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If the Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys are not working in Microsoft Word, then you can try the solutions mentioned in this article to fix this issue. Keyboard shortcuts enable you to perform specific commands quickly without going through various options. However, some users have reportedly encountered this issue where they are unable to use keyboard shortcut keys in the Word application. If you are also facing the same problem, here are some fixes that you can try to resolve the issue.
The solutions to fix the keyboard shortcut keys not working problem in Word are:
- Check if the Keyboard Shortcuts are working or not elsewhere
- Reset Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Check by running Word in safe mode and disable add-ins.
- Repair Microsoft Word application.
Let’s discuss these in detail!
1] Check if the Keyboard Shortcuts are not working anywhere else in Windows 10
Are the keyboard shortcuts not working only in Microsoft Word? Or, are they not working in other applications too in Windows 10? Use hotkeys in Windows 10 generally and see if they are working fine or not.
If not, you can see this post to fix keyboard shortcuts. To begin with, run the Keyboard troubleshooter, check the keyboard physically, reset the keyboard, etc.
2] Reset Keyboard Shortcuts
If no standard keyboard shortcut is working in Word, try resetting keyboard shortcuts. It may help you fix the issue. To do so, you can follow below steps:
Launch Word and go to the File > Options menu. In the Options window, move to the Customize Ribbon tab. Here, you will see Customize button present beside the Keyboard Shortcut option. Click on this option and then in the next dialog window, tap on the Reset All option.
Next, confirm the reset process and all your keyboard shortcuts will be reset to default. Then, check if you are able to use your standard hotkeys in Word.
You can reassign the shortcut keys for commands in Word using the same Customize option.
3] Check by running Word in Safe mode and disable add-ins
Sometimes the bugs in applications arise due to problematic add-ins that you have installed. The same can be the reason for keyboard shortcuts not working in Word. So, restart Microsoft Word in safe mode and then see you are able to use the keyboard shortcuts.
To start Word in safe mode, open Run (Windows+R) and then type and enter winword /safe.
If you are able to use keyboard shortcut keys in Safe mode, the problem is most probably with an installed add-in. So, launch Word normally and then disable add-ins using below steps:
- Go to the File menu and click on Options.
- Select the Add-ins tab and press the Go button present beside the Manage COM Add-ins option.
- Now, uncheck the installed add-ins to disable them and then click on the OK button.
- Restart Word and see if you are able to use keyboard shortcuts like before.
4] Repair Microsoft Word application
If nothing seems to work to fix this issue, repair the Microsoft Word application. If the problem lies with the app installation or module update, this method should work.
Just open the Settings app and then click on the Apps category. Now, from Apps & features tab, scroll down to the Microsoft Office app and then tap on it. You will see a Modify option below it; click on it and then choose from Quick Repair and Online Repair options and press the Repair button to start the process.
After the Windows repairs the Office applications, check if keyboard shortcuts are working or not.
Hope this article helps you fix the keyboard shortcuts not working issue in Word.
Read next: How to customize Keyboard Shortcuts for Word.
Komal has done M.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering. She is a keen follower of the Windows ecosystem & a technical writer since the last six years. She loves finding solutions for day-to-day tech problems.
Guest
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#1
I can’t type in word but my keyboard works everywhere else, any idea why?
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Anne Troy
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garfield-n-odie
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#3
It could be because you have not activated your Word/Office
software, or because you have an expired trial version of Office
2003. What happens if you start Word and click on Help |
Activate Product? If you are already activated, a dialog box
saying so will appear. If you are not activated, the Activation
Wizard will start. If you have an expired trial version, a
dialog box will prompt you to enter a valid product key or
purchase a key online.
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Home
> Posts > Fix: Keyboard shortcuts Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V, Ctrl-Z, Ctrl-A not working in Word
For some time now, I was getting very annoyed while copy-pasting content from other software into Microsoft Word 2010. I would press CTRL+C at some other software and then would press ALT+TAB to go into an open Word document and press CTRL+V to paste, but it would not. So I had to move my fingers far away to SHIFT+INSERT to paste.
