In Excel, you may encounter a situation where you’re trying to insert a new column or row, but instead of seeing the usual Insert option, you only see Insert Copied Cells. This can be frustrating, especially when you don’t intend to paste any data, you just want to insert a blank row or column.
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YouTube: Remove ‘insert copied cells’ from right click.
Why Does This Happen?
When you copy data in Excel, whether by using Ctrl + C or right-click > Copy, Excel assumes you want to paste the copied content elsewhere in your spreadsheet. As a result, when you try to right-click and insert a new row or column, the standard Insert option is replaced by Insert Copied Cells. This happens because Excel is waiting for you to specify where the copied data should go. After copying, you’ll notice the message “Select Destination” in the lower status bar, which indicates that you are still in copy mode. As shown in the image below, Excel will only give you the option to insert the copied cells until you exit this mode.
How to Restore the Regular Insert Option.
If you don’t want to insert the copied cells and instead wish to insert a blank row or column, the solution is simple: press the Esc key twice. By pressing Esc, you cancel the copy command, which clears the clipboard and allows Excel to return to its normal state. Once the copy mode is deactivated, you’ll notice that the usual Insert option returns to the right-click menu. This quick fix ensures you can insert rows or columns without having to paste anything. As shown in the image below, pressing Esc reverts the right-click menu to its original format.
Tips and Troubleshooting.
- Always check the status bar for “Select Destination,” which indicates you are still in copy mode.
- To restore the regular Insert option, press Esc.
- If you only see Insert Copied Cells, Excel will require you to insert the copied data somewhere until the copy command is cancelled.