Copy/Cut not working

[Joshua306184273h49]

Ctrl + C keyboard shortcut needs to be hit between 2-10 times usually before Illustrator recognizes that I did anything.

But it's not just keyboard shortcuts. If I click Edit > Cut then click Edit again, the option to paste is greyed out 100% of the time.

If I click Edit > Copy, nothing ever happens the first time. After the first time, it seems like a random roll of the die on whether or not Paste is then greyed out under the Edit menu. Usually 2-10 times to get Illustrator to understand that I want to copy something.

Only Adobe apps are having this issue. No other software I regularly use is having any issue with the clipboard.

I already reset my preferences, disabled "Include SVG Code" in the preferences, closed all other programs running, rebooted, restarted in safe mode. Nothing helps.

• Windows 11
• Illustrator 28.4.1
• 2 different machines
• Happens with Photoshop too but only sporadically

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Joshua306184273h49,

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would you mind trying to run Illustrator under a different administrator account (Windows / macOS) and checking if it helps?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Anubhav

[Monika Gause]

A couple of applications mess around with the clipboard.

THese have been identified to do it. Might notbe the only ones:

• Parallels Toolbox running with the Clipboard History
• TeamVewer Clipboard > Use Shared Clipboard
• Apple iOS device simulator from Xcode
• Windows Multi-clipboard
• Windows Clipboard History
• Chrome Remote Desktop
• Mouse Pointer Highlighter
• AnyViewer
• Pastebot app
• Overzealous antivirus (Digital Guardian) as well as viruses that empty the clipboard
• Vector Magic

[Joshua306184273h49]

Thanks for the assistance. None of these applications are installed on my machine, and the only antivirus software is stock Windows Defender.

I did some experimenting. While working this morning, I noticed that Illustrator will reliably cut/copy/paste very simple objects. I drew about a dozen random ellipses, united them with Pathfinder, and copy/pasted them. It worked reliably. I grouped four of those dozen-circle groups, scaled them down, united them with Pathfinder, and repeated the process, resulting in four copy/pastes that worked reliably.

It wasn't until I reached the fourth round of this "tessellating" that the application began to occassionally not register my commands to copy. In the fifth round, I had to do the copy command a minimum of 20 times to get Illustrator to register the command. This leads me to believe this issue is tied to memory somehow.

Windows does not limit clipboard size as far as I know, my machine has 64gb of memory, and other drawing applications can copy similarly complex objects without issues, so I am still lead to believe that the problem lies with Illustrator.

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @Joshua306184273h49,

It seems like you're experiencing some frustrating issues with Illustrator's copy-and-paste functionality. Would you mind attempting to run Illustrator in Safe Mode to see if any third-party applications are causing interference? If the issue persists, it could be related to Illustrator itself or your system configuration. If not, please provide information about your Illustrator version, operating system, and system specifications.

Best,

Anshul Saini

[Carol35262613zs8q]

I ran in Safe Mode and it's still not copying. Checked all software and everything is up to date. Bought new keyboard and Control-C still not working about 20% of the time.

[Carol35262613zs8q]

Sorry, you asked for computer specs: Precision 3581, 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM)i9-13900H, 2.60 GHz; Installed RAM 32.0GB, 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor. Running Windows 11 Enterprise, version 22H2, installed 3/11/24, Adobe Illustrator 2024 v28.5.

[Carol35262613zs8q]

Yes! I thought it was just me and my keyboard and I've tried to clean out my keys twice. But it's not! It's Illustrator!! Even if I do copy or cut using the right-click menu, it's gone when I try to paste it. This is REALLY annoying if you're trying to work fast.It's been messing up since last upgrade--2 or 3 weeks ago. Seems like some keys and space bar mess up more than they should too. I have similar set up: Windows 11 and latest Illustrator.

[Monika Gause]

Do you have anything installed of what's listed in the post above yours?

