Troubleshooting Guide: How To Fix Copy And Paste Not Working On Windows 10/11

Copy and paste feature is one of the basic and most widely used features of modern computers. It allows users to easily transfer data, files, documents, and other information between applications without errors. However, sometimes users may encounter an error where the copy-and-paste feature stops working on their Windows 10 or Windows 11 system. This problem can be frustrating, but thankfully, we have troubleshooting steps to resolve the error quickly and hassle-free.

How to fix the copy and paste not working error on Windows 10/11:

The following steps will guide you in resolving the copy and paste not working error effectively on Windows 10/11.

Restart your PC

Many background processes are going on in your system continuously. At times, there are processes that conflict with each other, which might lead to temporary glitches, such as copy and paste not working. By simply restarting the PC, the computer will reboot itself and remove any temporary glitches with the system processes.

This simple-looking solution works most of the time as the system can troubleshoot minor problems on its own. If, however, the problem is still not resolved, then we may move to the next step. The first and foremost step, however, should always be restarting the system.

Check for system updates

Make sure your Windows operating system is up to date with all the latest updates properly installed. Microsoft frequently releases system updates to fix bugs and enhance the performance of its operating system. Many times, not updating the OS would make certain applications redundant and cause system errors, such as some basic features such as copy-paste, not working etc. To check for any updates, go to:

 Settings>Updates and Security>Windows Update and click on “Check Updates.”

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

If the copy and paste function is not working using the mouse right-click button, try using the keyboard shortcuts instead. The standard keyboard shortcuts for copy and paste are Ctrl+C for Copy and Ctrl+V for paste. Many times, pressing these keyboard shortcuts may bypass the issue with the mouse or right-click button.

Verify Clipboard Setting

At times, copy and paste errors could arise due to incorrect clipboard settings. Make sure that the clipboard function is enabled and working properly. To check for the clipboard settings, go to:

Start>Settings>System>Clipboard and toggle on “Clipboard History.”

You can also try to turn it off and again turn it on to reset the clipboard functionality.

Restart the clipboard process

Sometimes restarting the clipboard process can resolve the error that copy-paste is not working on Windows 10/11. The following are the steps that need to be followed to restart the clipboard.

• Press Windows + R to open the Run Dialog box.
• In the text box, type “cmd” and press Enter to open the command prompt.

• In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter

Taskkill/f/im rdpclip.exe /t. This command will terminate the PID and will display a success message.

• Now type the following command and press Enter. This will restart your clipboard process:

Rdpclip.exe

Check for software conflicts

Sometimes, third-party software or background processes may interfere with the copy and paste functionality. If you have recently installed some software after which the copy and paste function stopped working, then try disabling or uninstalling the said software and restarting your PC, and see if the problem has been resolved. Alternatively, you may perform a clean boot to troubleshoot any software conflicts. The following are the steps to perform a clean boot:

• Press Windows + R to open the Run Dialog box.
• In the text box, type “msconfig” and press Enter to open the system configuration utility.
• On the Services Tab, select the box “Hide all Microsoft services”
• Now click on “Disable all” to disable all the non-Microsoft services.

• Go to the startup tab and click on “Open task manager.”
• Now, manually disable each startup item one by one and restart the PC after each disable to identify the problematic software and permanently uninstall it.

Check  for malware

Malware or viruses can disrupt the normal functioning of the PC and various features, including the copyand paste feature. Run a full system scan using your antivirus software and check if there is any malicious program installed on your system. However, ensure that your antivirus software is up to date before running the scan.

Create a new User profile

Sometimes, user profile corruption can cause errors such as Copy and paste not working on Windows 10/11. To check this, create an alternate user profile and check if the copy-paste function is working properly on the new user profile. If yes, then it indicates that the issue is pertaining to the original user profile and not the system as a whole.

Check for hardware issues

If you are using any external hardware device, such as a mouse or keyboard, try to disconnect and reconnect the same to ensure that they are working correctly. Faulty hardware devices or hardware devices not installed properly can also lead to errors, such as Copy and paste not working on Windows 10/11.

Conclusion

Copy and paste not working on Windows 10/11 can be frustrating. However, by performing the aforesaid troubleshooting steps, you will mostly and effectively resolve the issue, and your system will begin working smoothly again. Whether the issue is related to system conflicts or malware attacks, or software conflicts, the guide, as mentioned earlier should help you troubleshoot the problem yourself. If, however, the problem still persists, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support or take help from an external qualified IT engineer.