Using keyboard shortcut for Paste in Insert Hyperlink window

Question

Every so often when inserting hyperlinks into a Word doc using the Insert Hyperlink window, it refuses to respond to the keyboard shortcut for Paste [Cntrl v] when I try to paste the url of the hyperlink into the 'Link to:' field.  Sometimes it will start working again if I quite Word and reopen it, but if not then I can only get it working again by re-booting completely.  What might be the reason for this?

Answer 1

Cut/Copy/Paste are OS services supplied for the apps... That's why you can use only the keyboard shortcut while in such dialog windows. The fact that you may need to restart the Mac to clear the issue also suggests that the problem is external to Word or Office. Make sure, though, that Office 2011 is fully updated [14.2.3 is current].

I'd suggest that you grab the most current COMBO updater for your version of OS X from Apple Downloads & apply it -- even if you're already at that level. Repair disk permissions & restart your Mac afterward in addition to the forced restart after applying the update itself.

This could also be due to some 3rd party utility, especially if it's intended to "enhance" Clipboard operation. If you have any such haxies see if the problem disappears after you remove disable/remove them.

Answer 2

Thanks Daniel, I'll try this the next time it fails, although I don't think it fails within the document as well, from what I can remember.

Answer 3

When it fails, does it also fail within the document? A confirmation would be that the sequence ⌘-V or even the Paste  command is not showing in the Edit menu. (By the way, F4 or Fn F4 should also do a Paste.) If the shortcut fails in your document as well, you may need to replace your Normal.dotm template, as this is where Word shortcuts are stored:

1. Quit Word
2. Go to the Finder
3. In the Finder's menu bar, select Go > Go to Folder
4. Paste the following bold text: ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office (include the twiddle at the beginning) and press the Go button.
5. In that folder, you should find a file called Normal.dotm*.*If you don't see it, look for it in a folder called User Templates.
6. Move Normal.dotm to the Desktop (on its way to the Trash) and test. Word will create a new one.

If the shortcut does not fail in the document and only fails in the Hyperlink dialog, we'll have to wait for other suggestions.

Answer 4

Sorry that was the wrong name, I am using the correct keys [Command V] as I always have, the point is that it works OK for a while then suddenly stops working, and needs re-booting to get it working again.

Answer 5

Could it be that you are pressing the wrong key combination? On Macs you need to use Command V rather than Control V.

The behavior of the Control and Command keys can be exchanged through System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard > Modifier Keys.