Fix for "Clipboard Error. We couldn't copy the content of the clipboard"

Anonymous
2024-04-29T02:20:04+00:00

There have been many posts on how to fix the message Clipboard Error. We couldn't copy the content to the clipboard because its in use by another application.

I tried many of the suggestions:

  • Turn off live preview
  • Clear the clipboard
  • Reboot
  • Repair Excel
  • Add special folders to the Windows directory.
  • Issue the command prompt 'Echo Off | clip
  • Use the statement "Application.CutCopyMode = False after doing a copy and before closing a file
  • Copying one cell before closing a file
  • Removing com add-ins
  • Closing all other applications
  • And a score of others

None worked. I have a test macro that works for several minutes and does many copy/paste, graphics, formatting, etc. It would display the clipboard error at least once every 2 or 3 executions, and often every execution. I used it to test all the posted cures.

What I finally realized is that the application that was using the clipboard and causing the error was Excel itself. Excel was basically not able to keep up with the command to clear the clipboard.

The cure then became simple. Slow excel down by using the statement "DoEvents" right after I issued the command "Application.CutCopyMode = False". And to put the Application.CutCopyMode = False after I was finished with any copy that I did and right before any workbook close command. I've run my macro 10 times and no clipboard error message appears.

Please give it a try.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-03-17T17:40:27+00:00

    I found that process too. It was called Clipboard User Service_96a2841. The 96a2841 is an instance ID. It changes every time you boot up. I found out how to disable it in the registry because it can't be disabled in services.msc. The latter gives an invalid parameter error if you try and disable it there. After a couple times of doing it and just closing the dialogue with the X in the corner, it does disable, but only for that boot-up.

    After all that, Clipboard User Service isn't the problem. The error just continues and continues with that disabled. The error is 100% caused by Microsoft incompetent programming, not this Clipboard service or Logitech - which I don't even have. It always says the clipboard is locked by another user. That means that in something with Microsoft 365 working with OneDrive, Microsoft has set up another user to do all its useless shenanigans and, for no reason whatsoever, lock the clipboard while it's doing them.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-13T13:30:16+00:00

    For me it was the option in logitech options + thatyou can bind copy and paste to certain buttons.

    Apparently Excel does not like it when that happens. That's when i get the message. However when I unbind the options. It works perfectly

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-12-02T11:02:09+00:00

    Dear all,

    Today I got this error. After doing most step Bob done, as I do not use Macros, tried the basic: Clipboard settings / turned OFF history, and it worked.

    My guess was based on several replies about cleaning clipboard. I was getting the error, even if Excel was the only application, and I was running the same Power Query script I use daily.

    I hope this simple step could help some others.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-09-01T13:11:47+00:00

    The DoEvents didn't help me, but putting Application.CutCopyMode = False after pasting fixed the problem.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-08-13T15:49:43+00:00

    I agree, it isn't working for me either now.

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