All shortcuts
Clear Formatting in Google Sheets
Windows
Alt→H→E→F
Mac
Option→H→E→F
Pasted data drags its formatting with it, and suddenly your clean sheet is a patchwork of fonts and colors. Excel users wipe it with Alt H E F. Sheets technically has Ctrl + \, but the Excel sequence is what your hands type.
XLKeys supports both habits: Alt H E F clears formatting from the selection, and Alt H E A clears everything — contents and formatting in one stroke.
Excel vs. Google Sheets vs. XLKeys
| Where | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Excel | Alt→H→E→F |
| Google Sheets (native) | Ctrl+\ |
| Google Sheets + XLKeys | Alt→H→E→F |
Sheets has Ctrl + \ for clear formatting, but few people know it — and there’s no native “clear all” shortcut.
How to use it
- Select the messy range.
- Press Alt, release it, then type H, E, F.
- All formatting resets to default; values and formulas stay.
- To wipe contents too, use Alt → H → E → A (Clear All).
Frequently asked questions
Related shortcuts
Make Google Sheets feel like Excel
Install XLKeys to use clear formatting and 150+ other Excel-style shortcuts, Alt-key sequences, formula auditing, Goal Seek, and Sensitivity Tables in Google Sheets.