Fill without formatting (Microsoft 365)

Copper Contributor

There used to be an option where you could FILL WITHOUT FORMATTING in previous versions of Excel. What happened to that radio button drop-down, and how can I get it back?

 

This is the option I'm looking for is when there is a drop-down menu that allows you to:

 

  • copy cells,
  • fill series,
  • fill formatting only,
  • fill without formatting, and,
  • flash fill. 

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

 

 

 

 

11 Replies

@LizzMason 

If you drag the fill handle in the lower right corner of the selection using the right mouse button, a menu should pop up the moment you release the right mouse button.

 

If you drag the fill handle using the left mouse button, an Auto Fill Options button should appear when you release the mouse button:

 

S0169.png

Click this button to see the available options.

If you don't see this button:

  • Select File > Options.
  • Select Advanced in the navigation pane on the left.
  • Scroll down to the section 'Cut, copy, and paste'.
  • Make sure that the check box 'Show Paste Options button when content is pasted' is ticked.
  • Click OK.

S0170.png

EDIT:  I made a dumb mistake and still had a filter applied.  After disabling the filter, the Paste Options button appeared again.

 

Hello, I have the same problem, and these steps did not resolve it. There was a new popup called "Quick Analysis" that appeared to replace the Paste Options button. I disabled Quick Analysis, then tried disabling and enabling Paste Options, closing out of Excel and reopening, repeating these steps a few times, and Paste Options still does not show up. Is there anything else that could be blocking Paste Options from appearing?

@mikegannon718 

I'm really sorry, no idea.

Thank you. This saves me a lot of time. I've been wondering why this was deactivated. Anyhow, i have it again.

@LizzMason 

  1. Open Excel > File > Options.
  2. In the Excel Options window, click General and uncheck "Show Quick Analysis options on selection" located under "User Interface options".
  3. Click OK.
  4. Once done, restart the Excel app and check if the Autofill icon will show up correctly.
  5. If it does not show up correctly, go to File > Options > Advanced > Cut, copy, and paste and tick the box beside "Show Paste Options button when content is pasted". This option also affects the Autofill Icon, it should always be enabled.

@Hans Vogelaar 

Thanks. Note for this solution to work you also have to have to enable

Advanced->Editing Options->Enable fill handle...  

jrobinsonx40sarax2ecom_0-1704664634774.png

 

@Hans Vogelaar@jrobinsonx40sarax2ecom Hmm...doesn't seem to work (i.e., fill handle doesn't display) when using Ctrl+D to fill down. Any ideas as to what else might be needed?

@scottyoung770 

Although Ctrl+D and the fill handle perform similar functions, they are not directly related.

Ctrl+D works even if you have disabled fill handle and cell drag-and-drop.

So I don't really understand your problem.

@Hans Vogelaar Sorry, I suppose I didn't explain that well. Here's a stepwise description:

  1. Copying a cell that has a formula in it
  2. Using ctrl+shift to select a range of cells
  3. Using ctrl+d to copy that formula to the range

After doing this, I used to have the option (via what I'm assuming is the "fill handle") to select the paste option (i.e., keep source, match destination, paste without formatting, etc.). Now I don't.

Maybe I'm using the wrong terms here.

@scottyoung770 

Perhaps you used Ctrl+V. After pasting, you should see an icon near the lower right corner of the paste range that you can click to select paste options; Ctrl will also activate this.

HansVogelaar_0-1705355240528.png

If you don't see this:

Select File > Options > Advanced.

Scroll down to the Cut, Copy and Paste section.

Make sure that the check box 'Show Paste Options button when content is pasted' is ticked.

HansVogelaar_1-1705355363363.png

No, it was ctrl+d (the fill down command) - I actually replicated it before adding my last post. And I also confirmed that the "show paste options" checkbox was checked, the "quick analysis" checkbox was unchecked, etc.

Looks like I may have stumbled across a corner case unfortunately. Thanks for looking into it/trying. Much appreciated.