Excel’s Office Clipboard can hold multiple copied items, while the normal Windows clipboard typically supplies the most recent item to Paste. If copied-cell outlines or old clipboard items are getting in the way, you can clear them without changing the worksheet data.
To stop Excel’s current copy operation, press Esc. The moving border around the copied cells should disappear.
To clear the Office Clipboard, open the Home tab and click the small Clipboard dialog launcher. In the Clipboard pane, choose Clear All.
This removes items stored in the Office Clipboard pane; it does not erase cells from the workbook. If Windows Clipboard History is enabled, items stored there are separate. Press Windows+V to review or clear Windows clipboard history.
If you copied sensitive information such as passwords or account data, remember that clearing Excel’s clipboard does not necessarily clear every clipboard manager, remote-session clipboard, or third-party utility on the computer.
For ordinary spreadsheet work, pressing Esc is usually enough when the goal is simply to exit copy mode. Use Clear All when you specifically want to empty the collection shown in the Office Clipboard pane.
Clipboard contents can cross Office applications
The Office Clipboard can collect items copied in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office applications during the session. Clearing it can therefore remove items you expected to paste into another Office file. Finish any needed pastes before using Clear All.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.