Copy and paste

This article explains how to support copy and paste in Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps using the clipboard. Copy and paste is the classic way to exchange data either between apps, or within an app, and almost every app can support clipboard operations to some degree. For complete code examples that demonstrate several different copy and paste scenarios, see the clipboard sample.

Check for built-in clipboard support

In many cases, you do not need to write code to support clipboard operations. Many of the default XAML controls you can use to create apps already support clipboard operations.

Get set up

First, include the Windows.ApplicationModel.DataTransfer namespace in your app. Then, add an instance of the DataPackage object. This object contains both the data the user wants to copy and any properties (such as a description) that you want to include.

Copy and cut

Copy and cut (also referred to as move) work almost exactly the same. Choose which operation you want by using the RequestedOperation property.

Set the copied content

Next, you can add the data that a user has selected to the DataPackage object. If this data is supported by the DataPackage class, you can use one of the corresponding methods of the DataPackage object. Here’s how to add text by using the SetText method:

The last step is to add the DataPackage to the clipboard by calling the static SetContent method.

Paste

To get the contents of the clipboard, call the static GetContent method. This method returns a DataPackageView that contains the content. This object is almost identical to a DataPackage object, except that its contents are read-only. With that object, you can use either the AvailableFormats or the Contains method to identify what formats are available. Then, you can call the corresponding DataPackageView method to get the data.

Track changes to the clipboard

In addition to copy and paste commands, you may also want to track clipboard changes. Do this by handling the clipboard’s ContentChanged event.

Copy and paste not working in Windows [Solved]

Last Updated: 3 weeks ago

Has copy and paste stopped working for you? This is actually quite a common problem in Windows. For some people, the “Copy” and “Paste” options are grayed out in the right-click context menu, and the keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V) do nothing. For others, the options are there, but the ‘Paste’ option pastes the wrong thing. And for some people, the problem occurs only in one application.

If you’re experiencing this problem, don’t worry, it’s quite easy to fix! And in most cases, the fix is pretty fast and simple…

Try these fixes

Here are 9 fixes that have helped many Windows users get their copy-paste working again. You don’t have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find one that works for you.

Fix 1: Close any video players

While the Windows clipboard is designed to be unlocked and available to all installed programs, it will occasionally become locked. One thing that often does this is a video player playing an encrypted video.

If you’re playing a video, or you have one open in the background, close the video player, and check if the problem is resolved. If not, move on to the next fix, below.

Fix 2: Close any open applications

If you have lots of applications open, or lots of processes running in the background, they may conflict with each other and stop your copy-paste from working. To see if this is causing your problem, try closing them one at a time. You can do this easily with Task Manager:

Right-click on the empty area of your taskbar, and select Task Manager.

Select each program under Apps, then click the End Task button on the lower right.

Test if copy-paste now works. If it does, you’ve found the culprit. If it doesn’t, close the next application and test again.

Fix 3: Clear your clipboard

If your clipboard is full, you may not be able to copy-paste properly. You can run the command below to clear your clipboard.

Type cmd in the Windows search box, then right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

When prompted for administrator permission, click Yes.

Type cmd /c “echo off | clip” then press Enter.

If you’ve typed in the above command correctly, it should just move on to a blinking cursor.

Test if you’re now able to copy-paste properly. If not, try Fix 4, below.

Fix 4: Run System File Checker

Your “copy-paste not working in Windows’ issue may also be caused by system file corruption. You can run System File Checker and see if there’re any system files missing or corrupted. If there are any, the sfc /scannow command (System File Checker) will repair them.

Run Command Prompt as administrator.

Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

It should begin running a system scan, and will take some time. When it finishes, restart your computer and check if it has fixed your copy-paste problem. If not, try Fix 5, below.

Fix 5: Update your device drivers

If the above steps didn’t solve your “copy-paste not working in Windows” problem, it may be caused by a device driver. You can update your device drivers to better troubleshoot your problem.

There are two ways to update your drivers — manually or automatically.

Update your drivers manually – You can update your driver manually by going to the hardware manufacturer’s website, and searching for the latest driver. But if you take this approach, be sure to choose the driver that’s compatible with the exact model number of your hardware, and your version of Windows.

Update your drivers automatically – If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update your drivers manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing. Driver Easy handles it all.

1. Download and install Driver Easy.
2. Run Driver Easy and click Scan Now. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
   

Click Update next to any flagged devices to automatically download the correct version of their drivers, then you can install them manually. Or click Update All to automatically download and install them all automatically. (This requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All. You get full support and a 30-day money back guarantee.)

Restart your computer and check if copy-paste now works properly. If it doesn’t, contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com for further assistance. They’d be happy to help you. Or you can move on to Fix 6 below.

Fix 6: Delete any corrupt zones from your Windows Registry

If you have corrupted zones in your Windows Registry, copy and pate may stop working. Here’s how to find and delete corrupted zones:

1. Press the Windows logo key and R key simultaneously to invoke the Run box.
2. Type regedit , and press Enter .
   

In the left pane, expand the following categories in sequence: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > Current Version > Internet Settings > Zones

If you see a folder before 0 with just an ASCII character as its name (such as an empty rectangle icon or an L graphic image), right-click on it and select Delete . Don’t change anything else.

Click Yes as confirmation.

Close the Windows Registry window.

Check if copy-paste is now working. If not, try Fix 7, below.

Fix 7: Check for viruses and malware

It may be that a virus or other malware is causing your clipboard to malfunction. To see if this is the cause of your problem, you should run a virus scan with your antivirus program.

We’ve explained, below, how to do this with Windows Defender. If you use a different antivirus product, obviously the process will be different.

To check for viruses with Windows Defender:

Click the Start button in the lower left corner of your screen, then click the Settings icon.

Select Update & Security >Windows Security.

Click Virus & threat protection.

In the Threat history area, click Run a new advanced scan.

Select Full scan, then click the Scan now button.

Save any open files and close all programs, then c lick Scan, and your PC will restart to run a scan.

When the scan is finished, your computer will restart. Then you can run Windows Defender again to see the results of the scan.

Check if copy-paste now works properly. If not, try Fix 8, below.

Fix 8: Undo recent system changes with System Restore

It’s possible that your copy-paste problem was caused by a recent system change. To see if this is the cause for you, you should do a system restore to undo recent system changes.

Don’t worry, you won’t lose your photos, music, documents or other personal data. The system restore will just return your computer system – its programs and settings – to the state it was in before. Usually a few days or a week ago.

To do a system restore:

1. Type recovery in the Windows search box, then press Enter.
2. At Recovery, click Open System Restore.

Select Choose a different restore point, and click Next.

Check the box beside Show more restore points. You should now see a list of ‘restore points’. These are like backups of your computer, as it was at that particular date and time. Think back to a date when copy-paste was working, and select a restore point from that date or slightly earlier (but no later). Then click Next.

Click Yes, and your PC will restart.

After trying all of the above fixes, are you now able to copy and paste? If not, don’t give up hope. Our IT specialists will help you fix it for free, if you buy Driver Easy. Plus you get a super-easy way to automatically update all your drivers, and keep your computer in tip-top shape!

Fix 9: Switch to ChromeOS

Windows is a very old technology. Sure, Windows 10 is relatively new, but it’s still just the latest iteration of a decades-old operating system, designed for a bygone era (pre-internet).

Now that we have the internet, fast connection speeds, free cloud storage, and endless web apps (like Gmail, Google Docs, Slack, Facebook, Dropbox and Spotify), the entire Windows way of doing things – with locally installed programs and local file storage – is totally outdated.

Why is that a problem? Because when you’re constantly installing uncontrolled third-party programs, you’re constantly opening the door to viruses and other malware. (And Windows’ insecure permission system compounds this problem.)

Plus the way Windows manages installed software and hardware has always been a problem. If your computer shuts down unexpectedly, or a program installs, uninstalls or updates incorrectly, you can get ‘registry’ corruptions. That’s why Windows PCs always slow down and become unstable over time.

Also because everything’s installed and saved locally, it doesn’t take long before you run out of disk space, and your disk gets fragmented, which makes everything even slower and more unstable.

For most people, the simplest way to solve Windows problems is to ditch Windows altogether, and switch to a faster, more reliable, more secure, easier to use and cheaper operating system…

ChromeOS feels much like Windows, but instead of installing heaps of programs to email, chat, browse the internet, write documents, do school presentations, create spreadsheets, and whatever else you normally do on a computer, you use web apps. You don’t need to install anything at all.

That means you don’t have virus and malware problems, and your computer doesn’t slow down over time, or become unstable.

And that’s just the start of the benefits…

To learn more about the benefits of ChromeOS, and to see comparison videos and demos, visit GoChromeOS.com.

Either way, as always, you’re more than welcome to leave a comment below to share your results or any other suggestions.