How to Copy and Paste in Google Sheets

In this article, you will learn basic and special ways to copy and paste values in Google Sheets.

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What are copy and paste in Google Sheets?

"copy and paste" are essential functions in Google Sheets that allow you to duplicate the content of one or more cells and place it elsewhere within the sheet. In addition to the general copy and paste functions, you have the “special paste” function in Google Sheets with which we can paste a part of the copied content (e.g., only value, only formatting, or only column width, etc.). You need to select the proper way of pasting depending on your use case to make your work easier and more efficient.

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When are copy and paste functions useful in Google Sheets?

The copy-and-paste functions in Google Sheets can be helpful in a variety of situations:

1. Duplicating data: If you have data in one cell or group of cells that you want to duplicate elsewhere in the sheet, you can use the copy-and-paste function to do so quickly.
2. Moving data: If you want to transfer data from one location to another within the same sheet, you can use the copy-and-paste function to do so and delete the original data.
3. Formatting cells: If you have a set of cells that are formatted the way you want, you can use the copy and paste function (special paste) to apply the same formatting to other cells.

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How to use the copy-and-paste functions in Google Sheets

There are three ways to use the (general) copy-and-paste functions in Google Sheets, but we highly recommend you use the first approach as it is the most efficient way to save time.

1. Shortcut keys
2. Right-clicking
3. The “Edit” tab in the toolbar

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Using shortcut keys with your keyboard

1. Select a cell or a range you want to copy.
2. Press “Ctrl” + “C” for Windows and “⌘” + “C” for Mac.
3. Select a cell (or the top left corner cell in case of a range) to which you want to paste the copied data.
4. Press “Ctrl” + “V” for Windows and “⌘” + “V” for Mac.

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Right-clicking on your mouse / Navigating to the “Edit” tab in the toolbar

1. Select a cell or a range you want to copy.
2. Right-click or navigate to the “Edit” tab in the toolbar.
3. Click “Copy”.
4. Select a cell (or the top left corner cell in case of a range) to which you want to paste the copied data.
5. Right-click or navigate to the “Edit” tab in the toolbar.
6. Select “Paste”.

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How to use “Paste special” in Google Sheets

You can use the special paste function with the same approaches as the general paste function. 

1. Shortcut keys (Only available to “Values only” and “Format only”)
2. Right-clicking → “Paste special”
3. The “Edit” menu in the toolbar → “Paste special”

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Using shortcut keys with your keyboard

1. Select a cell or a range you want to copy.
2. Press “Ctrl” + “C” for Windows and “⌘” + “C” for Mac.
3. Select a cell (or the top left corner cell in case of a range) to which you want to paste the copied data.
4. If you want to paste values only, press “Ctrl” + “Shift” + “V” for Windows and “⌘” + ”Shift” + “V” for Mac. In case you want to paste format only, press “Ctrl” + “Alt” + “V” for Windows and “⌘” + “Alt” + “V” for Mac.

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Right-clicking on your mouse / Navigating to the “Edit” tab in the toolbar

1. Select a cell or a range you want to copy.
2. Right-click or navigate to the “Edit” tab in the toolbar.
3. Click “Copy”.
4. Select a cell (or the top left corner cell in case of a range) to which you want to paste the copied data.
5. Right-click or navigate to the “Edit” tab in the toolbar.
6. Select “Paste special”.
7. Choose one of the special paste options available.

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You have eight types of “special paste” in Google Sheets as follows:

Values only: Only a value in the original cell is pasted. The shortcuts are “Ctrl” + “Shift” + “V” for Windows and “⌘” + ”Shift” + “V” for Mac.

Format only: Only cell format (without any formula and text strings) is pasted. The shortcuts are “Ctrl” + “Alt” + “V” for Windows and “⌘” + “Alt” + “V” for Mac.

Formula only: This allows you to paste only a formula without its result. A returned value by the pasted formula may be different from the initial result because of the reference types used in the formula.

Conditional formatting only: Only conditional formatting is pasted in a destination cell.

Data validation only: You paste the data validation rule only.

Transposed: This enables you to paste something while swapping the row and column of the copied range or array. This is helpful when you want to convert a horizontally long dataset into a vertically long one or vice versa.

All except borders: This helps you paste everything except cell borders.

Column widths only: This option makes the widths of the columns where data is pasted the same as those of the original columns where the pasted data comes from.

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How to use the format painter in Google Sheets

The format painter (or the  “Format painter” icon) is next to the printer icon in the toolbar in Google Sheets, as shown in the picture below.

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This icon gives you the ability to copy the data and paste only the format (equivalent to “Format only” in “Paste special” described in the section above)

1. Select a cell or range whose formatting you want to copy and paste.
2. Click the “Paint format” icon, which saves the format in the clipboard.
3. Click a cell (or the top left corner cell of a range) to which you want to paste the format.

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