Fix: Copy and Paste Not Working in Windows

Copying and pasting are among the most frequently used basic functions on a computer, widely applied in work, study, and other scenarios.

However, many users are experiencing the copy and paste not working issue.

This article will help you quickly understand the common causes of these problems and provide effective troubleshooting and solutions.

Signs of Copy and Paste Not Working

When the copy and paste function malfunctions, you may encounter the following situations:

1. Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V shortcuts have no effect: Whether copying text, images, or files, the shortcuts do not perform any action.
2. Pasted content is old: After performing the paste operation, the previously copied content is displayed instead of the newly copied part.
3. The copy or paste option in the right-click menu is grayed out or unavailable: Even if content is selected, the relevant menu is still unclickable, indicating that the function is not working properly.
4. Cross-application copying fails: For example, copying from a browser to other applications, such as Word, cannot be pasted.

Why Can’t I Copy and Paste?

When your computer’s copy and paste function suddenly stops working, it usually means there’s an error in the system or application. Possible causes include:

• Software Lag
• Clipboard Malfunction
• Keyboard Shortcut Conflicts
• Permission Restrictions
• Computer Virus Infection
• …

Understanding these potential causes can help you quickly pinpoint the problem and find corresponding solutions.

#1. Quick Fixes

Solution 1: Restart the Computer

Restarting is one of the simplest ways to resolve copy-paste issues. After a system has been running for a long time, the clipboard process or certain background services may experience temporary malfunctions.

By restarting your computer, you can refresh the system processes and restore normal copy-paste functionality.

Solution 2: Close Other Applications

When too many programs are running on your computer simultaneously, some applications may occupy or lock the system clipboard, causing copy and paste functionality to fail.

You can try closing all running third-party applications.

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, select the program you want to close under the Processes tab, and click on End task.

Check if the copy and paste function is working. If it’s not, move on to the next solution.

Solution 3: Clear the Clipboard

Your clipboard may be holding problematic content, so try clearing your clipboard to see if that resolves the issue.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: Type Command Prompt in the search box and choose Run as administrator from the right side. Then click Yes.

Step 2: Type the command cmd/c “echo off | clip” and then hit the Enter key.

Test if you’re now able to copy-paste properly. If not, try the following solutions.

#2. Advanced Troubleshooting

Solution 1: Restart Windows Explorer

If you can’t copy and paste, restarting Windows File Explorer may help. Before proceeding, make sure you have saved all your work.

Step 1: Press Win + X and select Task Manager.

Step 2: In the Processes tab, locate and select Windows Explorer.

Step 3: Click on Restart to restart the process. Your screen may flicker when File Explorer restarts.

Solution 2: Run a System File Check

If your keyboard is working properly, scan your system for potential system file corruption. The built-in system file checker can find and repair system-level errors.

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box, and click Run as administrator from the right side.

Step 2: In the new pop-up window, type sfc/scannow and hit the Enter key.

Wait for the system to fully scan the device and solve the issue.

Solution 3: Update Drivers

Copy and paste functionality malfunction can sometimes be caused by device driver issues. You can try updating the relevant drivers to help troubleshoot the problem further.

Step 1: Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager from the menu.

Step 2: Double-click the Display adapters category to expand it.

Step 3: Right-click your graphics driver and choose Update driver.

Step 4: Choose Search automatically for drivers.

Solution 4: Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter

If there’s a problem with your keyboard, keys like Ctrl, C, and V might not function properly, thus affecting copy and paste functionality.

I recommend checking your keyboard for malfunctions and trying to repair or replace it.

Step 1: Click the Start icon and choose Settings.

Step 2: In the Find a setting dialog box, type Fix keyboard and select the Find and fix keyboard problems option.

Step 3: In the pop-up window, click the Advanced link.

Step 4: Confirm that the Apply repairs automatically option is selected. Click on Next and wait for Windows to check for issues with your keyboard.

If it finds any, follow the on-screen instructions to fix them.

