Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Understanding the Clipboard.

Understanding the Clipboard

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 11, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Any long-time Windows user knows that the Clipboard is the place where information is temporarily stored when you are cutting or copying. The Clipboard is a feature of Windows, but it is supported completely by Word. You place information in the Clipboard by first selecting it and then choose Copy or Cut from the Edit menu. You can also press Ctrl+C (to copy) or Ctrl+X (to cut).

When information is stored in the Clipboard, Windows also keeps track of the type of information stored. For instance, if you copy some text to the Clipboard, Windows tracks the source of the text. The reason for tracking the source is so the information can be correctly pasted into a different program. This means that if you copy cells from an Excel worksheet, you can paste them into Word in a variety of formats.

If you have something in the Clipboard, you can either paste it into Word by choosing Paste from the Edit menu or by pressing Ctrl+V. If you want more control over how something is pasted from the Clipboard, use the Paste Special command from the Edit menu.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (662) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Understanding the Clipboard.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Using Text Boundaries

Text boundaries can help you better visualize where text can appear in your document. The feature is easy to turn on and ...

Discover More

Inconsistent Behavior of Find and Replace Dialog Box

The Find and Replace feature in Excel is one of the workhorse editing tools you can use. When the Find and Replace dialog ...

Discover More

Footnotes Don't Automatically Renumber

Editing a document can, at times, be hard work. It isn't made any easier if you feel that Word is "fighting" you on some ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Using the Spike to Edit

Most Word users are proficient in cutting and pasting text using the Clipboard. One of the lesser-known editing tools, ...

Discover More

Quickly Moving Text with the Mouse

Drag-and-drop editing is a handy feature when you love to use the mouse. There are two ways you can move text using the ...

Discover More

Symbols for Non-Printing Characters

Displaying non-printing characters can help you better understand the formatting and contents of your documents. What do ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 6 - 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.