Excel 2013
Cell Basics
To copy and paste cell content:
Excel allows you to copy content that is already entered into your spreadsheet and paste that content to other cells, which can save you time and effort.
- Select the cell(s) you wish to copy.
Selecting a cell to copy - Click the Copy command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+C on your keyboard.
Clicking the Copy command - Select the cell(s) where you wish to paste the content. The copied cells will now have a dashed box around them.
Pasting cells
- Click the Paste command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+V on your keyboard.
Clicking the Paste command - The content will be pasted into the selected cells.
The pasted cell content
To cut and paste cell content:
Unlike copying and pasting, which duplicates cell content, cutting allows you to move content between cells.
- Select the cell(s) you wish to cut.
Selecting a cell range to cut - Click the Cut command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+X on your keyboard.
Clicking the Cut command
- Select the cells where you wish to paste the content. The cut cells will now have a dashed box around them.
Pasting cells - Click the Paste command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+V on your keyboard.
Clicking the Paste command
- The cut content will be removed from the original cells and pasted into the selected cells.
The cut and pasted cells
To access more paste options:
You can also access additional paste options, which are especially convenient when working with cells that contain formulas or formatting.
- To access more paste options, click the drop-down arrow on the Paste command.
Rather than choosing commands from the Ribbon, you can access commands quickly by right-clicking. Simply select the cell(s) you wish to format, then right-click the mouse. A drop-down menu will appear, where you'll find several commands that are also located on the Ribbon.
To drag and drop cells:
Rather than cutting, copying, and pasting, you can drag and drop cells to move their contents.
- Select the cell(s) you wish to move.
- Hover the mouse over the border of the selected cell(s) until the cursor changes from a white cross to a black cross with four arrows.
Hovering over the cell border
- Click, hold, and drag the cells to the desired location.
Dragging the selected cells - Release the mouse, and the cells will be dropped in the selected location.
The dropped cells