There's a problem with the clipboard, but you can still paste this content within this workbook.

Anonymous
2020-04-08T18:30:07+00:00

I am using the Microsoft Office 365 Business desktop app, and as of this posting am running Windows 10 version 1903 (OS Build 18362.720) on this particular laptop. This problem has been witnessed across multiple computers, Windows 10 versions, Microsoft accounts, all while using the Office 365 app.

I track a lot of data in Excel and often copy cells from it and paste them into online forms, ETC. Within the last few weeks I have started getting a pop up when I try to copy a cell that says "There's a problem with the clipboard, but you can still paste this content within this workbook."

It does not seem to matter if the file is stored locally or not.

I have found that if I continue to press Ctrl+v 2 to 4 more times it usually at some point copies the data as it should, without the pop up, and allows me to paste it wherever I want.

I searched for an answer to what is going on and or if there is a solution, and found that people have been periodically having this problem for years, and but could not find a solution that worked despite a post on this site having over 20 pages of replies and over 1500 reports of having the same problem, before comments were locked due to the thread age.

I have tried repairing the app without success. I have tried updating Office, which did do an update but did not solve the problem. I've restarted the computer and Excel many times.

This is making use of Excel inefficient and annoying. I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before I and others I've spoken with that are experiencing the same thing, are not able to paste outside of the workbook at all. As is, I may as well just type everything again instead of bothering with the broken copy/paste feature.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

62 answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2020-04-22T17:30:33+00:00

    I had a similar problem quite recently after upgrading to Office 365 Pro Business. After a paste (or two) of a cell or cell range, I would receive the infernal message, after which selection of cells or ranges was completely disabled. I remained able to edit the contents of a cell by double-clicking. This occurred with any workbook, even a new blank workbook.

    Repair did not fix it. Safe mode did not prevent it.

    What the culprit finally turned to be was a COM add-in. Try disabling all COM add-ins (if any are installed.)

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2020-04-22T22:48:40+00:00

    Hi JWM16,

    Thanks for sharing and contribute experience here and it will help for other members in this community. 

    Best Regards,

    Waqas Muhammad

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2020-04-23T19:37:35+00:00

    Hmm, I am certainly curious if this is a matter of add-ins. I personally am not having the copy/paste issue at the moment, but my wife told me she started having the issue again today. I check both of our add-in lists, and we each only have one. I've got the Dropbox add-in and she has the Adobe one. I can't test mine right now, but we can see if it seems to make a difference on hers.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2020-06-01T14:29:30+00:00

    the suggestion  to

    " Open Excel >File>option>General>under User Interface Options un-check Enable Live Preview  "

    did not help.

    HOWEVER:  I did this : 

      Open Excel >File>option>General>under Linkedln Features un-check Enable  Linkedln features in my Office applications  "

    That seemed to reduce the  The re's a problem with the clipboard, but you can still paste this content within this workbookthing

    Was this answer helpful?

    20+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2020-06-01T17:26:21+00:00

    It definitely seems to be an issue with add-ins, be it LinkedIn, Dropbox, Adobe, ETC.

    Since disabling mine and my wife's, we have not had the copy/paste issue.

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments