To copy cells to the clipboard, use the shortcut Control + C on Windows, and Command C on the Mac. To paste, use Control + V on Windows and Command + V on the Mac. Note that when formulas are copied, relative cell references will update automatically. Use cut when you want to actually move data or formulas from one location to another. The shortcut is Control + X on Windows, and Command + X on the Mac. When you use cut, relative cell references will not change. You can also use drag and drop for cut copy and paste, with some interesting options When you select cells and drag the selection, this is equivalent to cut and paste. The contents of the cells are moved from one location to another. As with Cut, cell references in formulas won’t change. To copy with drag and drop, use the Control key in Windows and Option Key on a Mac while you drag. The cursor will change to show a plus symbol (+) to let you know you are copying the selection. When you release the selection, you’ll have a copy of cell contents. Just like a normal copy, relative cell references will change. Drag and drop also allows you to insert cells. Just hold down the shift key and then drag the selection. You’ll need to watch the cursor carefully to understand where the inserted cells will go. This is a great way to quickly reorganize smaller sets of data without copying and pasting. You can also add the Control key in Windows and the Option key on a Mac, to copy and insert. Finally, you can use drag and drop between sheets, by holding down the Alt key. This lets you drag a selection directly from one sheet to another. Use the control key to copy the selection.
Dave Bruns
Hi - I’m Dave Bruns, and I run Exceljet with my wife, Lisa. Our goal is to help you work faster in Excel. We create short videos, and clear examples of formulas, functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and charts.
