Excel formulas are powerful. They calculate totals, automate reports, and save hours of manual work. But sometimes, you don’t want the formula anymore — you just want the final result.
Maybe you’re sharing the file with someone and don’t want them to edit formulas.
Maybe you’re preparing a final report.
Or maybe the workbook is getting slow because of too many calculations.
Whatever the reason, removing formulas and keeping only values is very simple in Excel — if you know the right method.
In this guide, we’ll cover multiple ways to remove formulas while keeping values, including shortcuts and best practices.
Why Remove Formulas in Excel?
Before jumping into the steps, let’s understand why this is useful:
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Prevent accidental formula changes
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Reduce file size
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Improve workbook performance
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Lock final reports
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Share clean data with clients or team members
When you remove a formula, Excel replaces it with the calculated result.
Example:
If a cell contains:
And the result is 500
After removing the formula, the cell will simply show:
No formula behind it.
Method 1: Copy and Paste Values (Most Common Method)
This is the easiest and most widely used method.
Step-by-step:
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Select the cells that contain formulas
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Press Ctrl + C to copy
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Right-click on the same selection
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Choose Paste Special
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Select Values
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Click OK
Your formulas are now replaced with values.
Keyboard Shortcut (Faster Method)
If you prefer shortcuts:
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Select cells
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Press Ctrl + C
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Press Ctrl + Alt + V
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Press V
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Press Enter
Done. Formulas removed, values kept.
Method 2: Using Right-Click Paste Values Icon
In newer versions of Excel:
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Copy the cells
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Right-click
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Click the small “123” Values icon
This instantly pastes only values.
Method 3: Drag and Drop Method (Quick Trick)
This is a lesser-known trick:
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Select formula cells
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Move your cursor to the border of the selection
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Hold the right mouse button
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Drag slightly and release in the same place
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Choose Copy Here as Values Only
This replaces formulas with values instantly.
Method 4: Remove Formulas Using VBA (For Large Data)
If you frequently need to remove formulas from large datasets, VBA can help.
Example VBA Code:
Selection.Value = Selection.Value
End Sub
How it works:
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It replaces formulas with their current values in selected cells.
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Useful for automation tasks.
How to Remove Formulas from an Entire Worksheet
If you want to remove all formulas in a sheet:
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Press Ctrl + A (Select All)
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Copy
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Paste Special ? Values
? Important: This will remove ALL formulas permanently. Save a backup if needed.
How to Check if a Cell Contains a Formula
Before removing formulas, you might want to check them.
Use:
This shortcut toggles formula view.
Or use this formula:
It returns TRUE if a formula exists.
Things to Remember
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Removing formulas is permanent (unless you undo immediately)
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Always keep a backup if calculations are important
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After removing formulas, data will not update automatically
When Should You Keep the Formula?
You should NOT remove formulas if:
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The data updates regularly
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You need dynamic calculations
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The sheet is still in progress
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You’re using dependent formulas
In such cases, consider protecting the sheet instead.
Final Thoughts
Removing formulas while keeping values is a simple but powerful Excel skill. Whether you’re finalizing reports, sharing data, or improving performance, knowing how to convert formulas to values can save time and prevent mistakes.
It’s one of those small Excel tricks that makes a big difference in daily work.
Read Also: How to Find Duplicates in Excel
