How to Convert Formulas to Values in Excel
Freeze a formula's result so the number stays put even when its inputs change, move, or get deleted — and links to other files travel with nothing.
Last updated: August 2026
| Cell holds | After converting | |
|---|---|---|
| =SUM(A2:A9) | → | 1,240 |
| =VLOOKUP(B2,Sheet2!A:C,3,0) | → | Acme Ltd |
Method 1 — Copy & Paste Special (any version)
- Select the cells with formulas and press Ctrl + C.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + V, then V — or right-click and choose Paste Values (the clipboard icon with 123).
- The formulas are replaced by their current results, in place. Press Esc to clear the marching ants.
Fast for one block. But on a filtered list, a multi-area selection, or a sheet where you keep clicking the wrong paste icon, it gets fiddly — and there's no preview of what each formula resolves to.
Method 2 — right-click drag
Select the range, drag its border with the right mouse button a little and back, release, and choose Copy Here as Values Only. Quick once you know it — but easy to nudge the data out of place, and desktop-only.
The one-click way — Tellsheet's Convert Formulas to Values
Select the range and click Convert Formulas to Values. Every formula becomes its current result in place — and the preview shows each formula right next to the value it will become, so you can see exactly what's being frozen before you Apply. It handles the whole selection at once, survives on Excel for Windows, Mac, and the web, and every change is revertible from the History panel.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn a formula into its value?
Copy the cells (Ctrl+C), then Paste Special as Values (Ctrl+Alt+V then V). Tellsheet's Convert Formulas to Values does the whole selection in one click, previewed.
Why convert formulas to values?
So results stay put when inputs change or get deleted, to cut links to other workbooks before sharing, and to speed up a file heavy with volatile formulas.
Can I convert only some cells?
Yes — select just those cells. Anything outside the selection keeps its formulas.
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