The paste special function from Desktop Excel to WebApp Excel will not work reliably or at all.

Question

If I take a selection of data and try to paste it from desktop Excel to WebApp Excel I am unable to select any of the paste options besides default:

SOMETIMES when I am starting a new session in the WebApp, the very first time I attempt to paste I will receive the other options, however after that first attempt - regardless of what I pick - it stops allowing for anything other than "Values only".

I have tested this in Windows 11 on multiple browsers (Edge and Chrome), on multiple computers, and on multiple account, with both brand new and existing Excel files and this behavior replicates. How do I get Paste Special to be reliable in the Excel WebApp?

Answer 1

Hi @R.A, 

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Thank you for reaching out and providing detailed information about the issue you are experiencing with Paste Special in Excel Web. 

According to what I’ve found, this is expected behavior due to browser restrictions. When copying data from Excel Desktop to Excel Web, the browser only transfers basic clipboard formats (plain values). Advanced metadata such as formulas, formatting, column widths, and links to source are not consistently available because of limitations in the browser Clipboard API. 

This is why you see only “Values only” enabled in Paste Special. The initial paste sometimes shows more options because the browser temporarily provides richer data on the first attempt, but this does not persist for subsequent actions. 

For reference, you can refer to Microsoft’s explanations of this behavior here: 

• Copy and paste in Office for the web – Microsoft Support 
• Differences between using a workbook in the browser and in Excel - Microsoft Support 

 

Given this situation, here are my recommendations, which I hope will be helpful to you: 

1/  Use Excel desktop for full paste special 

• Open the file in Excel Desktop via OneDrive or SharePoint by selecting “Open in Desktop App”. 
• Perform the Paste Special operation there (Formulas, Formatting, Transpose, Keep Source Column Widths, etc.). 
• Save the file back to OneDrive/SharePoint so others can continue working in Excel Web. 

2/ Copy and paste entirely within Excel web 

• If you need Paste Special options in Excel Web, ensure both the source and destination are within Excel Web. 
• Copy from one sheet or workbook opened in the browser to another. This preserves metadata and enables all Paste Special options. 

3/ If copying from desktop is required 

• Paste values first (Ctrl+Shift+V), then apply formatting using Format Painter or Cell Styles in Excel Web. 
• Alternatively, export the data from Excel Desktop as CSV, upload it to OneDrive, and open in Excel Web. Then reapply formatting as needed. 
• For complex layouts, paste into a blank Excel Web workbook first (if the first paste shows full options), then copy again within Web to retain those options. 

Additional notes:  

• Check browser permissions for clipboard access (Edge/Chrome → Settings → Privacy & Security → Site settings → Clipboard). 
• Disable any extensions that might interfere with clipboard behavior. 
• Ensure the destination range is compatible with the selected Paste Special option (e.g., Transpose requires matching dimensions). 

4/ Report via Feedback  

If you’d like, you can share your feedback with the product team to help improve the onboarding experience for future users in Microsoft Feedback Portal.  

Once there, you can create a post describing your experience in detail. This not only helps raise awareness of the issue but also allows you to connect with other users who may be facing similar challenges.  

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.       

---

If you find my post helpful, kindly consider marking it as the 'accepted answer'. Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.       
Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.      

Note: Follow the steps in our documentation to enable email notifications if you want to receive email notifications related to this topic.