Excel Paste Without Formatting Shortcut Not Working: How to Fix It

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Are you frustrated that the Excel paste without formatting shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+V) is not working when you try to paste values or paste formatting in Microsoft Excel? You’re not alone. Many Excel users encounter this issue where the paste special shortcut fails to function as expected.

The ability to quickly paste values in Excel without having to go through extra steps is a crucial time-saver, so when the shortcut stops working, it can really slow you down. In this article, we’ll explain why this problem occurs and provide several solutions to get your Ctrl+Shift+V shortcut working again so you can easily paste in Excel without formatting.

Why is the Excel Paste Without Formatting Shortcut Not Working?

There are a few common reasons why the Ctrl+Shift+V shortcut to paste values in Excel may stop working:

Add-Ins Interfering With Shortcuts

Certain Excel add-ins can interfere with default shortcuts like Ctrl+Shift+V if they use the same keyboard shortcut for a different function. This shortcut hijacking prevents the normal Excel paste without formatting functionality. Add-ins extend the capabilities of Excel, but sometimes they can cause unintended conflicts. If you’ve recently installed a new add-in, that could be the culprit behind your paste special shortcut not working.

Corruption in Your Excel Installation

Rarely, corruption in your Microsoft Excel program files can cause various issues, including shortcut keys not working properly. This is more likely to occur if you’re using an older version of Excel or if your Office installation has become damaged. Corruption can be caused by hard drive issues, improper shutdowns, virus infections, and other factors. Fortunately, corruption can usually be repaired through the Microsoft Office repair utility.

Custom Shortcut Keys Overriding Defaults

If custom keyboard shortcuts have been set up in Excel, either by you or another user of your computer, one of these custom shortcuts could be overriding the default Ctrl+Shift+V shortcut for pasting without formatting. Excel allows you to customize shortcut keys, but if one conflicts with a default shortcut, it will take precedence. So if someone set up a custom shortcut using Ctrl+Shift+V for some other function, that would explain why your paste values shortcut is no longer working.

How to Fix Excel Paste Without Formatting Shortcut Not Working

Now that we understand some of the reasons behind this issue, let’s go through some solutions to get your paste values shortcut in Excel working again. We’ll start with the easiest fixes and move on to more advanced troubleshooting if needed.

Solution 1: Use the Context Menu to Paste Special

If you just need a quick way to paste without formatting in Excel, you can use the right-click menu instead of the keyboard shortcut:

1. Select the cell(s) where you want to paste values or formatting
2. Right-click on the selection and choose Paste Special from the context menu that appears
3. In the Paste Special dialog box, select Values, Formatting, or another paste special option
4. Click OK to paste your data with the selected options

This is an easy workaround if Ctrl+Shift+V is not working, but it’s not ideal if you paste special frequently since it adds extra steps. However, it’s good to know this alternative method as it can be a lifesaver when you’re in a pinch and just need to get the job done.

Solution 2: Use the Excel Ribbon to Access Paste Special

In addition to the right-click context menu, you can also access advanced paste options in Excel directly from the Home tab on the Excel ribbon:

1. Navigate to the Home tab on the ribbon at the top of your Excel window
2. Look for the Clipboard section (usually on the far left) and locate the Paste button
3. Click the dropdown arrow below the Paste button to expand the options
4. Move your mouse down to Paste Special and hover over it to reveal additional choices
5. Click on your desired paste special option, such as Values, Formatting, Formulas, etc.

Like the context menu method, using the ribbon to access Paste Special is not as fast as a keyboard shortcut, but it works reliably. If you find yourself having to use this workaround frequently, it may be worth taking the time to troubleshoot the underlying cause of the paste without formatting shortcut not working.

Solution 3: Check Your Add-Ins

Excel add-ins are a common culprit when shortcuts stop working. To determine if an add-in is causing the problem, you can disable all add-ins and then turn them back on one at a time to identify the offender:

1. Open Excel and go to File > Options > Add-Ins
2. At the bottom of the window, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins from the dropdown and click the Go button
3. In the COM Add-Ins dialog, clear the checkbox next to each active add-in to disable it
4. Click OK to close the dialog and return to Excel
5. Restart Excel and test if the Ctrl+Shift+V shortcut works with all add-ins disabled
6. If Paste Special now works, re-enable each add-in individually, restarting Excel each time, until you find the one causing the conflict
7. Once you’ve identified the problematic add-in, leave it disabled or try updating or replacing it

Some popular add-ins that have been known to cause shortcut issues include Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker, Bloomberg Excel Tools, and Power Query. If you’re not sure which add-in might be causing trouble, try searching online for other users reporting similar issues with specific add-ins.

