Alt + E K Mac Excel Shortcut: Legacy Edit Links (2026 Guide)

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Quick Answer

To do Alt + E K on Mac in Excel, install Accelerator Keys, then press Option, then E, then K. It runs the Excel 2003 command Edit > Links. The modern ribbon shortcut is Alt + A + K.

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If you are looking for the Alt + E K shortcut on Mac Excel, you may know it from Excel 2003, where Alt + E opened the Edit menu. Windows Excel still accepts these menu keys. With Accelerator Keys, they work on your Mac too.

What Does Alt + E K Do?

Alt + E + K is the legacy shortcut for Edit > Links. It opens the Edit Links dialog. It shows the other workbooks that this workbook links to. From there you update values, change the source, open the source, or break a link.

Legacy vs. Modern Shortcut Comparison

Shortcut Era Menu Path
Alt + E + K Legacy (Excel 2003) Edit > Links
Alt + A + K Modern (Ribbon) Data > Edit Links

Both shortcuts work with Accelerator Keys.

How It Works on Mac

On your Mac, Accelerator Keys runs Data > Edit Links in the Excel menu bar. It works on any ribbon tab and at any window width.

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

  1. Install the Fix: Download Accelerator Keys (14-day free trial, no credit card required).
  2. Open the workbook: Open the workbook that has links to other files.
  3. Press Option: Press the Option key. It works like Alt on Windows.
  4. Press the letters one at a time: Press E, then K.
  5. Result: The Edit Links dialog opens with a list of the linked files.

Frequently asked questions

Does Alt + E K work natively on Mac Excel?

No. Excel for Mac’s own KeyTips do not support the legacy Alt + E, Alt + I, Alt + O, and Alt + D menu keys. Accelerator Keys adds them. Press Option, then E, then K.

Why does Alt + E K open a Data menu item on Mac?

In Excel 2003, Links was in the Edit menu. Excel for Mac keeps it in the Data menu as Edit Links. Accelerator Keys runs that item, so the Windows keys still work.

What if my workbook has no links?

Nothing opens. Excel for Mac shows the Edit Links dialog only when the workbook has links to other workbooks or files.

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