Today had enough so after some Google search on it, found the best fix by Moshe Eschel at:
http://superuser.com/questions/215595/keyboard-shortcuts-such-as-ctrl-c-ctrl-v-and-ctrl-z-not-working-in-word-2010-on
To «restore» word to the way you remember, you need to go to, File->Options->Customize Ribbon On the bottom there is a label «Keyboard Shortcuts» and a button «Customize…» – click it
On the Categories box, scroll until you find «All Commands» and select it. Now, from the right box select the following Command: EditCopy Look at the «Current Keys» Box you will see «Ctrl+Insert» which is the NEW mapping now put your cursor in the «Press new shortcut key» and Press Ctrl+C, a button on the bottom named Assign will light up, and you click on it.
Do the same for all the shortcuts you like, such as EditPaste, EditUndo, EditRedo, EditCut, SelectAll etc.
Wonder why Microsoft didn’t add both the old and new shortcuts there, since it seems the dialog does support it. What a huge oversight, having Microsoft Word try to impose a shortcut from Macs (as it seems) to longtime Windows users (especially when other software the user works with use other set of shortcuts for copy-paste).
Moreover, the option to reassign the shortcut keys was very deeply hidden, hard for the average user to find it by themselves (couldn’t find it either and I don’t consider myself an average user).
Even more pathetic was the default shortcut key for Select All (usually Ctrl+A). It was Ctrl+5 and Ctrl+Clear (Numeric keyboard 5). What the heck Microsoft?
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Question
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Has anyone else noticed that Ctrl+key shortcuts don’t seem to work in Office 2013 apps consistently all the time?
For instance if I create a new Word document, type three lines of text, then hit Ctrl+A it doesn’t select all. So then if I highlight one line of text and do a Ctrl+C it doesn’t copy, but if i right-click and choose copy it copies. Then
if I hit Ctrl+V it doesn’t paste, but if I hit Shift+Insert (as the paste button shows is the shortcut if you hover your mouse over it), it pastes, and if i switch to Notepad and hit Ctrl+V the text pastes fine.
Answers
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I have same problem, resolved it until full uninstall.
good luck.
KR
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Edited by
Thursday, March 20, 2014 2:28 AM
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Marked as answer by
Tony Chen CHN
Thursday, April 10, 2014 1:50 AM
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Edited by
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Guest
Guest
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#1
Although, at the same time, all shortcuts are working properly in Excel or Powerpoint.
I tried reseting the custom shortcuts but the button is greyed out, so there must have not been made any changes there.
Then I copied fresh all the templates (norma.dot, normal.dotm etc.)
The last thing was to uninstall Office completely, follow the steps for manual uninstall and deleted all files/registry keys relevant to office and reinstalled but still the problem remains.
Any suggestions plz?
Guest
Guest
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#2
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- Apr 12, 2010
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- 18,510
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#3
Go to word options (small arrow down at the top> more commands)
Then go to Customize> Keyboard shortcuts Customize
In the left windows, find All Commands.
Then, in the right one find copy text
Assign to it the keys Ctrl+C and then save changes and close word.
Reopen the program and unless all the shortcuts not yet working, go back to the same place and press the button on the top to reset all assignments.
Restart word again and it made the trick for me.
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- Feb 23, 2010
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#4
Guest
Guest
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#5
Hi, I do have the same problem. Can anybody help solving it?
Just has the same problem on my acer laptop (Timeline 3820T). I changed the keyboard and it works, so it might be that the wrong drivers are installed for the keyboard. Acer support sucks bigtime, it works much much slower than my older HP. Terribly disappointed with the Acer.
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- Mar 12, 2012
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#6
Just has the same problem on my acer laptop (Timeline 3820T). I changed the keyboard and it works, so it might be that the wrong drivers are installed for the keyboard. Acer support sucks bigtime, it works much much slower than my older HP. Terribly disappointed with the Acer.
» Terribly disappointed with the Acer «
That probably makes a few millions of us
«Acer support sucks bigtime»
Couldn’t have said it better..
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#7
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#8
Go to word options (small arrow down at the top> more commands)
Then go to Customize> Keyboard shortcuts Customize
In the left windows, find All Commands.
Then, in the right one find copy text
Assign to it the keys Ctrl+C and then save changes and close word.
Reopen the program and unless all the shortcuts not yet working, go back to the same place and press the button on the top to reset all assignments.
Restart word again and it made the trick for me.
Also I would suggest to check all key combinations such as ctrl+c, v, z, y etc.