Solution 4: Fix Corruption by Repairing Microsoft Office

If you suspect your Excel installation may be corrupted, you can try repairing it through the Microsoft Office repair utility. This will restore corrupted program files to their original state:

1. Make sure all Microsoft Office programs are fully closed
2. Open the Windows Control Panel and navigate to Programs and Features (called Apps & Features in Windows 10)
3. Scroll through the program list until you find your Microsoft Office version, then right-click on it and select Change
4. In the dialog box that appears, choose Quick Repair for a fast fix, or Online Repair for a more thorough repair (requires internet)
5. Click Repair and follow the prompts to complete the repair process, which may take several minutes
6. Once the repair is finished, restart your computer to ensure all changes take effect
7. Open Excel and test if the paste special shortcut is working again

If Excel was corrupted, the repair process will likely resolve the Ctrl+Shift+V shortcut not working, along with any other malfunctions caused by program file errors. However, if the repair didn’t help, move on to the next solution.

Solution 5: Reset Keyboard Shortcuts to Defaults

In cases where custom keyboard shortcuts are conflicting with the built-in Excel shortcuts, resetting all shortcuts to their factory defaults will undo this interference and restore the original Ctrl+Shift+V behavior:

1. Open an Excel spreadsheet and go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon
2. At the bottom left of the Excel Options window, click the Keyboard Shortcuts: Customize button
3. In the Customize Keyboard dialog box that appears, click the Reset All button near the bottom
4. A warning message will appear asking you to confirm the reset, as it will remove all custom shortcuts. Click Yes to proceed.
5. Click OK to close the Customize Keyboard dialog and OK again to close Excel Options
6. Restart Excel for the changes to take effect, then try using Ctrl+Shift+V to paste special – it should work now

Be aware that resetting shortcuts to defaults will erase all custom keyboard shortcuts, not just for pasting without formatting. So if you or others have set up custom shortcuts, you’ll need to recreate them after the reset. But this is a small price to pay to get back full Excel functionality.

Solution 6: Use a VBA Macro to Create a Paste Values Shortcut

If you’ve tried all the above solutions and your paste without formatting shortcut still refuses to cooperate, you have one final option: use Excel’s built-in programming language (VBA) to create a macro that replicates the paste values functionality and assign your own custom shortcut to it.

This may sound intimidating if you’re not familiar with macros, but don’t worry – you can simply copy and paste the code we provide:

1. Open the Excel workbook in which you want to use the macro
2. Press Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor
3. In the Project Explorer pane on the left, right-click the workbook name and select Insert > Module
4. In the code window that appears, paste the following VBA code:
   • Sub PasteValuesHotkey() On Error Resume Next Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteValues End Sub
5. Save the code module and return to your Excel workbook
6. Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon
7. At the bottom left of the Excel Options window, click the Keyboard Shortcuts: Customize button
8. In the Categories list on the left, scroll down and click on Macros to expand it
9. Under Macros, locate and select the macro you just created (e.g. Module1.PasteValuesHotkey)
10. Click in the Press new shortcut key field near the bottom and press the key combination you want to use for your paste values shortcut (e.g. Ctrl+Shift+V)
11. Click the Assign button to map the shortcut to your macro
12. Click Close to exit the Customize Keyboard dialog and OK to close Excel Options
13. Test out your newly created paste values shortcut – it should work like a charm!

You can use this macro method to set up your own custom shortcuts for Paste Special options beyond just values, such as formatting, formulas, comments, and more. All you need to do is modify the Paste:= argument in the code. Refer to Microsoft’s VBA documentation for additional Paste Special parameters.

Recap of the Solutions

A non-functioning Excel paste without formatting shortcut can really throw a wrench in your workflow, but with the troubleshooting steps outlined in this article, you should be able to get Ctrl+Shift+V up and running again in no time. To recap, here are the solutions we covered:

In most cases, an Excel add-in conflict or custom shortcut interference is to blame when the paste values shortcut stops working. But if those solutions don’t pan out, repairing your Office installation or using a VBA macro will almost certainly resolve the issue.

Remember, the methods we discussed for troubleshooting Ctrl+Shift+V can also be applied to other Excel shortcuts that suddenly stop working. So if you encounter similar issues with other hotkeys, you now have a solid arsenal of techniques to tackle them head-on.

We hope this guide has helped you overcome the frustration of your Excel paste without formatting shortcut not working. With this annoyance out of the way, you can get back to the business of data analysis, number crunching, and spreadsheeting with maximum efficiency. Happy Excelling!

Vaishvi Desai

Vaishvi Desai is the founder of Excelsamurai and a passionate Excel enthusiast with years of experience in data analysis and spreadsheet management. With a mission to help others harness the power of Excel, Vaishvi shares her expertise through concise, easy-to-follow tutorials on shortcuts, formulas, Pivot Tables, and VBA.