Why Can’t I Copy and Paste in Microsoft Word: 10 Ways to Fix It (2024)

It can be crippling when you can’t use copy-paste while editing a document in Microsoft Word. The bad news is that this problem is more common than you’d think. In this quick guide, we’ll talk about what might be causing this issue and what you can do to fix it.

Copy-paste is a commonly used function when editing or drafting a new document in Microsoft Word. While you can always write the sentence or paragraph manually, it’s time-consuming. Here is why you can’t copy and paste in Microsoft Word and tricks to fix the problem.

1. Clear the Clipboard

While working with Microsoft Office apps, you get to use the specific Office clipboard to save the copied text. Of course, it’s not an endless storage and has some limitations. So to workaround those limits, clear the system clipboard and try again.

Step 1: Type cmd in the Windows Search bar, right-click on the Command Prompt app and select Run as administrator.

Step 2: Enter and type cmd /c “echo off|clip” command.

Make sure to replace the ‘c’ with the drive letter where you’ve installed Windows and Office.

2. Check Keyboard

At times, the keyboard can fail to register keyboard shortcuts for specific apps or through the system. If it is for Microsoft Office on your work computer, it’s a good idea to contact the IT administrator to get clarification on the policies. However, if you have re-assigned the copy-paste shortcut to another function, or if Word is not responding when copying and pasting, use the steps below to reset it.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word on your Windows PC and click File at the top-left corner.

Step 2: Select Options from the left sidebar and click Customize Ribbon.

Step 3: Use the drop-down next to Customizations in the bottom-right corner and select ‘Reset all customization’.

If you use a Bluetooth keyboard and frequently switch between Windows and Mac, make sure you are in Windows mode. Only then the Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V keyboard shortcuts will work.

3. Repair System Files

If Word isn’t responding when copying and pasting, there could be a problem with the Windows system files. You can use the Command Prompt app to repair system files.

Step 1: Click the Windows Search on the Taskbar, type command prompt in the search bar, hit Enter to open the Command Prompt app, and run the following command:

sfc /scannow

Step 2: Hit Enter, let the system run the command and close the app.

4. Run Word in Safe Mode

You can try running Microsoft Word in Safe mode and check if copy-paste works:

Step 1: Press the Windows and R keyboard shortcut to open a new Run dialog window.

Step 2: Type in winword/safe and hit Enter.

When Word opens in the Safe Mode, check if the copy-paste functionality works. If it does, disable your add-ins and re-enable them one by one to identify the culprit.

5. Disable Add-Ins and Third-Party Apps

Maybe some of your apps are interfering with Word. As a matter of fact, PDF and OCR software may occasionally break certain Word functionalities. Here’s how to disable third-party apps and Office add-ins.

Step 1: Right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager to launch it.

Step 2: Select the Processes tab from the left sidebar, right-click on the programs you want to close and select End task.

One of the installed add-ins may cause issues with copy-paste in Microsoft Word. It’s time to disable all the apps running in the background and check if this workaround solved the problem.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word on your computer and click File at the top-right corner.

Step 2: Go to Options and select Add-Ins.

Step 3: Select the add-in type and hit the Go button.

Step 4: Disable all of your add-ins by unchecking the box in front of the add-ins or remove them. Restart Word, and check if the copy-paste issue is gone.

6. Repair Office

If you still can’t copy-paste in Word or you can’t start the app in Safe Mode, try repairing Office.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open Settings.

Step 2: Select Apps from the left sidebar and open the Installed Apps menu.

Step 3: Scroll to Microsoft 365, click the three horizontal dots menu beside it and select Modify.

Step 4: Click the radio button beside Quick Repair, select the Repair button in the bottom-right corner, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Also Read: How to Repair Microsoft Office Installation Errors in Windows

7. Update Microsoft Word

Microsoft frequently updates Office apps with new features and bug fixes. You should update Microsoft Word to the latest version and try again.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word on your PC and click File at the top-right corner.

Step 2: Select Account from the left sidebar, expand Update Options, and choose Update Now from the drop-down.

Download and install the latest Word version.

8. Scan Your Computer for Malware

Corrupt System or Office files may cause issues with copy-paste in Microsoft Word.

Step 1: Press the Windows key to open the Start menu, type Windows Security and Hit Enter.

Step 2: Click the Quick Scan button to run a scan on your PC to remove malicious files.

Check our dedicated guide if the Windows Security isn’t opening.

9. Disable Remote Desktop Connection

Sometimes, the inability to copy and paste appears to be correlated with having RDC running on your computer.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open Settings and select System from the left sidebar.

Step 2: Select Remote Desktop from the right pane and disable the option from the following menu.

10. Reinstall Office

Does Word still encounter a problem when pasting? It’s time to reinstall Microsoft 365 on your PC.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open Settings, select Apps from the left sidebar, and choose Installed Apps menu from the right pane.

Step 2: Click the three horizontal dot menu beside Microsoft 365 and select Uninstall.

You can head to the Microsoft 365 website to download and install it on your PC.

Pro Tip: Check Copy-Paste Options in Word

After you resolve the copy-paste problem, use the steps below to tweak the default paste behavior in Word.

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Word on your PC and click File at the top-left corner.

Step 2: Select Options from the left sidebar.

Step 3: Click Advanced. Scroll to Cut, copy, and paste and make the required changes as per your preference.

Get Back to Your Ideal Workflow

If you can’t copy and paste in Microsoft Word, clear the Windows clipboard cache, launch Word in Safe Mode, and check the results. Additionally, disable your add-ins and repair Office. If the issue persists, reinstall Office. Did these solutions work for you? Let us know in the comments below.