SheetSpeedMany analysts learned Excel on Windows and now use a Mac with Google Sheets. Two translations cover almost everything:
| Windows Excel | Mac + Google Sheets with SheetSpeed |
|---|---|
| Alt | Option (⌥) |
| Ctrl | ⌘ (Command) |
Blog · 2026-10-16
Excel Alt Shortcuts on a Mac in Google Sheets (Use Option)
Windows Excel habits on a MacBook, in a browser. Here's the translation table.
Examples
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Paste values | Alt, E, S, V | Option, E, S, V |
| Freeze panes | Alt, W, F, F | Option, W, F, F (Pro, launching soon) |
| Borders | Alt, H, B + letter | Option, H, B + letter |
| Trace precedents | Ctrl+Shift+[ | ⌘+Shift+[ |
| Insert rows | Ctrl+Shift+= | ⌘+Shift+= |
Gotchas
- Option types special characters on a Mac (Option+E is an accent key). An extension has to catch the sequence before the character is typed. If a stray character appears in a cell, press Esc and check that the extension is enabled on that tab.
- The command palette (Control+Shift+Space) may clash with input-source switching on some Macs. Remap it in SheetSpeed Settings.
- The F5 key needs Fn on most Mac keyboards unless you've changed the function-key setting.
Full list: SheetSpeed shortcut list
SheetSpeed is a free Chrome extension for Excel-style shortcuts and trace precedents in Google Sheets. We make it, so weigh our take accordingly.