How to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells in Excel (8 Quick Methods)

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While working in Microsoft Excel, you will need to copy and paste multiple cells to various positions. But sometimes it becomes difficult while working with a large dataset due to blank cells, and multiple non-adjacent cells. But it won’t be a problem anymore. Today in this article, I am sharing how to copy and paste multiple cells in excel. Stay tuned!

In the following, I have shared 8 quick and easy tricks to copy and paste multiple cells in excel.

Suppose we have a dataset of some Employee Names, Employee IDs, and Total Sales. Now we will copy and paste multiple cells from the table.


1. Using Paste Options to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells in Excel

In order to copy and paste multiple cells into a different location on the sheet, you can simply use the paste options. Follow the instructions below-

Steps:

  • First, select some cells (B4:D8) from the list.
  • Now, click the right button on the mouse to get options. From the options choose “Copy”.

Use Paste Options to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells

  • Hence, select any cell where you want to paste and again press the right button of the mouse.
  • From there choose “Paste” to get the output.

  • Finally, we have successfully pasted multiple cells in Excel.

Use Paste Options to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells


2. Applying Keyboard Shortcut to Copy and Paste Multiple Excel Cells

You can do the same work by applying keyboard shortcuts.

Steps:

  • Simply, select cells (B4:D7) from the table and press Ctrl+C to copy.

Utilize Keyboard Shortcut to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells

  • After that, choose a cell (F5) and hit Ctrl+V from the keyboard.

  • All the selected output will be in your hands within a blink of an eye.

Utilize Keyboard Shortcut to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells


3. Copy and Paste Multiple Cells by Dragging with Mouse in Excel

For working faster you can utilize the mouse shortcut to copy and paste multiple adjacent cells.

Steps:

  • Above all, choose cells (B10:D13) from the dataset.
  • Now, holding the Ctrl button move your cursor over the selection border.
  • Then, a plus sign (+) will appear. Drag the cells to any location.

Apply Mouse Shortcut to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells

  • In summary, the selected cells will be copied and pasted to a new location. Simple isn’t it?

Apply Mouse Shortcut to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells


4. Copying and Pasting Multiple Non-Adjacent Cells in Excel

While copying cells and pasting them to new rows or columns become difficult for non-adjacent cells. Well, I have a simple solution for this. Follow the steps below-

Steps:

  • To start with, hold the Ctrl button and select multiple cells of your choice.

Copy and Paste Multiple Non-Adjacent Cells in Excel

  • Next, click the right button of the mouse and press “Copy” from the appearing options.

  • Hence, choosing a new location just press Ctrl+V to paste the chosen cells.
  • In a moment, your precious selection will be pasted to a new position.

Copy and Paste Multiple Non-Adjacent Cells in Excel

Read More: If Value Exists in Column Then Copy Another Cell in Excel


5. Adding Blanks into Multiple Excel Cells Copy and Paste Tool

Often we see multiple blank cells inside a dataset creating problems to copy and paste properly. In that situation, you can fill those blank cells and then copy and paste them to fill your target.

Steps:

  • First, select the whole table and hit F5 from the keyboard.

Copy and Paste Multiple Cells with Blank

  • Then, from the new appeared window click “Special” to continue.

  • Hence, checkmark the “Blanks” and hit the OK button to continue.

Copy and Paste Multiple Cells with Blank

  • After that, just type your desired words to fill in all the blanks. Here I wrote “Nil” to fill the blanks.

  • After finishing your writing press “Ctrl+Enter” to fill in all the blanks.

Copy and Paste Multiple Cells with Blank

  • As we have finished, filling in all the blanks now we can copy and paste without any hesitation.
  • In the same fashion, choose cells (B4:D8) and hit Ctrl+C to copy.

  • Finish the process by choosing your choice of cell and pressing Ctrl+V to paste.
  • In conclusion, we have completed our task of copying and pasting multiple cells in Excel worksheet.

Copy and Paste Multiple Cells with Blank


6. Using Excel Fill Handle Tool to Copy Multiple Cells

The most amazing feature of Microsoft Excel is the “Fill Handle”. Using the fill handle, you can copy and fill series within a short time.

Suppose we have a dataset of 2 Employee Names on the worksheet.

