Copy Cell Values, Formatting, and Size in Excel

Updated 5 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

To copy cell values, formatting, and size in Excel, copy the source cells and paste them normally; this carries the cell contents and formatting, but column widths and row heights may need to be copied separately. For more control, use Paste Special to choose what transfers, then adjust the relevant row heights or column widths.

What Copies with a Normal Paste

When you copy a cell or range with Ctrl+C on Windows or Command+C on Mac and paste it into another area, Excel generally copies the cells’ contents and their formatting. Contents can include typed values, text, formulas, and dates. Formatting can include number formats, fonts, fills, borders, alignment, and similar visual settings.

Cell size is different. A cell’s displayed width is set by its entire column, and its height is set by its entire row. A normal cell paste does not resize the destination’s column or row to match the source. This distinction explains why copied data can look cramped or oddly spaced even when the values and formatting transferred correctly.

For example, copying a formatted date cell into a destination with a narrow column may preserve the date format but show a run of number signs (####) because the date does not fit. Widening the destination column can fix the display; the underlying date value is still present.

Copy Values Without Formatting

If you want the results of formulas but not the formulas themselves, use Paste Values. This puts the calculated results into the destination as values, rather than preserving links to the original cells. It also avoids carrying over most source formatting, so the destination’s existing appearance can remain in place.

Select and copy the source cells.
Select the destination cell or range.
Open the Paste menu on the Home tab and choose the values-only option. The exact icon or wording can vary slightly by Excel version.

Paste Values is useful for sharing a fixed snapshot, preventing formulas from changing when surrounding data changes, or placing results into a preformatted report. Check the destination afterward: values that look like dates, percentages, or currency may display differently if the destination uses a different number format.

Copy Formatting or Formulas Separately

Paste Special lets you transfer just one kind of cell information. After copying, open the Paste Special choices from the Home tab or the context menu. Common options include Values, Formulas, and Formats. Choosing Formats transfers appearance without replacing the destination’s contents; choosing Formulas transfers formulas while leaving formatting behind.

Values: transfers displayed results or entered constants, not the source formulas.
Formulas: transfers formulas. Relative cell references may adjust for the new location.
Formats: transfers appearance, such as number formats, borders, and fills, without copying the cell’s value.
All: transfers the cell contents and formatting, much like an ordinary paste.

Formula behavior matters when copying between locations. A formula such as =A1+B1 usually uses relative references, so pasting it several columns away can change which cells it refers to. Absolute references, written with dollar signs such as =$A$1+B1, keep the marked row or column fixed. If the goal is to copy the displayed answer rather than a working calculation, use Values.

Copy Column Widths and Row Heights

Column widths and row heights are properties of whole columns and rows, not individual cells. To copy a column’s width, copy the source column or cells, select the destination column, open Paste Special, and choose Column Widths if that option is available in your version. This applies the source width to the destination column; it does not copy the source cell contents by itself.

Row heights are typically set through row selection and the row-height controls. Select the source row by its number, copy it, then select the destination row and use the row-height setting to enter the same measurement. You can also select several rows and set a common height. If the rows contain wrapped text, AutoFit Row Height can size them to their content, though this may not reproduce a deliberately chosen fixed height.

When copying a whole worksheet, Excel’s Move or Copy Sheet command is often more reliable than copying a cell range. It can preserve the sheet’s layout, including row heights and column widths, along with its contents and formatting. Check formulas, links, and any features that refer to other sheets after making a copy.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

“The value copied, but its size did not.” This is expected: cell content and cell dimensions are separate. Copy the column width or set the destination row height independently.
Dates or numbers look different. The underlying value may be intact while the destination uses another number format. Apply the intended date, percentage, currency, or number format.
#### appears in a cell. The column is usually too narrow for the formatted number or date. Widen it or use an appropriate number format.
Text is cut off. Widen the column, enable Wrap Text, or adjust the row height. Long text may appear to spill into adjacent blank cells, but it will be visually clipped if those cells contain data.
A formula gives a different result. Relative references may have shifted when pasted. Inspect the formula or paste values if the result should be fixed.
Formatting changed unexpectedly. A destination table, conditional formatting rule, or existing cell style can affect the appearance. Review the destination’s formatting rules as well as the paste option.

Choosing the Right Paste Method

Start with the result you need rather than the paste command:

For contents and ordinary formatting, use a normal paste.
For fixed results without formulas, use Paste Values.
For appearance alone, use Paste Formats.
For formulas alone, use Paste Formulas and check references.
For a matching column width, use Paste Special for Column Widths or set the width manually.
For a full layout, copy the worksheet rather than only its cells.

When a precise report layout matters, verify the destination after pasting. Check both the data and the surrounding rows and columns, since adjusting one column width affects every cell in that column.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I copy an Excel cell without changing the destination formatting?
Copy the source, then choose Paste Values or Paste Formulas, depending on what you need. These options avoid applying the source’s full formatting; confirm the destination’s number format afterward.

Can I copy cell width in Excel?
Width belongs to a column, not an individual cell. Copy the source column width with Paste Special’s Column Widths option where available, or set the destination column width manually.

How do I copy row height?
Select the source row and note or set its height, then apply the same height to the destination row using the row-height control. Row height is a whole-row property.

Why does Excel show #### after I paste?
The destination column is often too narrow for the number or date format. Widen the column or choose a more compact format; the displayed symbols do not usually mean the value was lost.

How do I copy a formula but keep its references unchanged?
Use absolute references such as $A$1 for references that must stay fixed, or inspect and edit the pasted formula. Relative references normally adjust when a formula moves.

Does copying a worksheet preserve its row heights and column widths?
Copying the entire worksheet generally preserves its layout more completely than copying a range. Review formulas and links afterward, especially if they refer to other worksheets.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.