Excel "Paste" and "Paste special" issues

Question

Excel "Paste" and "Paste special" issues

Benjamin Simon 0

Running MS Windows 11 Enterprise, Version 25H2, Installed on ‎3/‎12/‎2025, OS build 26200.9445, Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.360.0

Microsoft Office 16

Excel cannot copy a sheet into the same workbook or to a different workbook.

Also-

Copy - paste of cells is not working (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V). But cut and paste (Ctrl-X, Ctrl-V) still seems to work.

I can copy the text from the formula entry bar and paste it into the formula entry bar of a different cell, but I can't copy-paste an entire cell or a range of cells.

Some parts of "paste special" work, but others don't.

Here are the Paste-special features that DO NOT work: Paste All, Paste All using Source Theme, Paste All except borders,

Here are the paste-special features that I could confirm still worked: Paste Formulas, Paste Values, Paste formats, Paste Formulas and number formats, Paste values and number formats, Paste column widths.

0 comments

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Xavier-D 13,840 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Benjamin Simon,

I can see that you are having issue with Excel

Before changing add-ins or reinstalling Office, I recommend checking whether your Excel installation has received the applicable update. If not, you should update it to the latest version.

In Excel, open File > Account > About Excel.
Note the complete product name, version, build number, and whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit.
Select Update Options > Update Now, if that option is available.
Restart the computer and test in a newly created blank workbook:
- Copy and paste a cell range.
- Right-select a worksheet tab, select Move or Copy, enable Create a copy, and test again.

If the operations work in a blank workbook but continue to fail in the original workbook, check whether the affected ranges contain conditional formatting.

If the update is installed and the problem also occurs in a blank workbook, please post the exact About Excel information. “Office 16” alone is insufficient to determine whether the installation is Microsoft 365, Office 2016, Office 2019, Office LTSC 2021, or Office LTSC 2024.

Feel free reply back to this post and update me on this issue, I'll be happy to help.

Xavier-D 13,840 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-22T00:38:45.6733333+00:00

Hi Benjamin Simon

I’m following up to check on the status of this issue.

Have you had an opportunity to review the answer shared earlier?

Any update you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Benjamin Simon 0 Reputation points

2026-09-22T03:06:08.9266667+00:00

It appears to be solved with the update.
Xavier-D 13,840 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-22T23:42:54.4166667+00:00

Hi Benjamin Simon

I'm glad to hear that your issue has been resolved

have a nice day.

Answer 2

EmilyS_726 30,450 Volunteer Moderator

Microsoft has released a corrective update.

For Excel 2016, KB5002665, released September 16, 2026, specifically fixes the known KB5002914 issue that caused certain paste operations to fail silently.

https://support.microsoft.com/servicing/office/hotfix/excel/5002665

One caveat: Microsoft says paste operations may still fail in workbooks containing conditional formatting. So this is a confirmed fix for the original issue, but not yet a complete resolution of every paste failure scenario.

0 comments