Excel Shortcut to Paste a Formula: Keys and Tips in Excel

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, copy the formula cell, select the destination, then press Ctrl+Alt+V, press F, and press Enter to paste formulas only. To copy a formula down from the cell above, select the cells and press Ctrl+D instead.

Which shortcut pastes a formula only?

The most dependable shortcut for pasting just a formula is Excel’s Paste Special sequence: Ctrl+Alt+V, F, Enter. First copy a cell containing a formula with Ctrl+C. Select the destination cell or range, open Paste Special with Ctrl+Alt+V, choose Formulas by pressing F, and confirm with Enter. This excludes the copied cell’s number format, fill color, borders, and other formatting.

The F key is an option in the Paste Special dialog, not a separate command to press before opening it. If the dialog does not respond as expected, check that Excel has focus and that a cell or range has been copied; then use the dialog’s Formulas option with the mouse. The sequence applies to the desktop Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows. In some builds, dialog access-key behavior can vary with language or interface settings, so the visible dialog option is the fallback.

For an ordinary paste that includes the formula and formatting, use Ctrl+V. That is often what you want when moving a complete cell, but it can unexpectedly change the appearance of a carefully formatted destination. Paste Special is useful when the formula should move while the destination keeps its existing presentation.

Paste Special versus Fill Down

Paste Special and Fill Down solve related but different tasks. Paste Special is useful when a formula is copied from one place to another, including to a different part of a worksheet, and you want control over what comes with it. Fill Down is designed to extend the contents of the top cell into the selected cells below it.

Use Ctrl+Alt+V, F, Enter when you have copied a formula and want to paste formulas without the source formatting.
Use Ctrl+D when the top cell in a selected vertical range contains a formula that should fill the cells underneath.
Use Ctrl+V when you want a standard paste, which may include both formula and formatting.
Use a fill handle when you want to drag a formula into adjacent cells and see the fill direction visually.

For example, if D2 contains a calculation and you select D2:D20 before pressing Ctrl+D, Excel fills the selected range using the top cell as its source. This can be quicker than copying D2 and pasting repeatedly. Fill Down also copies formatting from the top cell, however, so it is not the best choice if the lower cells must retain different formatting.

How to paste a formula step by step

Use this process when the source and destination are not simply a top cell and the cells below it:

Select the cell that contains the formula and press Ctrl+C. A moving border usually appears around the copied cell.
Select the destination cell. To paste into a range, select the range’s upper-left cell or select the full destination range.
Press Ctrl+Alt+V to open Paste Special.
Choose Formulas. In the Windows dialog, press F if the shortcut selection is available, or click the Formulas option.
Press Enter or click OK. Check the result, especially if the formula contains cell references.

When pasting into a multi-cell range, Excel repeats or adjusts the copied formula across the selected cells according to the range and the formula’s references. If you need a specific pattern, test the operation in a small area first. A formula-only paste does not mean “paste the displayed answer”: it transfers the formula expression. To paste the calculated result instead, choose Values in Paste Special.

What happens to cell references?

Relative references generally adjust when a formula is copied to a different location. Absolute references, marked with dollar signs, stay fixed. Mixed references lock either the row or the column. This distinction matters because two cells can display similar results while relying on different reference behavior.

For example, with quantities in A2:A4 and prices in B2:B4, enter the following in C2:

With quantities in A2:A4 and prices in B2:B4, put this formula in C2: =A2*B2. It returns the line total for row 2. Copying or filling it one row down normally changes it to =A3*B3; if A2 is 3 and B2 is 4, the result in C2 is 12.

By contrast, a reference such as $B$1 stays pointed at B1 when copied. If a formula uses a tax rate or other single input in a fixed cell, absolute references can prevent the reference from moving as the formula is filled. Relative references are usually appropriate for row-by-row calculations, while absolute references are helpful for shared inputs. Formula-only paste does not remove or freeze these reference rules.

One common misconception is that choosing Formulas pastes a formula exactly as typed, with all references unchanged. In fact, Excel’s normal copy-and-paste behavior can adjust relative references based on the destination. If you need the copied formula to refer to the same cells, use absolute references where appropriate, or inspect the result after pasting.

Copying the formula from the cell above

If the active cell is directly below a formula and you want to bring that formula into it, Excel also provides Ctrl+’ (Ctrl plus the apostrophe key) on Windows. This copies the formula from the cell above into the active cell and places the entry in edit mode. Press Enter to accept it. It is handy for a one-cell action, but Ctrl+D is usually clearer for filling a selected block down.

