How to duplicate cells in excel

Answer

Duplicating cells in Excel means creating an exact copy of the content from one or more cells and placing it in another location.

Method 1: Copy and Paste

1. Select the cell or range of cells you want to duplicate.

2. Press Ctrl + C (Windows) or Command + C (Mac) to copy the cells.

3. Click on the destination cell where you want the duplicate.

4. Press Ctrl + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac) to paste the copied cells.

Note: This method preserves the values and formatting of the original cells.

Method 2: Drag to Duplicate

1. Select the cell or range of cells.

2. Move your cursor to the bottom-right corner of the selection until it becomes a small plus sign (+), known as the fill handle.

3. Click and drag the fill handle to the location where you want the duplicate.

4. Release the mouse button to create a copy of the original cells.

Variation: Holding Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac) while dragging ensures that Excel duplicates the data instead of moving it.

Method 3: Using Paste Special

1. Copy the original cell(s) using Ctrl + C or Command + C.

2. Right-click the destination cell.

3. Select Paste Special.

4. Choose one of the options:

   • Values: Pastes only the values without formulas or formatting.

   • Formats: Duplicates only the formatting.

   • Formulas: Duplicates the formulas only.

5. Click OK to duplicate accordingly.

Method 4: Using Keyboard Shortcuts for Quick Duplication

1. Select the cell(s).

2. Press Ctrl + D (Windows) or Command + D (Mac) to fill the selected cell(s) downward with the content from the cell above.

3. Press Ctrl + R (Windows) or Command + R (Mac) to fill the selected cell(s) to the right with the content from the cell on the left.

Key Tips

• Formulas will adjust references automatically unless they are absolute references (e.g., $A$1).

• Duplicating large ranges is faster using the drag method combined with Ctrl/Option.

• Duplicated cells retain formatting unless using Paste Values.

This ensures accurate duplication without losing data integrity or formatting.

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