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
    2016-05-31T17:17:47+00:00

    We are also having this problem.  It's been across multiple spreadsheets, new or existing.  The difference with us is that we have to close Excel, re-open and do it again and it works.  It's gotten to the point that we might uninstall 2016 and reinstall 2013.

    -T

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-06-30T18:30:39+00:00

    Hello,

    By any chance, has anyone found a fix for this issue? This is extremely annoying and a waste of time. this is occurring in Office 2016 32 bit and 64 bit.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-04T19:15:14+00:00

    Windows 10 Home 64 HE/Office 365 Personal

    Trying to cut and paste a small data range of (about 20 cells, no formulas) from one workbook to another (both are. xlsm); this is the error message I am receiving:

    "You can't paste this here because the copy area and paste area aren't the same size. Select just one cell in the paste area that's the same size, and try pasting again."

    It does not matter it you use one cell or mirror the cell range you are coping. It still doesn't work.

    If you are pasting from sheet to sheet within the notebook, the normal cut and paste works.

    I am tired of having to retype my information.

    Do you have any ideas?

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-07-05T19:40:16+00:00

    Hi all,

    I'm also seeing this issue.

    In my environment (Windows 7 Enterprise Build 7601 SP1 + Excel 2016 from Office 365 ProPlus 16.0.6741.2048) the issue is 100% reproducible:

    1. Open Excel 2016
    2. Select a cell
    3. Drag cell to another cell
    4. "We couldn't free up space on the Clipboard. Another program might be using it right now." Error

    It turns out (at least in my case) the issue is due to a conflict with a program called RealVNC VNC Viewer that I use for screen sharing. When I unchecked the Share clipboard option in VNC Viewer the issue was immediately fixed, I didn't even need to restart Excel, see VNC Viewer screenshot below:

    Note that there are apparently several programs that seem to cause this issue...more info at this thread - http://eforexcel.com/wp/article-21-clipboard-error-in-excel-we-couldnt-free-up-space-on-the-clipboard/

    Hope that helps,

    Mark

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