How to Enable Paste Option in Excel (3 Suitable Ways)

Error in Paste or Paste Special can happen while pasting in Excel. Excel is sometimes unable to show paste options due to settings error or may be corrupted excel files is the main reason that makes the paste error. In this article, we will show how to enable the paste option in Excel.

Table of Contents hide

3 Simple Ways to Enable Paste Option in Excel

1. Enable Paste Option from Excel Advanced Options

2. Unprotect a Protected Worksheet

3. Enable Select & Paste Option for Visible Cell Only

Conclusion

3 Simple Ways to Enable Paste Option in Excel

To demonstrate the method or possible do’s, we will use the data of Country in column B and National Sport in column C like the below image.

1. Enable Paste Option from Excel Advanced Options

Often, we make a change after pasting data in Excel with the Paste Options appearing at the downside of the pasted data. But sometimes the data may not appear in Excel for some settings problems. In this method, we will try to solve the problem.

📌 Steps:

We cannot see any Paste Options in the following image. But we can bring back the option by changing some settings which we will demonstrate in the later parts of this method.

To take back the Paste Options, we will go to File >> Options.

In the crucial part of this method, we will do the followings: Excel Options>> Advance >> Mark the box beside ‘Show Paste Options Button When Content Is Pasted’ >>OK.

After completing the process, we can now see the Paste Options in Excel like the following image.

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2. Unprotect a Protected Worksheet

The protected sheet in Excel will disable Paste Option because the sheet is password protected. In the following steps, we will demonstrate how to deal with the case.

📌 Steps:

In the following image, we have tried to demonstrate copy and paste of cells in B4:C14 and paste it in cell E4.

Then Microsoft Excel will show a message, “The cell or chart you’re trying to change is on a protected sheet. To make a change, unprotect the sheet. You might be requested to enter a password.” That actually means to enable copy and paste in Excel we first have to unprotect the sheet.

To do so, we will follow the steps: Review >> Protect>> Unprotect Sheet.

Now a tab named Unprotect Sheet will appear on the screen. In the box of Password, we will enter the code to unprotect the sheet.

At this moment we can enable Copy and paste option in Excel.

3. Enable Select & Paste Option for Visible Cell Only

If we require to copy and paste visible cells only, we can’t do that as usual copy and pasting. To learn the method Enable Select & Paste for Visible Cell Only follow the below steps.

📌 Steps:

Suppose we have a hidden column in C. Moreover, we have to copy the visible cells only.
Now if we copy the cells and paste them into F4, we can see that the hidden column C has also appeared in the pasted dataset.
Now we will follow the steps to avoid the hidden column being copied.

Go to the Home ribbon >> Click on Find & Select under Editing group >> Choose Go To Special…
Or Press Ctrl + G >> Click on Special… from the Go To window.

Put the radio button on Visible cells only under the Select options. Click on the OK button

Now we will do the process of copying and pasting cells and see the result that has shown the copy and paste of visible cells only.

Conclusion

Follow these steps and stages on how to enable the paste option in excel. You are welcome to download and use the workbook for your practice. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please leave them in the comments section of our blog ExcelDemy.