Karabiner vs BetterTouchTool vs Keyboard Maestro: Which Is Best for Windows Excel Shortcuts on Mac?
If you've just moved from Windows to a Mac and Excel feels slow, the internet will tell you to install a keyboard tool. Karabiner-Elements, BetterTouchTool and Keyboard Maestro are the usual suggestions. All three are excellent apps, but each was built for a different job. Getting Alt, H, V, V or Alt, H, M, C to work in Excel takes more setup in all of them than most blog posts admit.
This guide compares them specifically for Excel, alongside the free options already on your Mac.
Quick answer: For a handful of Excel commands, start free: Excel → Tools → Customize Keyboard can put a shortcut on almost any Ribbon command, and Microsoft 365 builds 16.89+ include optional Ribbon KeyTips, though many Windows Alt sequences still don't work with them. Keyboard Maestro ($36) is the most capable DIY tool for rebuilding Windows-style sequences. BetterTouchTool ($15–25) is a good middle ground. Karabiner-Elements (free) is great for remapping keys but painful for multi-step Excel commands. If you want dozens of Windows Ribbon sequences working without building them yourself, a dedicated app such as Mac Excel Shortcuts saves you the setup.
What you're actually trying to do
"Make my Windows Excel shortcuts work" usually means three different things, and each tool handles them differently:
Simple remaps. Ctrl+C → ⌘C, Home/End behaviour, a Windows keyboard's Alt and Win keys. Every tool on this list can do this.
One shortcut for one Ribbon command, such as a key for Merge & Center or Wrap Text. Excel can already do this itself.
Windows Ribbon sequences. Pressing Alt, then H, then V, then V in order, the way Windows Excel works. This is the hard part, because it needs a tool that tracks sequences of keys and then drives Excel's interface, sometimes including a dialog box.
Most frustration comes from people picking a tool built for #1 and trying to make it do #3.
The comparison at a glance
| Tool | Price | Best at | Windows Ribbon sequences (Alt, H, V, V) | Setup effort for ~20 Excel commands | Permissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excel | Included | One shortcut per Ribbon command | No (single key combos only) | Low — a few minutes each | None |
| Excel | Included | Keyboard access to the Ribbon | Partly; many Windows sequences (e.g. Alt, E, S, V) don't work | None — just turn it on | None |
| macOS App Shortcuts | Free | Shortcuts for menu-bar items | No | Low, but menu items only | None |
| Karabiner-Elements | Free | Low-level key remapping | Possible with hand-written JSON rules | Very high | Accessibility, driver extension, login items |
| BetterTouchTool | $15 (2 years of updates) / $25 lifetime | Gestures, triggers, key sequences | Possible with Key Sequences + actions | Medium–high | Accessibility |
| Keyboard Maestro | $36 one-time | Macros and automation | Yes, with nested "activated for one action" groups | Medium–high | Accessibility (+ Input Monitoring) |
| Hammerspoon | Free | Scripted automation (Lua) | Yes, if you write the code | Very high | Accessibility |
| Mac Excel Shortcuts | $49 one-time or $4.99/month (free trial) | Windows Excel Ribbon sequences | Yes, built in | Low — install and grant permissions | Accessibility, Input Monitoring |
Prices were checked on each vendor's site in October 2026 and may change.
Start with what's already free
Excel's Customize Keyboard
Most Windows switchers never find this, because Windows Excel doesn't have it. In Excel for Mac, choose Tools → Customize Keyboard…, pick a Ribbon tab in Categories, select the command, press the keys you want, and click Add.
It reaches commands that live only on the Ribbon, such as Merge and Center, Wrap Text and Freeze Panes, which macOS's own shortcut settings can't. The limits:
One key combination per command. No sequences like Alt, H, M, C.
Some popular actions aren't in the list. Users on Microsoft's forums report that Paste Values isn't available as a separate command, because it's an option inside the Paste Special dialog.
Good for: the five or six commands you use most.
Excel's KeyTips (Microsoft 365, 16.89+)
Recent builds of Excel for Mac include KeyTips, the letter badges that appear on the Ribbon when you press Alt on Windows. They're off by default. Turn them on in Excel → Settings → Accessibility → KeyTips and choose Option or Shift+Option as the trigger.
