Alt + E S N Mac Excel Shortcut: Legacy Paste Link (2026 Guide)

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Quick Answer

Alt + E + S + N is a legacy pre-ribbon shortcut for Paste Link. With Accelerator Keys, this shortcut works exactly like the modern Alt + H + V + N sequence.

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If you are looking for the Alt + E S N 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 S N Do?

Alt + E + S + N is the legacy shortcut for Edit > Paste Special > Paste Link. It creates a link to the source cells, so the destination cells automatically update when the source changes.

Legacy vs. Modern Shortcut Comparison

Shortcut	Era	Menu Path
Alt + E + S + N	Legacy (Excel 2003)	Edit > Paste Special > Paste Link
Alt + H + V + N	Modern (Ribbon)	Home > Paste > Paste Link

Both shortcuts work with Accelerator Keys!

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

Install the Fix: Download Accelerator Keys (14-day free trial, no credit card required).
Copy your data: Select the source cells and press Cmd+C.
Activate the Ribbon: Press the Option key.
Execute Sequence: Press E, then S, then N.
Result: A formula linking to the source cells is created.

When to Use Paste Link

This shortcut is useful when you want to:

Create dynamic references to source data
Build dashboards that update automatically
Link data across worksheets or workbooks

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the modern equivalent of Alt + E S N?

The modern ribbon shortcut is Alt + H + V + N (Home > Paste > Paste Link). Both work with Accelerator Keys.

What formula does Paste Link create?

Paste Link creates a simple reference formula like =Sheet1!A1 that points to the original cell.

Does Alt + E S N 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 + S + N on Mac.