All of them are listed starting with Edit…. so you should be looking for EditCopy, EditPaste, EditUndo, EditRedo, EditSelectAll and so on. Hope that helps ^^
PS: Applicable to MS Word 2007, 2010 and 2013
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#9
I’ll have to find out if it reset any other custom presets, though.
Hope that helps.
Regards,
Streifhorn
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#10
Go to word options (small arrow down at the top> more commands)
Then go to Customize> Keyboard shortcuts Customize
In the left windows, find All Commands.
Then, in the right one find copy text
Assign to it the keys Ctrl+C and then save changes and close word.
Reopen the program and unless all the shortcuts not yet working, go back to the same place and press the button on the top to reset all assignments.
Restart word again and it made the trick for me.
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#11
Thanks
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#12
Although, at the same time, all shortcuts are working properly in Excel or Powerpoint.
I tried reseting the custom shortcuts but the button is greyed out, so there must have not been made any changes there.
Then I copied fresh all the templates (norma.dot, normal.dotm etc.)
The last thing was to uninstall Office completely, follow the steps for manual uninstall and deleted all files/registry keys relevant to office and reinstalled but still the problem remains.
Any suggestions plz?
I had a situation for about a week or so where CTRL+ALT+G, which usually brings up Word Count Statistics, was graying my screen and I would have to use the mouse and click on Exit. I found that if I existed out of Word 2010, and went to Control Panel and selected Region, and selected Format, and picked English (United States), it fixed my problem. I hope this helps someone else. I was beginning to think there was no solution especially since it worked about a week or two ago. Very frustrating. I hope this helps someone else. I sure wasted a lot of time trying to find a solution.
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#13
Go to word options (small arrow down at the top> more commands)
Then go to Customize> Keyboard shortcuts Customize
In the left windows, find All Commands.
Then, in the right one find copy text
Assign to it the keys Ctrl+C and then save changes and close word.
Reopen the program and unless all the shortcuts not yet working, go back to the same place and press the button on the top to reset all assignments.
Restart word again and it made the trick for me.
Oh! Thank you soooo much for that! I almost went crazy trying to work on word and then trying to fix this shortcut mess! Yuor solution worked perfect (till now at least)
Thank you!
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#14
«Go to word options (small arrow down at the top> more commands)
Then go to Customize
In the left side of windows, find «customize the Ribbon»
Then, just scroll straight down to select Reset.
And then choose «reset all customizations a=on the drop down menu»
Having done that, select ok…. and you are done.
Cheers!
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- Not open for further replies.
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Working with Microsoft Word is common for people nowadays.
But sometimes, you may face issues with the copy-paste functionality in Microsoft Word.
Since copy-paste is a basic operation we execute frequently, it needs immediate attention.
Luckily, I’ve gone through various fixes in this post, and you can expect to solve the problem in a short time.
Keep reading till the end.
You can’t copy-paste in Word because of a clipboard issue, any Word Add-in conflicting with the copy-paste operation, or corrupted Microsoft Office files. If some shortcut keys are misconfigured or the Word app is outdated, the problem can persist.
Copy-paste is the most basic functionality that we use all the time, no matter what software we’re using. Copy and paste are more integral when we’re writing, like while using the MS Word app.
So, when copy and paste stops working, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. There are various reasons behind copy and paste not working in Word.
Here are the reasons why copy and paste is not working in Word:
Clipboard Issue
The clipboard is the place where the copied words and characters get temporarily saved. Sometimes there are problems in Windows clipboard as it gets messy because of copying and pasting several things in a row. It is a glitch that can be solved by cleaning the clipboard.
Word Add-ins
If a Word Add-in is not working correctly, it can conflict with the copy and paste operation. This can be due to an incompatible add-in or an add-in that is interfering with Word’s built-in copy and paste functionality.
Corrupted Microsoft Office Files
Corrupted Microsoft Office files can cause problems with the Word copy and paste function. The reason could be a corrupted file or a file that has been infected by a virus or other types of internet or security threats.
Misconfigured Shortcut Keys
If the shortcut keys are remapped, it is evident that the usual keyboard shortcuts for copy and paste will not work. It is also possible that they have been changed by the user or another application.
