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Can't suddenly COPY / PASTE on Excel online in Chrome anymore

Lucie 0 Reputation points
2026-03-12T13:19:24.9033333+00:00

Today, out of nowhere, copying fuction from excel web has stopped (both Ctrl + C and right-click + select Copy)!

I cannot copy and paste within web excel from cell to cell or between tabs, nor from web excel to elsewhere.

But I can paste into web excel fine all that is copied from elsewhere. So clearly Paste function works, but Copy does not!

This is specific to Chrome only.

I use a shared online excel file via sharepoint on a mac.

I have tried all troubleshooting available on this forum and cleared cache and adjusted view permissions as already advised to do - nothing has helped.

No issues in Firefox. But I cannot use Firefox - as View % resize button is missing in Firefox for web excel so I can't resize the shared file to what I need it to be, so I need to work specifically in Chrome.

My copy and paste works in all other apps or web tools on my Mac.

Please advise urgently how to fix this, as I can't do my job well now!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | MacOS
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  1. Michelle-N 16,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-03-12T14:10:43.8566667+00:00

    Hi @Lucie

    Based on the information you shared, I understand that you are unable to copy content within Excel on the Web when using Google Chrome on your Mac. While pasting external content works fine, both the Command+C shortcut and the right-click "Copy" option fail to copy cells within a shared SharePoint Excel file. You have already cleared your cache, and while the copy function works in Firefox and other Mac apps, you need to use Chrome for your workflow.

    I have tested this in our own environment, and the copy/paste functionality in Excel on the Web is currently working as expected. Because of this, the behavior you are experiencing can sometimes occur under certain conditions specific to the local browser environment. This may be related to how Chrome is handling clipboard permissions, a conflict with a browser extension, or synchronization behavior between this specific shared file and the web client. To help me isolate the exact cause, let's walk through a few structured steps:

    -Test the Ribbon Copy Button: Instead of using the keyboard shortcut or the right-click menu, please try selecting a cell and clicking the physical "Copy" button located on the Home tab of the Excel Web ribbon at the top of the screen. Let me know if you still experience the same behavior when using this button, as this interacts with the clipboard slightly differently.

    -Test in Incognito Mode: Please open an Incognito window in Chrome (which temporarily disables extensions and uses a fresh session) and log in to your Excel on the Web file. Try to copy and paste there. If it works perfectly in Incognito mode, this indicates a conflict with your standard Chrome profile or extensions. If this is the case, I recommend reinstalling Google Chrome or resetting your Chrome profile settings.

    -Isolate the File: Could you please let me know if this behavior happens with both your older existing files and brand-new files? Try creating a completely new, blank Excel workbook online and see if the copy function works there. This helps me determine if the behavior is tied to the specific shared file or the browser itself.

    To ensure I am looking at the right environment details, could you please confirm which Microsoft 365 subscription plan you are currently using (for example, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Enterprise E3, Family, etc.)?

    Because we do not have full visibility into your specific local environment, gathering these extra details will help me pinpoint the cause and provide you with the possible resolution.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-03-12T13:19:37.8266667+00:00

    In Excel for the web on Chrome, copy and paste relies on the browser’s clipboard permissions. When copying suddenly stops working only in Chrome, the most likely cause is that clipboard access has been blocked for the site.

    Use these steps in Chrome to re‑enable clipboard access for Excel on the web:

    1. Open the Excel workbook in Chrome.
    2. In the address bar, select the View site information icon (usually a lock icon to the left of the URL).
    3. In the permissions list, locate Clipboard.
    4. Toggle or set Clipboard to Allow for this site.
    5. Reload the page and then try copying again using Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V or the right‑click menu.

    If still not working, also verify that copy/paste works in other Office for the web apps in Chrome (such as Word for the web). If those show a No clipboard access message, the same clipboard permission change is required.

    As a workaround while troubleshooting, copying from Excel for the web into another app should retain formatting when using Edge or Chrome, and Ctrl+Shift+V can be used to paste as plain text if needed.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  3. Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 435.8K Reputation points
    2026-03-12T19:25:00.9433333+00:00

    Are you saying that the procedure described here fails? Uninstall Google Chrome If so perhaps g👀gle Support for Chrome can assist.

    Browsers are rather simple programs which should be easily removable. If you are in a managed environment your Mac User Account may not have the privileges needed to perform administrative actions. In that case the IT group of your organization would be the best source of support.

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  4. Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 435.8K Reputation points
    2026-03-12T17:31:40.0033333+00:00

    Have you tried Command+X/C/V Instead of using the Control key in Chrome?

    BTW: You should be able to easily Zoom in Firefox by using Command+＝ to zoom in, Command+➖ to zoom out

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