Clipboard problem in Excel 2016

Anonymous
2016-04-16T23:39:19+00:00

I am running Excel 2016 on a Windows 10 Machine.

When I copy a cell (or cut a cell, or move a cell) I get one of two error messages:

"Cannot open the Clipboard"

"We couldn't free up space on the Clipboard.  Another program might be using it right now." 

I am then able to successfully paste what Excel told me it could not copy.  To restate for clarity...Excel throws error messages, but I am able to successfully copy and paste.

The problem is that it throws the error messages every single time I try and copy or cut or whatever.

Things I have tried:

I've ensured all other programs are not running (or using the clip board)

I've cleared the %temp% folder

I've cleared the Clipboard within Excel

Word does not have this problem...

Please help.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2017-02-28T16:18:02+00:00

Hello,

I have an update on this error dialog: “There's a problem with the clipboard, but you can still paste your content within this workbook."

When Excel shows this dialog after a copy (CTRL+C) action, it means that another app has a lock on the system clipboard.  In this situation you can still paste within Excel.  However you cannot paste to another app like Word or Outlook which uses the clipboard.

Last year we made some improvements to Office365 users so that this error message only shows once per Excel instance.  This is based on customer feedback - the design change prevents it popping up multiple successive times when the clipboard is locked.  We have also considered never showing the error dialog, but there was user feedback that this message is informative and helpful in some cases. 

We hope this helps shed some light on this error message.  For any design suggestions or new ideas on improving the Excel copy-paste experience, please post to Excel UserVoice.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-02-08T16:09:55+00:00

    Hi Freya,

    why do you have this post still marked as THE answer?

    Maybe it has been an answer at the time, but obviously (see all following comments) not a helpful one. The marking as an answer (i.e. helpful) misdirects the readers who don't have the time to search all the 74 replies for a possible solution.

    And why didn't you react to my answer from January 4th, 2017?

    That is - as far as I can tell -  the most complete and helpful comment on the still unsolved topic.

    Thank you in advance.

    Uwe

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-02-08T12:16:11+00:00

    I have this problem also.   Totally impossible to work with Excel at the moment.

    Have tried safe mode - no difference.

    We urgently need a fix for this Microsoft.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-01-10T13:33:38+00:00

    Message i receive very real very annoying

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-01-06T09:19:54+00:00

    Hi Uwe

    That is spot on. Why Microsoft can't see it is incredible.

    Steve

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