Out-of-date MS Word
An outdated Word app may not be compatible with the latest operating system or software updates. This can cause problems with the copy and paste operation in Word, as well as other functions within the app. Always ensure your apps are up-to-date on your machine.
Remote Desktop Connection App
Remote desktop connection apps running in the background can interfere with the shortcuts for MS Word or the operating system in general and cause problems.
How to Fix Copy and Paste in Microsoft Word
To fix copy paste in Microsoft Word, clear the clipboard cache and run Word in safe mode. Then you can disable the add-ins manually or repair the Office installation. Updating Word, checking the assigned keyboard shortcuts, and closing remote desktop or any background apps also help.
Any of the several factors mentioned in the previous section can lead to copy-paste not working in Microsoft Word. So, you need to go through all the fixes gradually and see which resolves the problem.
Here are the methods to fix copy-paste in Microsoft Word:
1. Clear Clipboard Cache
If the clipboard is not properly cleared or conflicts with other applications running on the computer, Word or Excel can face problems during copy-paste. So, you need to clear the Windows clipboard cache.
Follow these steps to clear the clipboard cache in Windows:
- Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “cmd” in the Run dialog box and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
- Type the following command in the Command Prompt: echo off | clip
- Press Enter.
This will clear the cache contained in the clipboard on your computer. Now, try copying and pasting into Word again to see if the problem has been resolved. You can also try clearing the clipboard on the Mac computer.
2. Run Word in Safe Mode
Launching Word in Safe Mode is a great solution to resolve the problem as add-ins don’t get loaded in safe mode. Therefore, running Word in safe mode will allow you to tell if any extra add-in is behind the problem
Here are the steps to run Word in safe mode:
- Close Word and any other Office app.
- Press Win+R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type winword /safe and press Enter.
Word will open in safe mode. Now try to copy-paste in the opened window. If you can copy and paste without any hassle, then there might be some problems with your add-ons.
Disable all the add-ins and enable them one by one to find out the culprit. The details are in the next method.
To run Word in normal mode, close the already opened window of Word in safe mode and launch Word as you do regularly.
3. Disable Add-ins
Add-ins are helpful for the work environment in Word. But sometimes, it conflicts with the Word app and breaks common functionalities like copy-paste.
Disable all the add-ins, then enable them one by one and check if the problem re-appears. Then you’ll know which add-in is initiating the problem.
Here are the steps to disable add-ins in Word:
- Launch Word.
- Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
- Select COM Add-ins in the Manage dropdown and click Go.
- Disable all the add-ins available there.
- Check if the copy-paste feature works well or not.
If copy paste works, go back to the add-in menu and enable one add-in. Then check if copy-paste is working or not. Repeat the process until copy-paste stops working. Then the last enabled add-in is the culprit behind the problem.
If copy-paste doesn’t work even after disabling all the add-ins, try repairing the Office package.
4. Repair Office
Your copy of Microsoft Office might get broken because of any corrupted installation file affecting Word. Repairing it may solve the problem.
Here are the steps to repair MS Office:
- Press Win+I to go to Settings.
- Go to Apps > Apps and Features.
- Scroll and click on Office.
- Click on Modify.
- Select Repair.
- Wait for the time being as the job gets done.
- Check if the issue has been resolved or not.
You can also use the Quick Repair feature from the Control Panel. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program. Right-click on Office, then click on Change > Quick Repair or Online Repair.
If it doesn’t work, you may try terminating the background processes and features connected to the Office suite.
5. Close Background Apps
It is possible that some background processes for example, OCR software, PDF rendering apps, etc. interfere with Word and that’s why the copy-paste option isn’t working as expected.
You can terminate the related background processes from the Task Manager.
Here are the steps to terminate background processes:
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Esc altogether to open the Task Manager.
- Go to the Processes tab.
- Select the process related to Office and click on the End Task Repeat the method for all the processes that might cause the problem.
Now select the text you want to copy and paste the text. If background apps were causing the issue, it will be gone.
Note: If you have any remote desktop app running, close it. It is common for remote access apps to interfere with the shortcuts or the Word functionality.
6. Check the Keyboard
The problem could be with your keyboard if you’re using Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V for copy-paste.
To rule out this possibility, open any other text editor like Notepad. Type some text and try to copy and paste using shortcuts.