Ctrl+D works on a selected range: the top row supplies the content that is filled downward. Include the source cell at the top of the selection. For example, select E5:E12 when E5 contains the starting formula, then press Ctrl+D. Selecting only E6:E12 does not include E5 as the source for the Fill Down command. This selection detail is a frequent reason people think the shortcut did nothing or filled from the wrong cell.

Neither shortcut should be confused with copying a formula’s displayed result. They copy formula content. If the source cell contains a constant rather than a formula, Fill Down copies that constant too.

Common problems and quick checks

If a paste appears to do nothing, confirm that the source was copied before opening Paste Special and that the destination is not protected or otherwise unavailable for editing. Pressing Esc can cancel copy mode, so copy again if the moving border has disappeared. Also check whether Excel opened a dialog behind another window or whether the selected destination is on a protected worksheet.

The destination formatting changed: use Paste Special and choose Formulas instead of making a normal Ctrl+V paste.
The formula points to unexpected cells: review relative and absolute references; copy-and-paste can shift relative references.
The cell shows an answer rather than a formula: the formula bar may still show the formula, or calculation settings may affect when results update. Click the cell and inspect the formula bar.
Only one cell filled: for Ctrl+D, include the source cell and the cells to be filled in one selected range.
The result is an error: inspect the formula and its inputs. Pasting a formula does not guarantee its referenced cells contain suitable values.

Also distinguish a formula from text that looks like one. A cell formatted as Text, or an entry preceded by an apostrophe, may display =A2*B2 without calculating it. Changing the cell format alone may not convert existing text into a live formula; you may need to re-enter the formula. This is a data-entry issue rather than a Paste Special shortcut issue.

Excel on Mac and Excel for the web

On Excel for Mac, the Windows Ctrl-based sequences do not all transfer directly because Mac uses different modifier keys and keyboard conventions. A practical route is to copy the cell, select the destination, then use the Paste Special command from Excel’s menus or the Home tab and select Formulas in the dialog. Excel for Mac also offers keyboard access to Paste Special, but the assigned shortcut can depend on the keyboard and version; use the menu command if the Windows sequence does not open the dialog.

In Excel for the web, use the Home tab’s Paste options and choose the formula-paste option when available. Browser and operating-system shortcuts can intercept key combinations, so the ribbon is a useful alternative. The desktop Windows shortcut described above is the clearest default when using Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows.

When working across versions or sharing instructions with colleagues, describe the action as “Paste Special, Formulas” as well as giving the shortcut. That names the feature even when the key sequence differs. Avoid assuming that a shortcut from another spreadsheet application will work identically in Excel.

Choosing the right method for the job

Choose based on whether you are moving a formula, extending a pattern, or copying a result. Paste Special formulas is the best fit for transferring formula logic while leaving destination formatting alone. Ctrl+D is efficient for extending a calculation down a contiguous column. Ctrl+V is suitable when the whole copied cell should be reproduced, and Paste Special Values is the option when the destination should receive the calculated result rather than the formula.

Before filling a large range, verify one or two results. Check that relative references advance as intended and any fixed inputs remain fixed. If the range already contains data, consider whether overwriting it is intended; a paste or Fill Down can replace existing contents. Undo with Ctrl+Z immediately if the operation affected the wrong cells, then reselect the intended range and repeat carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut to paste a formula in Excel?
On Windows, copy the formula, select the destination, then press Ctrl+Alt+V, F, Enter to use Paste Special and paste formulas only. Ctrl+V performs a normal paste.

How do I copy a formula down in Excel?
Select a range that starts with the formula cell and includes the cells below it, then press Ctrl+D. Excel fills the selected cells downward from the top cell.

Does Paste Special Formulas copy formatting?
No. The Formulas option pastes formula content without the source cell’s formatting. Choose a standard paste or another Paste Special option if you also need formatting.

Will pasted formulas change cell references?
Relative references usually adjust to the destination. References containing dollar signs remain fixed in the locked row, column, or both. Check the pasted formula if the exact references matter.

How do I paste a formula’s result instead of the formula?
Copy the source cell, open Paste Special, and choose Values. This pastes the current calculated value rather than the formula expression, so it will not recalculate from the original inputs.

Try it: the Formula Explainer: paste any formula and see each function and reference in plain English.

More in Formulas & functions

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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