Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Understanding the Clipboard.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 28, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Any long-time Windows user knows that the Clipboard is the place where information is temporarily stored when you are cutting or copying. The Clipboard is a feature of Windows, but it is supported completely by Word. (There is also an Office Clipboard; more on that in a moment.) You place information in the Clipboard by first selecting it and then choose Copy or Cut from the tools available on the Home tab of the ribbon. You can also press Ctrl+C (to copy) or Ctrl+X (to cut).
When information is stored in the Clipboard, Windows also keeps track of the type of information stored. For instance, if you copy some text to the Clipboard, Windows tracks the source of the text. The reason for tracking the source is so the information can be correctly pasted into a different program. This means that if you copy cells from an Excel worksheet, you can paste them into Word in a variety of formats.
If you have something in the Clipboard, you can either paste it into Word by clicking the Paste tool on the Home tab of the ribbon or by pressing Ctrl+V. If you want more control over how something is pasted from the Clipboard, use the Paste Special tool on the Home tab of the ribbon.
Microsoft Office (which includes Word) also has an expanded version of the Clipboard. The Office Clipboard interacts with the regular Windows Clipboard in that the latest item copied to the Clipboard is in both the Windows and Office clipboards. The Office Clipboard, however, will keep track of many more than a single cut or copy. You can display the contents of the Office Clipboard by displaying the Home tab of the ribbon and then clicking the small icon at the bottom-right of the Clipboard group. Word displays the Clipboard pane at the left side of the document.
Clicking any of the items in the Clipboard pane pastes it wherever the insertion point is in the document. The Options drop down list at the bottom of the Clipboard pane sets options of when to automatically display the Clipboard pane and Clipboard indicators displayed at the system taskbar.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10415) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Understanding the Clipboard.
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2023-09-09 08:55:23
Roy
Let's not forget Word's "Spike" feature!
2019-08-29 13:05:28
May I suggest a rewrite of Understanding the Clipboard to include how to do multiple copy/cut building a set of entries in the clipboard and then being able to move elsewhere in the document and paste them individually or en masse.
2019-08-29 10:03:47
Jen
Roger, you can still split screen in later versions - they removed the bar at the top of the vertical scroll, but the command is still on the View tab.
I don't see a difference in Office Clipboard, although you may need to click Options at the bottom to allow it to collect without showing clipboard (or whatever other options you prefer).
2019-08-28 14:59:44
Allan
Here is an item that greatly enhances the Clipboard.
ClipClip. https://clipclip.com/
After using it, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.
Works with all versions of Windows.
It's FREE.
2019-08-28 07:43:23
Jen
In Windows 10, the system clipboard gets really useful because you can 'pin' items to it for use in any program, not just Microsoft -- that even works after computer restart!
Press Windows+V to open it, click the … at upper right of the item you want to pin and choose Pin. Then click that ellipses again on any item and choose 'Clear All' - only your pinned items remain. I find this very useful for preserving commonly used graphics and symbols, as well as for simple text blocks - hope it helps you too!
2019-08-28 02:43:00
Roger Barany
Why did word get rid of the very useful office clipboard in versions post 2013?
I know there is a cumulative Copy/Paste All work around, but it is not as intuitive and convenient.
Also, why did word get rid of search/replace in all open documents?
And the possibility of working in a split screen within the same document?
And ruin clean looking text boundaries by adding fuzzy boundaries around all paragraphs?
Roger
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
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