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
    2016-12-28T11:45:16+00:00

    1st picture - Paste All works fine within first 5 minutes after restarting.

    2nd picture - Paste All makes weird quadratic selection and not pasting all cells; 5 minutes after restarting.

    3rd picture - Weird message that another program is using clipboard.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-12-28T18:00:58+00:00

    i concur.  that is, problem persists with 2007 and 2013 while running on windows 10, but did not have problem while running 2007 on Windows 7.  Have not wiped windows 10, and reverted system to windows 7 yet, but tempted to do so

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-12-28T20:51:34+00:00

    I have had this problem in the most current Excel 2016 from the Office 365 personal subscription.  Full repairs, uninstalls and re-installs did not help.  I turned off Zone Alarm (did not remove, just turned off) and the problem has not reoccurred yet.  I may need to find a new virus protection if it is going to make Excel behave this way.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-12-29T04:10:39+00:00

    Very good analysis.  It should have been done by MS by now.

    If you have the opportunity I suggest you check out the Zone Alarm anti-virus link since all my problems on this issue disappeared when I deleted Zone Alarm.

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