It's free and worth turning on, but it doesn't get Windows users the whole way. Alt, E, S, V for Paste Values doesn't work, and neither do many other Alt sequences that work on Windows. It also won't help on Excel 2019 or 2021 perpetual licences.
macOS App Shortcuts
System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → App Shortcuts lets you assign a shortcut to any menu-bar command in Excel, by typing its exact name. It's simple and reliable, but it can't see the Ribbon or the options inside dialogs, and it can't do sequences. In Excel, Customize Keyboard does the same job and does it better.
Karabiner-Elements
What it is: a free, open-source, very powerful keyboard remapper that works at the driver level.
Where it shines: making a Windows keyboard behave like a Mac keyboard, remapping Caps Lock, and app-specific swaps such as Ctrl→⌘ only inside Excel. Community rule sets like "Windows mode" handle most of the Ctrl-based remaps in a few clicks.
For Excel Ribbon sequences: Karabiner doesn't know what Excel's Ribbon is. To build Alt, H, V, V you write a JSON "complex modification" that sets a variable when Option is tapped, another when H follows, and finally sends ⌃⌘V, waits, sends V, and presses Return. That's one rule per command. Fixed delays decide whether the dialog has opened in time. It's doable, but budget an hour or two for your first rule, and expect to maintain them.
Watch out for: Karabiner needs a driver extension. After some macOS updates, users have reported the driver getting stuck asking for approval again. On managed work laptops, IT policy may block driver extensions altogether.
Verdict: the best free remapper on the Mac, and the wrong tool for recreating dozens of Excel Ribbon sequences. We've written up how far you can push Karabiner for Excel Alt sequences.
BetterTouchTool
What it is: a long-running Mac utility for custom trackpad gestures, mouse buttons, keyboard shortcuts and automation, at $15 (two years of updates) or $25 for a lifetime licence.
Where it shines: if you also want custom trackpad gestures, window snapping and app-specific shortcuts, BetterTouchTool does a lot for the price.
For Excel Ribbon sequences: BetterTouchTool has a Key Sequences trigger with timing controls, so you can make Option → H → V → V fire an action only in Excel. The action can trigger a menu item by name, such as Edit;Paste Special..., or send a chain of keystrokes with short delays. For Ribbon-only commands, you first give them a shortcut in Excel's Customize Keyboard and then have BetterTouchTool press it. That's workable, but expect 15–30 minutes per command until you've found a pattern.
Watch out for: permission prompts that keep reappearing after upgrades are a recurring topic on its forum. The usual fix is removing BetterTouchTool from Accessibility and adding it again.
Verdict: a good all-rounder if you'll use its other features too. It's a lot of tool to buy for Excel alone.
Keyboard Maestro
What it is: a macro automation app for Mac, $36 one-time with a free trial. Power users have relied on it for over two decades.
Where it shines: anything you can describe as steps — select a menu item, wait for a window, type, click, repeat. Its "Activated for one action when…" macro groups are a clean way to build leader-key sequences: tap Option to activate the "Alt" group, press H to activate the "Home" group, then V triggers your Paste macro.
For Excel Ribbon sequences: this is the most capable DIY route. A Paste Values macro can type ⌃⌘V, pause a fraction of a second, type V, and press Return, all limited to Excel. Menu selection by name is tolerant of small differences such as "..." vs "…", so it breaks less often when Microsoft tweaks labels.
Watch out for: it needs Accessibility permission for both Keyboard Maestro and Keyboard Maestro Engine, and Input Monitoring if macOS lists it there. Building and testing a few dozen Excel macros is a weekend project, not a lunchtime one.
Verdict: the best choice if you enjoy automation and want macros beyond Excel. The trade-off is that you become the maintainer of your own Windows-shortcut layer.
Hammerspoon and Raycast (briefly)
Hammerspoon is free and scriptable in Lua. Its
hs.hotkey.modalmakes leader-key sequences possible, and if you're comfortable writing code it can do anything Keyboard Maestro can. If you aren't, it's the steepest climb here.Raycast is a launcher. Its "Search Menu Items" command is a fast way to find any Excel menu command by typing, but it doesn't do key sequences or dialog automation.
