How to Copy and Paste Without Changing the Format in Excel: 4 Methods

Method 1 – Quickest Method: Use the ‘Keep Source Column Widths (W)’ Command

Step 1: Select source cells B6:C16 and press Ctrl+C to copy them.

Step 2: Click on cell E6 ⇒ Clipboard ⇒ Paste drop-down.

Step 3: Choose the Keep Source Column Widths (W) option from the appeared options.

Method 2 – Adjust Column Widths Using Paste Options Button after Pasting Cells, Keeping Source Cells’ Format Intact

To copy and paste without changing the format, use the Paste command from the Clipboard group of commands and context menu. Apply a keyboard shortcut. After copying cells, the column widths are not usually copied, so you may not see data sometimes.

Once you have pasted cells, you can use the Excel Paste Options button, which appears when you copy and paste. It is in the bottom right corner of the destination cells.

See the whole method step by step.

Step 1: Select range B6:C16 and press Ctrl+C to copy the cells.

The dotted line around the selected range indicates that our data has been copied to the clipboard.

Step 2: Move the cursor to the destination range’s first cell, cell E6.

Step 3: Press Ctrl+V.

Step 4: Click on the down arrow of the Ctrl button at the right-bottom side on the pasted data. Click the Ctrl button from the keyboard.

Step 5: From the Paste Options dialog box, click the Keep Source Column Widths (W) option.

The column width of the pasted data is the same as the source data. In the below section, we will show more ways to copy and paste the Paste Options button in Excel without changing the format.

Method 3 – Using Paste Special Dialog Box to Copy and Paste Keeping Format Unchanged

Step 1: Copy the source data.

Step 2: Move to cell E6 and click the down arrow of the Paste option from the Clipboard group.

Step 3: Click the Paste Special option from the shown options.

The Paste Special window appears.

Step 4: Select All in Paste and None in the Operation section (the default options).

Step 5: Click the OK button.

Data has been pasted, but cell width is not the same.

Use the Paste Special option to keep the cell width intact.

Step 6: Move to the first cell of the pasted data, cell E6, and press the right button of the mouse.

Step 7: Choose the Paste Special option from the Context Menu.

Step 8: Choose the Column widths option in the Paste section and click the OK button.

See the cell width of the pasted data; it is the same as the source data.

Method 4 – Mouse Tricks to Copy and Paste in Excel Without Changing the Format (Except for Column Width)

i. Dragging with the Right Mouse Button

• Select range B6:C16.
• Move the mouse to the edge of the selection range and wait until the four-directional sign appears.
• Click and hold the right button of the mouse and drag the mouse to a space to paste.
• Release the mouse button, and a menu will appear.
• Click the Copy Here option, and data will be pasted from the source.

ii. Press and Hold the Ctrl Key and Drag with the Left Mouse Button

• Select range B6: C16 and hold the Ctrl key.
• Move the cursor to any edge of the dataset and wait until the small plus (+) symbol appears.
• Click the mouse’s left button and drag the cursor to an empty cell.
• Release the left button to see the data being pasted to the new location.

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