Steps:

  • Presently, choose cells (B5:D6) and move your cursor a the right end of the border.
  • Next, the “Fill Handle” icon will appear. Without wasting time, just drag it downwards to fill the below rows.

Utilize Fill Handle Tool to Copy Multiple Cells

  • Finally, we successfully copied and paste our selected multiple cells into our workbook.

Utilize Fill Handle Tool to Copy Multiple Cells

Read More: How to Copy Merged and Filtered Cells in Excel


7. Adding Single Value into Multiple Cells with Copy and Paste in Excel

Sometimes copying and pasting becomes boring and monotonous to do as we have to go through the same operation again and again. To solve it, I have come up with an amazing trick.

Steps:

  • First, holding the Ctrl button choose multiple cells in a worksheet.

Copy and Paste a Single Value into Multiple Cells

  • Hence, write any texts or numeric values using the keyboard.
  • For the final touch, press Ctrl+Enter.

  • Within seconds your types words will be pasted to multiple selected cells. Simple isn’t it?

Copy and Paste a Single Value into Multiple Cells


8. Applying Keyboard Shortcut to Copy and Paste Random Numbers in Multiple Excel Cells

Just like the previous method, you may be wondering about putting random numbers into multiple cells with the same operation. I will show you this task in this method. Stay tuned!

Steps:

  • Start by holding the Ctrl button and choosing multiple cells from different columns inside the worksheet.

  • Now, apply the following formula to get the random numbers-
=RANDBETWEEN(10,20)

Where,

Use Keyboard Shortcut to Copy and Paste Random Numbers

  • Finally, you will get those random numbers for all the chosen cells.

Use Keyboard Shortcut to Copy and Paste Random Numbers


Copy and Paste Multiple Rows in Excel

In the previous methods, we selected cells to copy and paste to multiple locations. This time let’s learn pasting to multiple rows using the same trick from above.

Steps:

  • Select multiple rows by holding the Ctrl button.

Copy and Paste Multiple Rows in Excel

  • Next, press the right button of the mouse to get multiple choices.
  • From there click the “Copy” option to continue.

  • Therefore, choose your choice of rows and press Ctrl+V to paste.
  • In summary, we have successfully copied and pasted multiple rows in Excel.

How to Copy and Paste Multiple Cells in Excel


Things to Remember

  • If you are a Mac user then press the Command+C button to copy and Command+V to paste.

Download Practice Workbook

Download this practice workbook to exercise while you are reading this article.


Conclusion

In this article, I have tried to cover all methods to copy and paste multiple cells in Excel. Take a tour of the practice workbook and download the file to practice by yourself. I hope you find it helpful. Please inform us in the comment section about your experience.


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Siam Hasan Khan
Siam Hasan Khan

Hello! Welcome to my Profile. Here I will be posting articles related to Microsoft Excel. I have completed my BSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from American International University-Bangladesh. I am a diligent, goal-oriented engineer with an immense thirst for knowledge and an attitude to grow continuously. Continuous improvement and life-long learning are my mottoes.

8 Comments
  1. Dragging the fill handle works with more than just 1,2,3…
    It works with 1100, 1200, 1300,
    2018, 2019, 2020…
    or even Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,….
    or January, February, March,….

  2. Dear,

    Thanks for this lesson, very nice an useful.

    I have one question, I need to copy and paste Numbers or formulas from (Filtered) cells to another filtered ones.
    when doing this the values pastes on other cells.

    please need your help.

    regards

  3. What is the easiest way to copy a cell to 160,000 lines?

    • Hi, LAURA!
      Thank you for your query.
      Your query’s solution is very easy, but a little bit tricky. For the solution, at the name box of a cell, write the cell references of your desired cells where you want to put the same value by copying.
      Let, you want to put the number 10 to B2:B160002 cells. Now, write B2:B160002 in the name box. As a result, your desired 160000 cells will be selected. Now, write 10 and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
      Moreover, you can follow one of our articles named “How to Copy and Paste Thousands of Rows in Excel” to know more. The link to this article is given below.
      https://www.exceldemy.com/how-to-copy-and-paste-thousands-of-rows-in-excel/

      Have a nice day!

  4. Thanks for this it was nice and useful

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