Alt + E A C Mac Excel Shortcut: Legacy Clear Contents (2026 Guide)

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Quick Answer

Alt + E + A + C is a legacy pre-ribbon shortcut for Clear Contents. With Accelerator Keys, this shortcut works exactly like the modern Alt + H + E + C sequence.

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If you are looking for the Alt + E A C shortcut on Mac Excel, you may be familiar with this shortcut from older versions of Excel (2003 and earlier). This legacy shortcut still works with Accelerator Keys and maps to the modern ribbon equivalent.

What Does Alt + E A C Do?

Alt + E + A + C is the legacy shortcut for Edit > Clear > Contents. It removes the values and formulas from selected cells while preserving all formatting.

Legacy vs. Modern Shortcut Comparison

Shortcut	Era	Menu Path
Alt + E + A + C	Legacy (Excel 2003)	Edit > Clear > Contents
Alt + H + E + C	Modern (Ribbon)	Home > Clear > Clear Contents

Both shortcuts work with Accelerator Keys!

Step-by-Step: How to do Alt + E A C on Mac Excel

Install the Fix: Download Accelerator Keys (14-day free trial, no credit card required).
Select cells: Choose the cells whose contents you want to clear.
Activate the Ribbon: Press the Option key.
Execute Sequence: Press E, then A, then C.
Result: Cell contents are removed but formatting remains.

Tip: This is equivalent to pressing the Delete key, but uses the legacy menu sequence.

What Gets Cleared

Clear Contents removes:

Cell values (text, numbers)
Formulas

What Stays

Clear Contents preserves:

All formatting (fonts, colors, borders)
Number formats
Comments
Hyperlinks
Conditional formatting rules

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the modern equivalent of Alt + E A C?

The modern ribbon shortcut is Alt + H + E + C (Home > Clear > Clear Contents). Both work with Accelerator Keys.

Is Alt + E A C the same as pressing Delete?

Yes, pressing the Delete key clears cell contents the same way as Alt + E + A + C. The legacy shortcut is useful for users who prefer keyboard sequences.

Does Alt + E A C work natively on Mac Excel?

No, the native Mac Excel “KeyTips” does not support legacy pre-ribbon shortcuts. You need Accelerator Keys to use Alt + E + A + C on Mac.