6 Ways to Overcome Copy Paste Not Working in Windows 10

 Learn how to fix copy paste not working in Windows 10 so you don't lose productivity.

Every day, you copy and paste text, files, or folders on your computer. As such, it is a real inconvenience when the copy-paste tool suddenly stops working. Even though this is one of the most basic functions that has been around since the first versions of Windows, it sometimes stops working.

If this happens to you, this post will give you a solution on how to deal with copy paste not working on Windows 10.

How to Overcome Copy Paste Not Working

1. Restart the currently used application

If you are unable to copy and paste while using a particular app, close and reopen the app and check if this fixes the problem. Also check if the app has an update available as software bugs can prevent copy and paste from working. You can update the app via the app settings menu or the Microsoft Store if it's there.

2. Try Copy-Paste With the Mouse Not the Keyboard

Usually we use the shortcut Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V to copy paste because it's faster. If you do too, try using the mouse instead. If it works, try using another keyboard shortcut on the PC and see if it works.

If the copy-paste keyboard shortcut doesn't work, it means that the tool is still working on your computer, but the keyboard shortcut has stopped working.

3. Restart Windows Explorer

Before restarting Windows Explorer, save work in progress as it will close all open applications and windows. Then, follow these steps:

Restart Windows Explorer

1. Right-click Start > Task Manager.

2. In the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer.

3. Right-click and select Restart.

4. Check if copy-paste is now working.

4. Reset Remote Desktop Clipboard Process

You can restart Remote desktop clipboard using File Explorer. Here's how to do it:

Reset Remote Desktop Clipboard Processes

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Go to This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Windows > System 32.

3. Right-click rpdclip.exe and select Run as administrator.

4. Search for dwm.exe and run it with administrator rights as well.

5. Restart your computer.

5. Turn Off All RAM Optimizing Apps

When you copy images or text, the system will use Random Access Memory (RAM) to temporarily store them. Unfortunately, when file cleaning or RAM optimizing applications try to save space and make your computer faster, they may also delete all of your clipboard data. Thus, it deletes all the data you tried to paste, rendering the feature unusable.

To fix this, you can force close the app or configure its settings so that it doesn't include the computer's clipboard in the optimization process.

6. Fix Windows 10 Clipboard

Whenever you copy text or images, Windows 10 saves them in the virtual clipboard. When you paste it, you're pasting it from the clipboard. However, if the clipboard stops working properly, you won't be able to copy and paste anymore. Fortunately, fixing this problem is an easy job.

How to Fix Windows 10 Clipboard Using Command Prompt

How to Fix Windows 10 Clipboard Using Command Prompt

In Windows 10, you can use the Command Prompt to clear the Windows clipboard cache. Open Command Prompt with administrator rights, type echo off | clips, and press Enter.

How to Fix Windows 10 Clipboard Using Registry Editor

You can also fix the clipboard via the Registry Editor. Here's how to do it:

How to Fix Windows 10 Clipboard Using Registry Editor

1. In the Start menu search bar, search for regedit and select Run as administrator.

2. Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Clipboard.

3. Open IsCloudAndHistoryFeatureAvailable.

4. Set Value data to 1 and Bae to Hexadecimal.

5. Click OK to save the new changes.

6. Restart the computer and test if you can now copy and paste.

How to Fix Windows 10 Clipboard Using Group Policy

You can also fix the Windows 10 clipboard using Group Policy. If you are unsure about using Group Policy, you should create a System Restore point for your system in case something goes wrong. Follow these steps to configure Windows clipboard settings:

How to Fix Windows 10 Clipboard Using Group Policy

1. In the Start menu search bar, search for gpedit.msc and select Best match.

2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Devices and Resources Redirection.

3. Look for Do not allow Clipboard redirection.

4. Check whether Not Configured or Disabled is selected.

Conclusion

So that's how to deal with copy paste not working in Windows 10. Admin harp, now you can copy and paste without any problems. Sometimes it's not the copy and paste command that stops working. As shown above, you may need to restart certain applications, fix keyboard shortcuts, or fix clipboard crashes.