what you need.

Expecting Values to preserve source number formatting

Values pastes the displayed values only. If the destination must use the source’s currency, date, or percentage style too, use a Paste menu option that includes values and number formatting when available, or paste values and then apply the needed number format.

Trying the shortcut before copying

Paste Special needs copied cells on the clipboard. If its commands are unavailable, copy a cell in Excel first and try again.

FAQs

What is the fastest way to paste values in Excel for Mac?

For built-in Excel, use ⌃⌘V, V, Return. If you use MacCove, Alt, E, S, V avoids navigating the dialog manually and matches the Windows sequence.

Can I paste values without formatting on a Mac?

Yes. Choose Values from the Paste menu or Paste Special dialog. The source formula and source formatting are excluded; the destination formatting remains.

Why does Paste Values turn my formula into a number?

That is the point of the command: Excel pastes the formula’s calculated result as a static value. It will not update when its former inputs change.

Why is Paste Special unavailable or disabled?

Usually Excel has no valid copied cells on its clipboard, or the copied content is not compatible with the selected destination. Copy cells within Excel again, click a valid destination cell, and reopen Paste Special.

Can I make a custom Paste Values shortcut in Excel for Mac?

You can use Mac Excel Shortcuts to create your own special key combinations for different functionalities on MacBook

Sources

- Microsoft: Copy and paste specific cell content in Excel for Mac

- Microsoft: Keyboard shortcuts in Excel