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Keyboard Shortcut: Paste Special in Excel

Software tips

This key combination activates the Paste Special option in Excel. When you press the letter W (for Values) in the Paste Special window, you can skip using your mouse and become much faster as well.

Keyboard Shortcut for Paste Special

The shortcut is CTRL+ALT+V

Using the Shortcut – Practical Example

We’ll use this function with as few mouse clicks as possible.

  • Open the example file
  • Select cells >> G7 through G10
  • Do this by going to cell G7 (CTRL+G and type G7)
  • Hold down the SHIFT key and the CTRL key, then press the Down Arrow key
  • All 4 cells are now selected
  • Press >> CTRL+C (Copy)
  • Press >> CTRL+G (Go To)
  • Type >> E17
  • Press >> CTRL+ALT+V (Paste Special)
  • Press W (for Values)
  • Press >> ENTER
  • The data is now pasted as values

Hands-Free

Every time you use this method, you save 9 mouse clicks.

What Does This Option Do?

What Paste Special actually does is explained in detail in the article Paste Special. This topic focuses only on the shortcut for this function.