Skip to main content
Inspiring
April 30, 2024
Question

Copy and Paste note working for certain objects

  • April 30, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 708 views

Copy and paste (CTRL+C - CTRL+V) is not working for certain objects (worked fine yesterday).  I have not third party or plugins, no other programs running, etc.  This working in all other programs, including Photoshop.

 

I can right click and copy, then hit CTRL+V and it will work.  

 

I've tried updating Illustrator to the latest but that didn't do anything.

 

What's the problem?  I do this probably hundreds of times a day.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Mike_Gondek10189183
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 1, 2024

On Win 11 AI 27.9.3 I had a strange problem where when I hit paste and thought I had your issue, but instead it pasted way far outside the artboard. It is supposed to paste in center of artboard, in my 35+ years of using Illustrator.

 

So I removed the old illustrator and went with AI28.4.1, which at least pasted onto the artboard. How it decided that location Maybe this is a windows 11 issue, what OS  & AI version are you using, as this is important?

 

Let's troubleshoot your issue. Can you try to confirm if the copy is indeed happening? After you paste do a select all and you can see the bonding box, and if it goes out farther. Also check it is not doing a paste in front by selecting the object and deleting temporarily so one is not underneath.

 

Next try a paste in front, to see if the copy worked.

 

I find it strange that if you do a copy, it does not say undo copy, but it will show in undo for paste.

 

Until we figure this out, try alt dragging to create a copy for some relief.

 

Inspiring
May 1, 2024

I am using Windows 10 and v. 28.4.1 (I just updated hoping it would help, I generally stay away from updates for at least a year given Adobe's track record of bugs).

 

I can right-click, select 'copy', then hit CTRL+V and it will paste in front (I've never seen that with just pasting, though I do use CTRL+F often enough).  There's nothing outside the artboard.  

 

Ok, so I was just playing around with it.  It continues to get weird.  Now CTRL+V pastes like normal, but CTRL+C still does not work.  I guess a restart last night further exacerbated the bug.

 

Alt dragging works, but at least 50% I am trying to either past into a new layer, or paste into a new file. 

Anubhav M
Community Manager
Community Manager
May 1, 2024

Hello @displaced7,

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would you mind trying to run Illustrator under Safe Mode (Windows / macOS) and checking if it helps? Also, try running Illustrator under a different administrator account (Windows / macOS) and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Anubhav

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 1, 2024

Do you have Antivirus?