Worked example: Paste Values and Merge & Center
Here's roughly what it takes to make the two most-requested Windows sequences work with each approach.
| Approach | Paste Values (Alt, E, S, V / Alt, H, V, V) | Merge & Center (Alt, H, M, C) |
|---|---|---|
| Excel Customize Keyboard | Not available as a single command; use | Assign a shortcut to |
| Excel KeyTips (16.89+) | Alt, E, S, V | Some Ribbon commands only |
| macOS App Shortcuts | Can open Paste Special, not choose Values | Not reachable (Ribbon only) |
| Karabiner-Elements | JSON rule: Option→E→S→V sends ⌃⌘V, delay, V, Return (1–2 h first time) | JSON rule sending your Customize Keyboard shortcut |
| BetterTouchTool | Key Sequence + keystroke actions with delays (15–30 min) | Key Sequence that presses your custom shortcut |
| Keyboard Maestro | Nested macro groups + Type/Pause actions (20–40 min) | Macro that presses your custom shortcut |
| Mac Excel Shortcuts | Type | Type |
The pattern is clear: the DIY tools can all get there, but each command is a small project, and a collection of fifty of them is a hobby.
Things that trip people up with any of these tools
Option is also a typing key. On a Mac, Option+V types √ and Option+H types ˙. A rule that misfires leaves odd characters in your cells. Test on a scratch sheet.
Dialog timing. Any macro that opens Paste Special and then types a letter depends on the dialog opening fast enough. On a busy machine or a big workbook, it sometimes doesn't.
Clashes with native KeyTips. If you turn on Excel's KeyTips and build Option-based sequences in another tool, they'll compete for the same key. Pick one.
macOS updates. Accessibility, Input Monitoring and driver permissions sometimes need re-approving after a major macOS update. If shortcuts stop working, check System Settings → Privacy & Security first.
Work laptops. Company device management can block Accessibility permissions or driver extensions. Ask IT before you spend an evening building macros.
Which should you choose?
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Use a few Excel commands heavily and don't mind new shortcuts | Excel Customize Keyboard |
| Only need occasional Ribbon access on Microsoft 365 | Excel KeyTips |
| Mainly want a Windows keyboard or Ctrl-style remaps across the Mac | Karabiner-Elements |
| Want gestures, window management and some Excel shortcuts | BetterTouchTool |
| Enjoy building automation and want full control | Keyboard Maestro |
| Want your existing Windows Excel sequences to just work, without building them | Mac Excel Shortcuts |
FAQs
Can Karabiner-Elements make Alt shortcuts work in Excel for Mac?
For simple remaps, yes. For Ribbon sequences like Alt, H, V, V you have to write a custom JSON rule for every command, usually with fixed delays. It works, but it takes time to build and maintain.
Is BetterTouchTool or Keyboard Maestro better for Excel?
Keyboard Maestro is more capable for multi-step Excel macros and handles menu names more forgivingly. BetterTouchTool is cheaper and also covers gestures and window management. For Excel alone, Keyboard Maestro has the edge.
Is there a free way to get Excel shortcuts back on Mac?
Yes. Use Tools → Customize Keyboard in Excel for single shortcuts, turn on KeyTips in Excel → Settings → Accessibility (Microsoft 365, 16.89+; partial coverage), and use Karabiner-Elements for key remaps.
Why do my custom shortcuts stop working after a macOS update?
macOS sometimes resets or re-asks for Accessibility and Input Monitoring permissions. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, remove the app from the list, add it back, and restart it.
Do I need Parallels just for Excel shortcuts?
Usually not. Running Windows in a virtual machine gives you Windows Excel, but at the cost of a Windows licence, memory and battery. See our Mac Excel Shortcuts vs Parallels vs Boot Camp comparison.
Related guides
How to Make Alt Sequence Keys Work in Karabiner for Excel on Mac?
Which Apps Are Windows-Style Accelerator Apps for Excel on Mac?