How do I enable Paste Special in Excel 2023?

If your Paste Special option is missing, look here. Paste Special allows you to paste using the formatting of your choice.

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The Paste Special option can make the task of pasting text go more smoothly by letting you choose which formatting you want to keep (source or destination) or by stripping all the formatting and just pasting the text. If you are having issues with the Paste Special option, continue on to the resolutions below.

Resolution

To see if the Paste Special option is enabled:

1. Go to File > Options > Advanced.
2. Under Cut, copy and paste, ensure the Show Paste Options button when content is pasted option is checked.

[!NOTE] Using the Worksheet_SelectionChange event will clear the clipboard, which disables the Paste Special option. To enable the option, you need to set the value of the Application.EnableEvents property to False.

Ensure that all instances of the web browsers that you use are closed and try to use the Paste Special option again. Paste special will not function if your web browser is causing the conflict. Windows Internet Explorer (8-9) do not conflict with the Paste Special option in Excel 2010. Third party Add-ins can cause a variety of issues, one of then being, conflicting with the Paste Special option. To determine if an add-in is causing the issue:

1. Find the Microsoft Excel icon.

2. Press and hold the CTRL key and double-click the application shortcut.

3. Click Yes when a window appears asking if you want to start the application in Safe Mode.

   [!NOTE] If you have an icon on your desktop, hold the CTRL key and click on the icon. This works with any Microsoft Office product.

4. If the Paste Special option works in the Safe Mode as follows, enable your Add-ins one by one until you hit that one that is causing the conflict. Leave that one disabled or uninstall it.

   [!NOTE] For more information, see Adding or Removing Add-ins and Working with Office Safe Modes..

   :::image type="content" source="media/paste-special-missing-or-not-working/paste-special.png" alt-text="Check the Paste Special performance with office safe mode.":::

   :::image type="content" source="media/paste-special-missing-or-not-working/paste-special-settings.png" alt-text="Check the Paste Special settings." border="false":::

You can also get help from the Microsoft Community online community, search for more information on Microsoft Support or Windows Help and How To, or learn more about Assisted Support options.

To preview a paste option before you commit to it, click the Paste list arrow and hold the mouse over the paste option.

Select Transpose.

The selected data is transposed from columns to rows.

You can paste only the values as displayed in the cells, instead of the formulas that are used to calculate those values.

1. With a cell containing a value you want to copy selected, click Copy.
2. Click the cell where you want to paste the data.
3. Click the Paste list arrow.
4. Select Values.
   

Excel pastes the values of the copied cell into the selected cell.

Whenever you paste data, the Paste Options Smart Tag appears next to the selected cell. You can also paste values by clicking this tag and selecting a paste option from the list.

You can also copy and paste cell formatting, applying formats such as a cell’s font, font size, and color to other cells.

1. Select the cell that has the format you want to copy.
2. Click the Copy button.
3. Click the cell where you want to paste the format.
4. Click the Paste list arrow.
5. Select Formatting.
   

Excel applies the formatting of the copied cell to the selected cell.

If the paste commands you’re looking for aren’t available in the Paste menu, you can open the Paste Special dialog box to view advanced paste special commands.

1. Copy a cell value.
2. Click the cell where you want to paste the value.
3. Click the Paste list arrow.
4. Select Paste Special.

The Paste Special dialog box displays, containing numerous paste options.

5. Select a paste option.
6. Click OK.
   

The table below describes Excel's available Paste Special options.

Paste Special OptionsPastePastePastes all cell contents and formatting.FormulasPastes only the formulas as entered in the formula bar.Formulas & Number FormattingPastes both the formulas as entered in the formula bar and the copied cell’s number formatting.Keep Source FormattingPastes all cell contents and formatting, including the theme, if one was applied to the source data.No BordersPastes all cell contents and formatting applied to the copied cell except borders.Keep Source Column WidthPastes the width of the source cell’s column to the destination cell’s column.TransposeChanges columns of copied data to rows, and vice versa.Paste ValuesValuesPastes only the values as displayed in the cells.Values & Number FormattingPastes both the copied cell’s values and number formatting.Values & Source FormattingPastes cell values and formatting, including the theme, if one was applied to the source data.Other Paste ValuesFormattingPastes only a cell’s formatting, the same as the Format Painter..Paste LinkLinks the pasted data to the source data by pasting a formula reference to the source data.PicturePastes a picture from your Clipboard.Linked PicturePastes a picture from a website as a link that you can click to view.

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