In this in-depth fix article, we are to going to tell you what might be causing the issues with the copy-paste functionality on Windows 11 and how you can fix them. So, read this article till the end to get the copy-paste feature up and running on your Windows 11 PC or laptop again.
Fix Copy Paste Not Working in Windows 11
Fix Copy Paste Not Working in Windows 11
Now, there can be a multitude of reasons why the copy-paste feature is not working on your Windows 11 device. From hardware issues to software bugs, anything can prevent such system features to stop working all of a sudden. So, below we have listed some of the possible fixes for the copy-paste feature not working on Windows 11 issue. Be sure to try them all and get the feature working on your device.
1. Restart Your Computer
This might sound a little generic but there is nothing better than a quick restart of your Windows 11 system to fix these kinds of cases. Restarting a computer closes all your background applications, one of which might have been preventing the copy-paste feature to work on your system. However, before you restart your system, we’d suggest you disable all the startup apps on your device. These are the apps that are allowed to automatically start running on your system as background processes as soon as you boot Windows. So if any one of these apps is causing the issue on your system, it can prevent you to use the copy-paste feature even after the restart. To disable startup apps on Windows 11:
2. Check Your Keyboard For Issues
Now, if you use the handy Ctrl + C, and Ctrl + V keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste content on your Windows 11 device, an issue with your keyboard can prevent you to use the copy-paste feature. So, before moving on to more technical solutions, be sure to check whether there are any hardware issues with your keyboard or not. You can use the VIA key-tester online to check if all the keys on your keyboard are working or not. If all the keys on your keyboard are working and you are still facing the issue, try updating and re-installing the keyboard driver on your Windows 11 device.
3. Restart Windows Explorer in Windows 11
The next fix for the copy-paste not working on Windows 11 issue you would want to try is to restart the Windows Explorer, previously known as File Explorer process on your Windows 11 device. Windows Explorer is essentially a background process that is responsible for handling various system functions, including the copy-paste function, on Windows. Hence, any minor issue with the Windows Explorer process might cause the copy-paste feature to stop working. To restart Windows Explorer on your Windows 11 device:
4. Run an SFC Scan on Windows 11
Now, if the above method did not work, the next thing you can try to fix the copy-paste feature not working on Windows 11 issue is to run an SFC (System File Checker) scan on your device. This scan is to check whether or not any of your system files have been corrupted as they can prevent such failures in system-level features like copy-pasting. So, to run an SFC scan on your Windows 11 device:
5. Run the DISM Scan on Windows 11
If the SFC scan did not fix the issue with copy-paste on your Windows 11 device, you can now move on to the DISM scan. The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a command-line tool in Windows that can check the system and resolve any underlying issues. Hence, running this scan could fix the copy-paste not working on Windows 11 issue on your system. To run the DISM scan:
6. Clear Clipboard Cache on Windows 11
The Windows clipboard is a log of all the content that you copy on your Windows 11 device. So, any issue with this might also affect the copy-paste feature on your system, especially if there are any misconfigured or corrupted clipboard cache existing on your device. In this case, you can easily clear your Windows clipboard cache and restore the copy-paste feature on your device. To clear the clipboard cache on your Windows 11 device, follow the steps right below.
7. Run a Malware Scan on Windows 11
Now, if the copy-paste functionality on your Windows 11 is still not fixed, there is a chance that your device has malware that is preventing system features to work properly. In this case, you can use the built-in Windows Security tools to scan your device for malware and threats. To do this:
8. Check for Windows Updates
Now, if none of the above methods works, there is a possibility that the Windows 11 OS on your device is not updated to the latest version. Sometimes when you do not update the Windows OS on your system, your device might malfunction and essential system features like copy and paste stop working. In this case, simply follow the steps below to check if you have any updates available for Windows 11.
Why can’t I copy text from a Google Sheet or Doc?
Some Google Sheets or Docs are copy-locked by owners to protect their content from being stolen or plagiarized. So, if a link for a Google Doc or Sheet is set to “Viewer”, you will only be able to view the document or sheet.
Where can I view my copied items on Windows 11?
When you copy text or media on your Windows 11 device, it automatically gets saved on the Windows clipboard that you can access with the Windows + V shortcut.
How to clear the Windows clipboard on Windows 11?
To clear the Windows clipboard on your device, open the clipboard with the Windows + V shortcut and click on the Clear button at the top right to clear it.
Wrapping Up
Wrapping Up
So these are some of the common ways that you can try to fix the copy-paste feature not working on Windows 11. We hope that one of the above fixes works for you and you are able to restore the copy-paste functionality on your device. If any of the methods did work for you, do let us know in the comments.
