Remove the pointless message “There's a problem with the clipboard, but you can still paste your content within this workbook."
The message shows up if you run in the background a program that keeps a peek into the clipboard, as for example the "Skype web plugin" and other telephone programs. A possible cause can also be the software "Audials".
You can find a thread with lots of complaints and a few flimsy justifications and non-answers here:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msofficeexcel-msowin10/clipboard-problem-in-excel-2016/224b2a59-8a0c-4897-baba-a481dd06e085
The message shows up with Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X, using the Format Painter and only taking whole cells. It does not show up if you copy a part of a cell content.
Contrary to some Microsoft officials’ posts, the error message shows up multiple times per Excel session. Usually it shows up at the second Ctrl+C after opening an Excel instance, sometimes on the third Ctrl+C and rarely on the first Ctrl+C. And after that randomly every few usages of Ctrl+C. That can be several hundred times a day!
Not everyone is lucky as I am to identify the cause (telephone) and be also able to switch off its feature "clipboard surveillance".
There is no reasonable reason for this message at all.
1. The message is incorrect in 100% of the cases. The copying operations in Excel are not affected by the access of any third-party program to the clipboard. After clicking the message away, all insertion processes in 100% of the cases worked absolutely as expected and error-free. I've tested this with many different contents (formulas, validations, formatting, connected cells, etc.), from and into Excel.
2. The message is pointless in 100% of the cases, because it shows neither causes nor solutions. Just as helpful as a message "There's a light on in the basement."
3. If there was any case where the access of a third-party program to the cache was actually an impairment to the copying process in Excel, one would notice this anyway by missing the insertion. But the message would be as well unnecessary because it only would have reported the obvious and does not reveal any causes or solutions.
4. If the access of any third-party program on the clipboard would actually be a problem, then why don't you also ‘protect’ Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.?
This problem is discussed and complained in forums for about 4 years (since Excel 2013). Why don’t you comment out that one line of code, that calls the message? Or add a code bracket, issuing automatically “User has clicked OK”. No big work, I assume.
UweC
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105 comments
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Alex
commented
This message is totally annoying. And for what?
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Darrell G
commented
Please remove this pointless message, Microsoft. I have Macros running that are copying and pasting data on display boards every X minutes. This pointless message is locking my PCs and preventing me from displaying up to date information.
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Anonymous
commented
I found a solution that works for me. I'm using Win10 and Excel 365.
In my computer I went to "Settings" --> "Clipboard". I then CLEARED the clipboard data and turned ON the Clipboard History.I don't know which of these fixed the problem, or if both are necessary because I did them both at the same time.
But no more messages (at least so far)
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Anonymous
commented
I agree with the hundreds of other users. Eliminate this unnecessary and vexatious message!
Microsoft, please listen to your customers. -
Anonymous
commented
Mine was drag and drop... and culprit was also Google Earth. Stopped when I closed Google Earth. Thank you Jeff Sims - just saved me serious time!!
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Dustin
commented
I'm actually quite amazed that this situation has not been corrected. It's irritating, useless, and I'm paying for this trash. What the actual **** Microsoft. Who's the imbecile that did this?
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Rob G
commented
No, the problem is NOT with Magix; the culprit is NOT Google Earth. No behavior of another Windows application should cause Excel to be partially crippled with irrelevant blocking popup notices. This is a defect in Excel.
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Jeff Sims
commented
Mine was drag and drop... culprit was Google Earth
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Anonymous
commented
In my case, the problem was a Magix import applet sitting in the system tray. Kill that (which I never used anyway) and the problem never showed up again (Office 365)
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Breno
commented
We already know that the problem is related to the clipboard and other applications. So there are many scenarios that it will happen. I looked for other solutions and none solved my problem until now. At least this annoying problem is solved for me. In my case it only happened when dragging cells with Shift pressed.
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Jered Mcclure commented
@Breno This is not a solution, as the issue is happening on machines without the Windows 10 Clipboard history feature being enabled.
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Breno
commented
I think I found a solution. I turned off the Windows 10 clipboard history in system settings and the error stopped popping up.
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Myles
commented
Agreed Evan, absolutely agreed.
come on microsoft fix this error!
it is far more advantageous to NOT show this error message to those that dont want to see it than it is to actually show it! -
evan
commented
I just can't believe the issue has been open for 2 years! and nothing has been done yet.
drag and drop to move range is the feature since time begin. how about MS QA this function before releasing any update! is it too much to ask?Besides that, what on earth is the purpose to force users to click the 'OK' button which is totally useless? if I can still use the clipboard, why do you need to tell me there is a problem without telling me what the problem is ?
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Myles
commented
"If you are using keyboard launcher Executor (http://www.executor.dk/), turn off Miscellaneous > "Use clipboard sniffer". This solved the problem for me."
So if you are one of only about 5 people that use this software you have the fix! :/ -
Dušan Roknić
commented
If you are using keyboard launcher Executor (http://www.executor.dk/), turn off Miscellaneous > "Use clipboard sniffer". This solved the problem for me.
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Anonymous
commented
Office 365 is a nightmare compared to earlier versions. It is slow and very buggy.
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Anonymous
commented
The issue disappeared from my Windows 7 PC but now it's back again on my new Windows10 PC. So annoying ... grrrrr! So Microsoft!
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Anonymous
commented
I had this exact problem yesterday. FIX IT ALREADY!!
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Anonymous
commented
I still have two users who battle this problem. Please fix it!