# Excel copy, paste, and formatting **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274 "2022-01-23T17:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274/1 "2022-01-23T17:23:47Z")
When I copy a part of a file and paste it in a new sheet it loses the format and becomes a jumble. Does anyone know how to fix this? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274/2 "2022-01-23T17:31:10Z")
Couple ways to do it, both pretty well summarized here: > **[Excel Format Painter and other ways to copy formatting](https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/excel-format-painter-copy-formatting/)** > > Learn how to use Excel Format Painter, Fill Handle and Paste Special options to copy formatting to a selected cell, range, entire column or row in Excel 2016, 2013, 2010 and earlier. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274/3 "2022-01-23T17:43:56Z")
I cant get that to work. I’m trying to keep my columns, but I don’t know if format painter even knows that. Format is about cells, but columns? For some reason you lose the paste function when you choose format painter in a new sheet. I don’t know what command to do first to have functions work. Anyway I’m trying to paste some part of a file in a new sheet and print. It loses the columnization and I can’t get it back. I’m just trying to print now form the original doc and it won’t do that. It shows a part fo the file that is not “chosen” I have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274/4 "2022-01-23T17:51:46Z")
Yeah I chose my selection. Hit format painter. Chose it to “copy” Went to the other sheet. Hit format painter. Pasted the selection. It still loses all columnization. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274/5 "2022-01-23T17:53:19Z")
If I’m understanding you correctly, try this instead (ie, I don’t think what you did was the correct procedure for format painter): > To quickly copy the format of the entire column, select the heading of the column whose formatting you want to copy, click _Format Painter_ , and then click the heading of the target column. [from the linked article] ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274/6 "2022-01-23T18:03:22Z")
What about when you have 8 columns and want to keep the relationships between them? I don’t understand one reason why anyone would ever want to lose the format like that by pasting. Don’t know why it would ever default that way. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-copy-paste-and-formatting/958274/7 "2022-01-23T18:04:58Z")
I just used format painter to paint the formats from three contiguous columns in Workbook 1 to three contiguous columns in Workbook 2 (ie, a newly-created, separate workbook). It worked for me.