Turning Off Paste Options

Summary: Paste some information into a worksheet and Excel helpfully displays some options related t the paste operation. If you don't want to see those options, here's how to turn the feature off. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 2002, Excel 2003, and Excel 2007.)

The latest versions of Excel include a feature that really annoys some people: Paste Options. When you paste some tidbit of information in your worksheet, Excel displays a small, floating "button" right near the end of the pasted information. The button looks like the Paste tool on the toolbar: a small clipboard with a piece of paper over it. This is the Paste Options button. If you move your mouse pointer over the button, you find that it is really a drop-down menu, and clicking on the menu gives you a few options that you can apply to what you just pasted.

If you find the Paste Options button distracting, or if you never use it, you may want to turn it off. Follow these steps in Excel 2002 or Excel 2003:

Choose Options from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Options dialog box.
Make sure the Edit tab is displayed. (Click here to see a related figure.)
Clear the Show Paste Options Buttons check box.
Click on OK.

You'll need to follow these steps if you are using Excel 2007:

Click the Office button and then click Excel Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
Click Advanced at the left of the dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
In the Cut, Copy, and Paste section, clear the Show Paste Options Buttons check box.
Click OK.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3040) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 2002 | 2003 | 2007

Step Up and Take Control! Subscribers to ExcelTips know just how valuable a resource it is. ExcelTips Premium provides twice the number of exceptional, easy-to-understand tips every week in an ad-free newsletter, as well as substantial discounts on ExcelTips archives and e-books.

Check out ExcelTips Premium today!