By default once you copy (or cut) and also paste in Excel, every little thing in the source cell or range—data, formatting, formulas, validation, comments—is pasted come the destination cell(s). This is what happens when you push CTRL+V come paste. Because that could not be what friend want, friend have many other dough options, depending on what girlfriend copy.
You are watching: Pastes the contents and format of the source area
For example, you could want to dough the components of a cell, yet not that is formatting. Or perhaps you want to transpose the pasted data indigenous rows to columns. Or, you can need to dough the an outcome of a formula instead of the formula itself.
Important: When girlfriend copy and also paste formulas, you can need to solve cell references. However, references are not changed when you cut and also paste formulas.
Tip: You can also use the fill manage to copy a formula into nearby cells on the worksheet.

WindowsWeb
Paste menu options (on the ribbon)
Select Home, choose the clipboard icon (Paste) and also pick the details paste choice you want. For example, come paste just formatting native the copied cell, select Formatting . This table reflects the options easily accessible in the dough menu:
| Paste | All cell contents. |
![]() | Keep resource Column Widths | Copied cabinet content in addition to its obelisk width. |
| Transpose | Reorients the contents of duplicated cells once pasting. Data in rows is pasted into columns and vice versa. |
| Formulas | Formula(s), without formatting or comments. |
| Values | Formula results, without formatting or comments. |
| Formatting | Only the formatting indigenous the copied cells. |
![]() | Values & resource Formatting | Values and also formatting from duplicated cells. |
![]() | Paste Link | Reference come the source cells instead of the copied cell contents. |
![]() | Picture | Copied image. |
![]() | Linked Picture | Copied image with a connect to the initial cells (if friend make any kind of changes to the original cells those transforms are reflect in the pasted image). |
Paste Special
To use alternatives from the Paste one-of-a-kind box, select Home, pick the clipboard icon (Paste), and select Paste Special.
Keyboard Shortcut: press Ctrl+Alt+V.

In the Paste Special box, choose the attribute you want to paste.
Note: Depending top top the kind of data girlfriend copied and also the Paste choice you picked, some other alternatives might be grayed out.
Paste option | Action |
All | Pastes every cell contents and also formatting that the duplicated data. |
Formulas | Pastes only the recipe of the duplicated data as entered in the formula bar. |
Values | Pastes only the worths of the copied data as shown in the cells. |
Formats | Pastes just cell formatting that the duplicated data. |
Comments and Notes | Pastes just comments and also notes attached come the duplicated cell. |
Validation | Pastes data validation rules because that the duplicated cells come the dough area. |
All using source theme | Pastes all cell components in the paper theme formatting the is used to the duplicated data. |
All except borders | Pastes all cell contents and also formatting used to the copied cell except borders. |
Column widths | Pastes the width of one replicated column or range of columns to another column or variety of columns. |
Formulas and also number formats | Pastes only formulas and also all number formatting choices from the replicated cells. |
Values and number formats | Pastes just values and all number formatting choices from the replicated cells. |
All merger conditional formats | Pastes the contents and conditional formatting alternatives from the duplicated cells. |
You can also specify a mathematical procedure to use to the replicated data.
Operation | Action |
None | Specifies the no mathematical procedure will be applied to the copied data. |
Add | Adds the duplicated data come the data in the location cell or variety of cells. |
Subtract | Subtracts the duplicated data from the data in the location cell or variety of cells. |
Multiply | Multiplies the duplicated data with the data in the destination cell or variety of cells. |
Divide | Divides the duplicated data by the data in the location cell or range of cells. |
Skip blanks | Avoids replacing worths in your dough area when blank cells occur in the copy area when you choose this examine box. |
Transpose | Changes columns of duplicated data come rows and also vice versa once you select this check box. |
Paste Link | Click to create a attach to the duplicated cell(s). |
Verify and fix cell references in a pasted formula
After you paste a copied formula, you have to verify that all cell recommendations are exactly in the new location. The cabinet references might have readjusted based ~ above the reference kind (absolute, relative, or mixed) offered in the formula.

For example, if girlfriend copy a formula in cabinet A1 and paste it 2 cells down and to the appropriate (C3), cell references in the pasted formula will adjust as follows:
$A$1 (absolute column and absolute row) | $A$1 |
A$1 (relative column and absolute row) | C$1 |
$A1 (absolute column and relative row) | $A3 |
A1 (relative column and also relative row) | C3 |
If cell referrals in the formula don’t provide you the an outcome you want, shot switching to different reference types:
Select the cell containing the formula.
In the formula bar

Press F4 come switch in between the reference combinations, and also choose the one girlfriend want.
For more information around cell references, see outline of formulas.
When friend copy in Excel for the web, you can pick paste choices in the destination cells.
Select Home, select the clipboard icon, select Paste, and also pick the details paste choice you want. Because that example, come paste just formatting native the copied cell, select Paste Formatting . This table shows the options obtainable in the dough menu:
| Paste | All cabinet contents. |
| Paste Formulas | Formula(s), without formatting. |
| Paste Values | Formula results, there is no formatting. |
| Paste Formatting | Only the formatting native the copied cells. |
| Paste Transpose | All cabinet content, yet reorients the content as soon as pasting. Data in rows is pasted right into columns and vice versa. |
Need an ext help?
You can always ask an expert in the Excel technology Community or get dearteassociazione.org in the answers community.