We could not copy the content to the Clipboard, it is in use by another application. You can still paste your content within this workbook but it will not be available in other applications.

Anonymous
2022-05-18T13:29:01+00:00

Win 10 version 21H2 Build 19044.1706

Excel 2016 Version 2204 Build 15128.20224

This problem occurs randomly and with only a few cells being copied. The spreadsheet locks up and the only way out is Save>Close and open the book again. Sometimes that doesn't work and I have to close Excel completely.

Sometimes the top ribbon completely greys out and I can't do anything.

This is becoming a significant problem.

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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-09-07T11:22:15+00:00

    This worked for me.

    Simply add these two directories to your system:

    C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

    C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop

    I already had one of them. The original poster then sugested removing them but I haven't and the problem has gone.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-09-01T05:38:05+00:00

    Chandy's response led me to figuring this out for myself just now.

    Saying third-party programs are calling the clipboard made me have a look at what was running on my computer. I had an app jump out at me. The snipping tool. I closed it, and it did not help. So, that wasn't it. I looked again, and another one stood out. My password manager (Keepass). It allows me to copy passwords so I don't have to see them and seems to have some hook into the clipboard. I closed it, and I could then copy in Excel.

    Though, a few minutes later, I got the same message. This time, I would get the message, but I could paste what I had copied. I got the error, but other than that annoyance copy and paste worked. It did not, before.

    I hope this helps someone.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-08-25T09:00:00+00:00

    Hi,

    A solution that works is adding the directory as suggested earlier by advance1sh. That works for now, and I will see if this issue returns.

    I run MS Office 365 on Windows 11 PC. For me, this goes beyond Excel.

    My clipboard seems busy somewhere else - Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V stops working on all other apps, and when I try copy paste in Excel, the message reported by OP shows up.

    Probably this is not an MS Excel issue and it is the Clipboard itself is getting blocked/caught up with something.

    I noticed that the issue starts when I am copying something from Chrome to Excel/Outlook/VSCode, as these are the applications I normally use. I haven't tried reproducing the behavior on other applications. It is also not persistent - sometimes Ctrl+V stops the first time I try a copy/paste from Chrome and sometimes on the fifth.

    Thanks.

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-08-17T08:59:55+00:00

    Enable Live Preview was already cleared.

    I don't use Adobe DC:

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-08-16T23:53:19+00:00

    Thanks.. @saintkilda and Ivo I, looks like I will be switching to that version.... I'm not sure if Microsoft 365 version is doing it for me. I hate paying for a subscription that claims (and which I thought far superior) has the latest and best... when the desktop version suffice.

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