Learn Excel - Lesson 7: Move & copy cell contents in Excel

Let's continue learning how to copy or move cell content in Microsoft Excel!

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Use Cut, Copy and Paste to move, copy cell contents or certain data or attributes in cells. For example, copying the result value of a formula without copying it or just "copying" the formula.

Excel will move or copy the cells you want, including formulas, result values, formatting, and internal comments.

You can move cells in Excel by dragging and dropping or using the Cut & Paste command .

Move cells by drag & drop

1. Select the cell or range of cells you want to copy or move.
2. Point the mouse to the border surrounding the selection.
3. When the cursor is shaped , drag the cell or range of cells to another location.

Move cells by Cut & Paste

1. Select a cell or range of cells.
2. Select Home> Cut or press Ctrl+ X.
3. Select the cell where you want to transfer the data.
4. Select Home> Paste  or press Ctrl+ V.

Copy the cell in the worksheet with the Copy & Paste command .

1. Select a cell or range of cells.
2. Select Copy or press Ctrl+ C.
3. Select Paste or press Ctrl+ V.

Move or copy cells

1. Select the cell you want to move or copy.

2. On the Home tab , in the Clipboard group , do one of the following:

• To switch cells, click Cut or Ctrl+ X.
• To copy cells, click Copy or Ctrl+ C.

3. Select the upper left box of the data pasted area.

Tip: To move or copy a selection to another worksheet or workbook, click the worksheet tab or switch to another workbook, then select the upper left box of the pasted area.

4. On the Home tab , in the Clipboard group , click Paste or press Ctrl+ V.

Note:

• Excel displays a dynamic border that moves around the cut or copied cells. To cancel this border, press Esc .
• Excel replaces the current data in the paste area when you cut & paste cells to move them.
• For specific options when pasting cells, you can click the arrow below Paste , and then click the desired option. For example, click Paste Special or Picture .
• By default, Excel displays the Paste Options button on the worksheet to provide special options when pasting cells like Keep Source Formatting . If you do not want this button to appear every time you paste a cell, you can turn this option off. Click the File tab > Options . In the Advanced category , in Cut, Copy & Paste , uncheck the Show Paste Options button when content is pasted .

Move or copy cells with the mouse

By default, drag & drop editing is enabled so you can move and copy cells with your mouse.

1. Select the cell or range of cells you want to copy or move.
2. Do one of the following:

• To move a cell or range of cells, point to the selected border. When the cursor has a shape dragging the cell or range of cells to another location.
• Copy a cell or a range of cells, hold down the Ctrl key while you point to the selection border. When the cursor switches , drag the cell or range of cells to another location.

Note: Excel replaces the current data in the pasted area as you move cells.

When copying cells, their references are automatically adjusted. However, when moving the cell, it will not happen. The contents of these cells and any cells that point to them can be displayed as reference errors. In this case, you must adjust those references manually.

If the selected range includes hidden cells, rows or columns, Excel copies them. You may have to unhide temporary data you don't want to include when copying information.

Insert moved or copied cells between current cells

1. Select the cell or range of cells containing the data you want to copy or move.

2. On the Home tab > Clipboard , do one of the following:

• To move the selection, click Cut or press Ctrl+ X.
• To copy the selection, click Copy or press Ctrl+ C.

3. Right-click in the upper left box of the pasted area, and then click Insert Cut Cells or Insert Copied Cells .

Tip: To move or copy a selection to another worksheet or workbook, click the worksheet tab or switch to another workbook, then select the box to the left above the current pasted area.

4. In the Insert Paste dialog box , click the direction you want to move to the surrounding box.

Note: If inserting entire rows or columns, surrounding rows and columns are moved down or to the left.

Copy only the visible cells

If some cells, rows or columns on the worksheet do not show, you have the option to copy the entire cell or just the cells that appear. For example, you can choose to copy only the summary data on the annexed worksheet.

1. Select the cell you want to copy.

2. On the Home tab > Editing > click Find & Select > Go To Special .

3. In Select , click Visible cells only> OK .

4. On the Home tab > Clipboard > click Copy or press Ctrl+ C.

5. Select the box at the upper left of the paste area.

6. On the Home tab > Clipboard > click Paste or press Ctrl+ V.

If you click the arrow below Paste , you may have several data paste options to apply.

Excel pastes the copied data in consecutive rows & columns. If the paste area contains hidden rows or columns, you may have to unhide the paste area to see the entire copied cell.

When copying or pasting hidden or filtered data into another application / version of Excel, only the visible cells are copied.

Prevent copying blank cells from replacing data

1. Select the range containing empty cells.
2. On the Home tab > Clipboard > Copy or press Ctrl+ C.
3. Select the upper left box of the pasted area.
4. On the Home tab > Clipboard , click the arrow under Paste and click Paste Special .
5. Select the Skip blanks checkbox .

Move or copy only the content of a cell

1. Double-click the cell containing the data you want to move or copy.

Note: By default, you can edit & select data directly in that cell by double clicking on it, but, you can also edit & select cell data in the formula bar.

2. In that cell, select the character you want to copy or move.

3. On the Home tab > Clipboard > do one of the following:

• To switch your selection, click Cut or press Ctrl+ X.
• To copy the selection, click Copy or press Ctrl+ C.

4. In this box, click the location where you want to paste the characters, or double-click the other cell to transfer or copy data.

5. On the Home tab > Clipboard, click Paste or press Ctrl+ V.

6. Press Enter .

Note: When you double-click a cell or click F2to edit the active cell, the arrow keys only function in that cell. To use the arrow keys to move it to another cell, first press Enter to complete the editing changes to the active cell.

Copy values, formats or just formulas in cells

When pasting copied data, you can do one of the following:

• Only paste cell formats like font color or fill color (and not the contents of those cells).
• Convert any formula in that cell to calculated values ​​without overwriting the current format.
• Paste the formula only (not the calculated value).
• Select the cell or range of cells containing the value, format or formula you want to copy.
• On the Home tab > Clipboard > Copy or press Ctrl+ C.
• Select the cell to the upper left of the paste area or cell where you want to paste the value, format or formula in the cell.
• On the Home tab > Clipboard > click the arrow below Paste , and then do one of the following:
  • Click Values to paste the value only.
  • Click Formatting to paste the formatting only.
  • Click Formulas to paste only the formula.

Note : If the copied formula contains relevant cell parameters, Excel will adjust these references (and other relevant parts) in the copied formula. For example, suppose that cell B8 contains the formula = SUM (B1: B7). If you copy this formula to cell C8, the duplicate formula refers to the corresponding cell in that column: = SUM (C1: C7). If the copied formula contains absolute cell references, the references in the copied formula do not change. If you don't get the results you want, you can also change the reference in the original formula to reference the absolute or related cell, and then copy those cells again.

Copy the cell width setting

The copied data is pasted using the column width setting of the target cells. To adjust it to match the source cell, do the following:

1. Select the cell you want to move or copy.

2. On the Home tab > Clipboard , do one of the following:

• To move the cell, click Cut or Ctrl+ X.
• To copy cells, click Copy or Ctrl+ X.

3. Select the upper left box of the pasted area.

Tip: To move or copy a selection to another worksheet or workbook, click the worksheet tab or switch to another workbook, then select the box to the left above the pasted area.

4. On the Home tab , in the Clipboard , click the arrow in Paste , and then click Keep Source Column Widths .

Above is how to move cells or copy cell content in Excel. Hope the article is helpful to you.