Solution 5: Scan for Viruses and Malware

While this is uncommon, viruses or other malware can also cause clipboard malfunctions. It is recommended to perform a full system scan using antivirus software.

Step 1: Click the Start icon and choose Settings.

Step 2: Then go to Update & Security >  Windows Security> Virus & threat protection.

Step 3: Click on Scan options under Current threats.

Step 4: Select the desired scan type and click Scan now.

• Quick scan: Checks common locations where malware is often found.
• Full scan: Checks every single file and folder on your entire system, which may take a long time.
• Custom scan: Allows you to select specific folders or drives to scan.
• Microsoft Defender Offline scan: Reboots your PC and runs a scan before Windows starts, which is effective for hard-to-remove malware.

Solution 6: Delete Corrupt Zone from Windows Registry

If you have corrupted zones in your Windows Registry, copy and paste may stop working. Here’s how to remove the corrupt zone from the Windows Registry.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R key to open the Run window.

Step 2: Type regedit in the Run box and click the OK button.

Step 3: In the left pane, expand the following categories in sequence: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones.

Step 4: If you see a folder that has a rectangle icon or an L icon before 0, right-click the folder and choose Delete.

Step 5: Click Yes to confirm this deletion.

Close the Windows Registry and check if the Copy and Paste function is working or not.

Solution 7: Perform a System Restore

Another possibility is that recent system changes have caused the copy and paste function to malfunction. To confirm if this is the cause, you can try performing a system restore to revert your system to a previous working state.

Below are the steps to perform a system restore:

Step 1: Type Control Panel in the Windows search box and click it to open.

Step 2: Select View by to Large icons and click Recovery.

Step 3: Click Open System Restore and then Next.

Step 4: Check the box beside Show more restore points. You can see some restore points. Think back to a date when copy-paste was working, and select a restore point. Then click Next.

Step 5: Click Yes, and your PC will restart.

#3. For Specific Applications

Sometimes the copy-paste function works fine in some software but not in others. This usually indicates a problem with a specific application, rather than the entire system.

Possible causes include restricted software permissions, browser or application extension conflicts, errors in the application itself, or the need for an update.

In this case, you can try checking software permissions, disabling relevant extensions, or updating or reinstalling the problematic application to restore copy-paste functionality.

If the problem occurs in a web browser, you should try the following steps:

You can first try clearing your cache and cookies to rule out functional abnormalities caused by corrupted or expired temporary files.

In addition, some browser extensions may also interfere with clipboard operations. Disabling suspicious extensions or checking plugins one by one can help restore normal copy and paste functionality.

Transfer Data via MiniTool Partition Wizard

Copy and paste can be used to copy files or move files from one location to another.

However, if you need to migrate a large number of files or perform a complete data transfer, using professional data migration software (MiniTool Partition Wizard) will be more stable and efficient.

Its Copy Partition feature helps you easily copy all your data from one partition to another. In addition, it can also help you clone Windows 10 to SSD, recover data from hard drive, create/delete/resize/extend partitions, etc.

Here are the steps to copy a partition:

MiniTool Partition Wizard DemoClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard to its main interface.

Step 2: Click the partition you want to copy and choose the Copy Option.

Step 3: Choose an unallocated space from the partition list to save a copy of the selected partition, and then click Next.

Step 4: When copying a partition to the target disk, the MiniTool Partition Wizard automatically resizes the partition to occupy the entire unallocated space.

If you wish to customize the partition size or change its location, you can manually adjust it in the “Size & Location” option. Then, click Finish.

Step 5: Once you’ve confirmed all settings, click Apply to execute the pending tasks.

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Copy and Paste Not Working FAQ

Bottom Line

This article introduces ten methods to resolve copy and paste issues, including restarting Windows Explorer, running the Keyboard Troubleshooter, and deleting a corrupted zone from the Windows Registry.

In addition, the article introduces the MiniTool Partition Wizard, a tool that can help with data migration.

If you have any questions or suggestions while using MiniTool Partition Wizard, you can contact us via [email protected] for further assistance.