If it works, then copy-paste is not working only on the Word app and it might have been re-assigned.
7. Check the Keyboard Shortcuts
If you’re able to copy and paste in other applications but not Word, it’s possible that the shortcuts have been changed. So, you need to check what the current shortcuts are set to.
Here are the steps to check the shortcuts in Word:
- Open Word.
- Go to File > Options.
- Select Customize Ribbon from the left.
- Click on the Customize button next to the Keyboard shortcuts.
- Select Home Tab as the Categories and EditCopy as the Command from the two lists. Then check if the Current Keys box displays the correct shortcut for copying. If not, assign the actual key using the Press new shortcut key
- Select EditCut from the Command list and check if the correct shortcut for the cut operation is applied. If not, change as needed.
- Select EditPaste from the Command list and check if the correct shortcut for pasting is applied. If not, change as required.
If every shortcut was assigned correctly, try reinstalling MS Office.
8. Reinstall Office
If you are facing problems even after following the previous methods, you may need to reinstall Office.
Here are the steps to reinstall Office:
- Go to Start Menu.
- Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a Program.
- Select Office.
- Click Uninstall.
After the uninstallation process is done, make sure you have downloaded the MS Office program from the official site. Then install it.
9. Check for Updates
Well, Microsoft keeps pushing updates for its Office Suite. Some updates change the configuration or fix current bugs.
So you should get an update for the Office programs to resolve the issues as soon as possible.
Also read, 2 Steps to Enable Dark Mode in Word Online
Here are the steps you can follow to check updates in MS Office:
- Launch Office.
- Go to Files > Account.
- Click on Update Options > Update Now.
- See if any updates are available or not. If yes, click on Update.
After the update and installation get done, your Word applications should be working fine if a bug was causing the issue.
10. Activate Office
You might be having issues with Office regarding copy and paste after the trial days are over. If the previous methods didn’t work for you, then you can check for the activation status.
Here are the steps to activate your copy of Office easily:
- Launch Word.
- On the boot screen, you will get the dialog box saying Activate Office.
- Put the serial key on your Office license.
- Click Activate.
Activation is completed. But if you don’t have a serial key to activate, buy an Office 365 subscription to activate.
11. Scan the Computer for Viruses
Viruses and malware can interfere with the options inside any application like Word.
Therefore, you should perform a virus scan on your computer. If you don’t have antivirus software, use Windows Defender to perform a quick scan.
12. Create a New User Profile
Using Microsoft Word through a new user profile in Windows will fix the problem if the origin of the issue is a bug attached to your current Windows user profile.
Follow the steps below to set up a new user profile:
- Press Win+I to go to Settings.
- Go to Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to set up a new user profile.
- Sign in to the new user profile.
- Run Word with the new user profile.
Now see if the issue persists.
Follow our guide on how to Find and Replace Text in Microsoft Word
FAQ
How do I enable copy and paste in Word?
Go to File > Options > Advanced. Select the Show Paste Options button when content is pasted in the Cut, copy, and paste section. This will enable copy and paste features in Word.
Why does my copy and paste not work?
Copy and paste features might not work correctly because of any temporary glitch, software interference, device drivers, or a corrupted system file. Check the settings and clean your keyboard also.
Why is Ctrl V not working in Word?
This might happen as you may have set the shortcut for any other purposes. Check the keyboard shortcut settings in Microsoft word and make it default to paste whenever you press Ctrl + V.
How do I copy text from a book to Word?
To copy text from a book to Word, you can use Google Lens to extract the words and characters from the book. Google Lens also can translate the text if you needed somewhere around.
How can I convert a hard copy to a Word document?
If you have a hard copy of anything written that you need to get into Word as a soft copy, try scanning with Microsoft OneNote. This app helps you to scan and extract the words and characters from the document. Using OneNote, you can easily convert a hard copy to a Word document.
Conclusion
Microsoft Word is an essential piece of software and copy and paste is our most used tool in it. We get into very much trouble when we’re not able to use copy-paste.
To fix copy and paste in Microsoft Word, you can clean the clipboard cache, run Word in safe mode, disable Add-ins, re-assign the shortcuts, repair or reinstall Office, and close the background applications.
I hope this guide proved useful to solve your problem quickly. Leave a comment on what you think.
Thanks for reading.