Copy and paste not working in Chrome and Edge

Copy and paste is a useful feature. We all use it frequently in different applications while working on a computer. If copy and paste stops working for some reason, it creates trouble for the affected users. In this article, we will talk about such an issue. If copy and paste is not working in Chrome or Edge, the solutions provided in this article will help you.

Copy and paste not working in Chrome or Edge

Use the following solutions if copy and paste is not working in Chrome and Edge. Before proceeding, we suggest you check for Windows Updates. If you are experiencing this issue in Edge, a Windows Update can fix it. Install Windows Update manually (if available). After that, check the status of the issue in Edge.

Update your web browser
Check for problematic extensions
Check website permissions
Clear your web browser cache and cookies
Disable Mini Menu in Edge
Reset Edge and Chrome

Let’s see all these fixes in detail.

1] Update your web browser

Make sure that you are using the latest version of Edge or Chrome. An outdated version of software may have some bugs which cause problems.

To update Edge to the latest version, open Edge and click on the three dots on the top right side. Now, select Help & feedback > About Microsoft Edge. Edge will start searching for updates automatically. If an update is available, it will be installed on Edge and you have to restart Edge after the completion of the update.

Similarly, you can update Chrome to the latest version. Open Chrome and click on the three dots on the top right side. Now, select Help > About Google Chrome.

If you are already using the latest version of your browser, you will see the message that your browser is up to date.

2] Check for problematic extensions

Installed extensions can also cause this issue on Chrome and Edge. We suggest you disable all the installed extensions in Edge and Chrome and then check if copy and paste works. If yes, one of the extensions is causing the problem.

To turn off extensions in Edge, open Edge and type the address in the address bar. After that, hit Enter.

edge://extensions/

In Google Chrome, type the address in the address bar, and hit Enter.

chrome://extensions/

If, after turning off all the extensions, the issue gets fixed, your next step will be to find the culprit. To do so, enable one of the extensions and then check if the issue reappears. Repeat this process until you find the problematic extension.

3] Check website permissions

This fix applies only to some particular websites, like Outlook.com. Chrome and Edge block Clipboard by default for Outlook.com or other similar websites (if any). For such websites, you have to enable clipboard permissions.

To manage clipboard permissions for a particular website in Edge, follow the steps provided below:

Open Edge settings.
Select Cookies and site permissions.
If the website is mentioned under the Site permissions section, select it and enable the clipboard permissions.

To manage clipboard settings in Chrome for a particular website, follow the steps written below:

Open Google Chrome settings.
Go to Privacy and security > Site settings.
Select the website (if available) on the right side and turn on the clipboard permissions.

Read: Harden Clipboard security setting in your Edge browser

4] Clear your web browser cache and cookies

Clearing browser cache and cookies fixes many issues. If the problem persists, we suggest you clear cache and cookies in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

5] Disable Mini Menu in Edge

Edge shows a mini menu when you select a text on a website. According to the reports, this mini menu was causing the problem and preventing users from using the copy and paste feature in Edge. Disable this mini menu in Edge and see if it helps. The following instructions will help you:

Open Edge settings.
Select Appearance from the left side.
Scroll down and select the “Mini menu on text selection” section.
Turn off the “Show mini menu when selecting text” button.

6] Reset Edge and Chrome

If the issue persists, the last resort is to reset the Edge and Chrome browser to the default settings.

That’s it. I hope this helps.

Read: Best free fast File Copy software for Windows.

Why are my copy and paste options not working?

There can be many reasons why the Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V may not be working on Windows computers, like faulty keyboard, dust accumulated inside your keyboard, corrupted drivers, conflicting programs, etc.

How do I enable copy and paste option?

The copy-and-paste option is enabled on Windows computers by default. You have to use the right-click context menu or a dedicated keyboard shortcut to perform the copy-and-paste operation. If you want the Windows 11/10 clipboard to keep multiple copies, you must enable the Clipboard History in Settings.