Alt + E S Mac Excel Shortcut: Legacy Paste Special Menu (2026 Guide)

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Quick Answer

Alt + E + S is a legacy pre-ribbon shortcut that opens the Paste Special menu. With Accelerator Keys, this shortcut works exactly like the modern Alt + H + V sequence.

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

Alt + E + S is the legacy shortcut for Edit > Paste Special. It opens the Paste Special menu, allowing you to choose how to paste your copied data (values only, formulas, formatting, etc.).

Legacy vs. Modern Shortcut Comparison

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

Both shortcuts work with Accelerator Keys!

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

  1. Install the Fix: Download Accelerator Keys (14-day free trial, no credit card required).
  2. Copy your data: Select your cells and press Cmd+C (or Ctrl+C).
  3. Activate the Ribbon: Press the Option key.
  4. Execute Sequence: Press E, then S.
  5. Result: The Paste Special menu opens, showing all paste options.

Pro Tip: After pressing Alt + E + S, you can continue with additional keys like V (Values), F (Formulas), or T (Transpose).

Common Paste Special Sequences

After opening Paste Special with Alt + E + S, continue with:

Key Action
V Paste Values only
F Paste Formulas only
T Paste and Transpose
R Paste Formatting only
A Paste Values & Number Formatting

Why Use Legacy Shortcuts?

Many Excel power users learned the Edit menu shortcuts (Alt+E) years ago and have them committed to muscle memory. Accelerator Keys preserves this productivity by supporting both legacy and modern shortcuts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the modern equivalent of Alt + E S?

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

Does Alt + E S 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 on Mac.

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