Paste

Op)ons – Excel 2016

In Excel, Paste / Paste Special op)ons allow us to control what proper)es of

cells are duplicated when we copy & paste cells.
*Paste special is not available when using the “Cut” func8on.

Follow these steps to perform use the Paste op8on shortcut icons:

1.  Select the cell(s) to be copied.

2.  Copy by clicking on the ‘Copy’ icon, right-
clicking or using the keyboard shortcut
‘Ctrl + C’. A doAed green dynamic border will
appear around the cell.

3.  Select the desEnaEon cell and then click the

arrow under the Paste icon in ribbon to
expand Paste opEons menu.

4.  You can mouse over the paste icons to see

what each opEon does.

5.  For example, the very first icon (top leN) is

the simple “Paste” command.

6.  If we click this, the contents in of our source

cell(s) will be replicated in our desEnaEon
cell(s).


Paste Special – Excel 2016

Paste
Descrip)on Original cell vs. New cell
Op)on

P a s t e s t h e f o r m u l a o n l y ( i f
Formulas
available).

Formulas & Pastes the formula and number

Number formaTng (not cell formaTng) of
FormaJng numerical values.

Pastes values while retaining the

Keep Source
formaTng properEes of the source
FormaJng
cell.

Pastes values without any cell

No Borders borders.

Keep Source
Pastes values while retaining the
Column
column width of the source cell.
Widths

Pastes values such that source

values that are in a row are now
Transpose placed in a column, and source
values that in a column are now
placed in a row.

Pastes plain values obtained from

the source cell. If the source cell
Values contains a formula, only the
calculated output is pasted.

Values & Pastes plain values and formaTng of

Number numerical values obtained from the
FormaJng source cell.

Pastes plain values while retaining

Values & the formaTng properEes of the
Source source cell. In short, this opEon
FormaJng turns all formulas into their
calculated outputs.
Paste Special – Excel 2016

Paste
Descrip)on Original cell vs. New cell
Op)on
Does not paste values but transfers
FormaJng cell formaTng rules from the source
cell to the desEnaEon cell.

Does not paste values but creates

Paste Link cell references to source values in
the desEnaEon cell.

Excel converts copied data into a

picture, which is pasted in the
Picture desEnaEon. However, changes in
the source data are not reflected in
the picture.
Excel converts copied data into a
picture, which is pasted in the
Linked Picture desEnaEon. Changes in the source
data are reflected in the picture.
Paste Special – Excel 2016

To access and use the Paste Special menu:

1.  Select the cell to be copied.

2.  Copy by clicking on the ‘Copy’ icon, right-

clicking or using the keyboard shortcut
‘Ctrl + C’.

3.  When a doAed green border appears
around the source cell, select the cell in
which we want to paste our contents into.

4.  Then click on the dropdown arrow below

the Paste buAon and select the ‘Paste
Special…’ opEon.

5.  In the ‘Paste Special’ dialog, choose the
Paste Special opEon you would like and
then click ‘OK’ to apply.

Paste Special – Excel 2016

Paste Op)on Descrip)on Original cell vs. New cell

Pastes comments aAached to source

Comments cells.

Pastes Data ValidaEon rules

Valida)on aAached to source cells.

Pastes values together with

All, merge
CondiEonal FormaTng rules of
condi)onal
source cells into our desEnaEon
formats
range.

Opera)on Descrip)on Original cell vs. New cell

Op)on

Source Des*na*on

Stops Excel from execuEng any

mathemaEcal operaEon between
None
our pasted values and cells in our
desEnaEon range.

Excel adds our pasted values to the

Add
values in our desEnaEon.

Excel subtracts our pasted values

Subtract
from the values in our desEnaEon.

Excel mulEplies our pasted values

Mul)ply
with the values in our desEnaEon.

Excel divides our pasted values by

Divide
the values in our desEnaEon.

Other op)on Descrip)on Effect

Excel pastes our values from all

Skip Blanks copied cells except for cells that are
blank.