[Carol35262613zs8q]

No. None of those are on my machine as far as I can tell. I'm on my company machine; I don't have a lot of software on there. Very few utilities. We do have aggressive anti-virus software though. I tried using the Adobe Virtual Assistant, per Anubhav's message above, and it just runs me in circles. Would you like to Zoom and I can show you? 

. 

[Monika Gause]

Antivirus software can be set up in.a way that it messes with the clipboard, which will then change or even destroy what's in there. Illustrator copies more complex objects into the clipboard than your basic text editor and so they are more easily affected by this.

[Carol35262613zs8q]

I purchased a new keyboard yesterday and--surprise--the problem continues. I have figured out that Control C for "copy" does not move anything to the clipboard. It's not consistent; it happens about 20% of the time. But it is a huge time waste because I don't know if it pasted it somewhere that I can't see it so I have to go hunt and make sure it didn't paste it in the middle of a complicated drawing. A possible clue: I can right-click and see that nothing was moved to the Clipboard. So when I paste, nothing CAN happen because it never put it on the Clipboard. Does that give any clues to what is wrong? I really appreciate help on this!! (forced to use Windows 11, missing my Mac)

[Monika Gause]

Is that right-click to show the clipboard content a default Windows feature? Or is that some clipboard enhancer? Those are among the things that can ruin the clipboard for Illustrator.

[Joshua306184273h49]

It's a feature of Illustrator for Windows.

[Joshua306184273h49]

I put Creative Cloud on a brand new machine with nothing but stock Windows apps installed - literally the first and only additional software I added to the machine - and I still got the copy issue with Illustrator. Not saying your machine having the same issues is definitely NOT caused by your antivirus or clipboard software, but the issue goes much deeper than just a handful of niche applications.

[Monika Gause]

Do you have clipboard enhancing options activated in Windows?

Do you have anything from that list above active or installed? Those things are known to interfere with the clipboard?

Is it the shortcut that is not working or the clipboard in general?

[Joshua306184273h49]

No clipboard enhacing options enabled and none of the applications above are installed. It's the clipboard and it's only Illustrator. It occurs even with right clicking or using Edit > Copy; and all other applications, including other Adobe applications, don't have this issue. It's just Illustrator and it's happening on both of my Windows 11 machines - a laptop for work and a desktop for my home office.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi there,

Sorry about this experience. I have sent you a DM, please check. 

Regards,

Srishti

[Carol35262613zs8q]

@Srishti Bali Sorry I never got your DM months ago...and my cut/paste problem persists!! DId you ever figure out what it was? Please email me at carol.zuber-mallison@woolpert.com.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Carol35262613zs8q,

I have sent you a DM. Please check.

Thanks,
Anubhav

[Joshua306184273h49 · Accepted solution]

It's been almost a year since I posted this thread, but I would like to follow up and share that I have found the culprit! Logi Options+ (Logitech mouse and keyboard management software), and it seems maybe even Logitech wireless keyboards in general.

I noticed that Logi Options+ was mentioned in another thread as an application that might interfere with the Windows clipboard, so I uninstalled it (it's entirely unnecessary anyway). Now, without even closing+reopening Illustrator or rebooting my machine, copy and paste work reliably every time.

The copy/paste issue unfortunately also happened on my other machine that has NEVER had the Logi Options+ software installed, but DOES use a wireless Logitech keyboard. Swapping out the Logitech wireless keyboard for a wired USB keyboard made the issue go away on this second machine. Luckily, I can still use my wireless keyboard on the first device I mentioned (for now, at least).

So, folks with wireless Logitech peripherals who are still having this copy/paste issue: try uninstalling your Logi software or temporarily swapping out your Logitech keyboard.

[Carol35262613zs8q]

One year! One whole year I've been suffering with a copy/paste that won't work 75% of the time. I even had a couple of sessions with Adobe tech services and they couldn't find the issue. 

Joshua, you are my hero!!! I threw out anything on my PC that said Logitech and now it cut/paste works beautifully. And my Logitech mouse and keyboard still work just fine. Adobe please spread the word about this bug; Logitech, get your act together.