Copy and paste not working in the MATLAB editor?

Hi, I think my MATLAB updated to the latest version this morning. Now the copy and paste functions don't work. Copying from other applications and pasting into MATLAB doesn't work. Copy and paste still works in other programs, but I can't paste into the MATLAB editor window.

[Frank]

I have been following this thread for some time. It seems the powers that be are aware of the problem and are "working on it." I run 2022b under Windows 10 and David Veit's simplification of my own workaround below has been working fine for me: when paste fails to work while editing (I usually edit .m or .mlapp files) just open up another editing pane and then go back to the one you were editing. No pasting or typing into the new pane seems to be needed and copy/paste works again in the original pane. So far I have not seen a recurrence after that.

[Image Analyst]

@Frank Please see my post:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/321284-copy-and-paste-not-working-after-update#comment_2419873

If you saw it, was it the copy that wasn't working, or the paste? What was in your clipboard?

[Frank]

Image, I don't remember checking what was in my clipboard when this happened in the past, but the next time it happens I will check to see. However, I used to fix it by opening up another editor pane and then pasting what was in my clipboard (that did not paste successfully into the original pane) into that other editor pane. The text I had copied was successfully pasted into the new (empty) editor pane. After I did that, and I went back to my original editor pane, I could then paste what was in the clipboard into the original pane. Typically it would be one or a few commands or numbers I want to use in some new function, copied from another edit pane or from some other source such as a word or excel file or something on the web.

So, in answer to your question, it appears from my experience that my problem is a paste problem and not a copy problem. As I said, the next time it happens I will check the clipboard explicity (if I remember, sometimes I am a bit single minded and obsessive when working).

Also, as I said in my last post, David Veit noted that one does not have to actually paste into the newly opened editor pane to fix the problem. When the problem appears, just opening up another blank pane, then doing nothing but going back to the original pane, the problem seems to have disappeared and pasting successfully pastes what one thought they copied into the original pane. That is what I do now.

[Wictor Oliveira]

I used R2020a for quite a time, and the clipboard usually stopped working when I was on app designer, but worked absolutely well on matlab editor. But now I updated to R2022a and the problem spread to matlab editor as well.

:(

[Image Analyst]

@Wictor Oliveira, and (hopefully you've read all of this thread), when you looked at the clipboard with the clipboard viewer, did you determine if it was a copy problem, or a paste problem?

[Frank]

Image, I was just working on something and the paste fail happened. Dutifully, I remembered your request and downloaded the Free Clipboard Viewer 4.0. I was editing a .m file and had copied the very nondescript command text "ATT = A(2:3:end);" which I simply wanted to move from one place to another. I tried to paste it into another line in the .m file and paste did not work, the "paste" selection from right click was greyed and the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-v did not work. I immediately downloaded the viewer and the text above was shown to be the contents of the clipboard. When I next opened up another tab containing an untitled .m file, did nothing else but go back to the original .m file I was editing, the paste dropdown entry was not greyed and paste worked into the original .m file. All the while the viewer showed the same contents.

From ver, I get

MATLAB Version: 9.13.0.2049777 (R2022b)

MATLAB License Number: [redacted]

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Version 10.0 (Build 19044)

Java Version: Java 1.8.0_202-b08 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode

Hope this helps somebody fix it.

[Image Analyst]

@Frank, so that seems to indicate it's a paste problem. They're going to give me some code to log some things on Monday but I haven't had this happen to me in a couple of weeks or so. If you're having it happen to you more frequently, they may give you the same debugging/logging code. They would contact you from your profile page.

[Frank]

@Image Analyst , I hate to complicate the issue, but I have just noticed something I had not seen before, but it seems related. I have been working quite a long time tonight on something and have begun to notice that sometimes (currently about every 15 minutes or so) the editor stops responding to keyboard entries completely. By this I mean if I type any key, the editor does not respond by entering that keystroke into the editor pane. I can move the cursor around and select things but things like backspace and entering text do not work. I have not characterized it very well yet, but it seems similar to this thread

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/128699-matlab-editor-does-not-respond-to-keyboard-inputs

which has been ongoing for some time and some commenters there claim it may have something to do with Java versions. In my case, the "open another editor pane" fix for the copy/paste issue also clears the keyboard lack of response, but I think other methods may also work. I have no idea if the two issues are related but it seems suspciously similar. I will watch it. If it keeps up I may fiddle around a little bit to try to tie the issue down a little more.

[GIRI RAJASEKHAR GUNNU]

Go to

Home>>Preferences>>Keyboard>>Shortcuts

Here search copy and assign Ctrl+C as well as Ctrl+V to paste. In matlab the shourtcuts are different so Ctrl+c and Ctrl+V don't work Once you assign this it works as usual.

Answer 1

[Oliver Jaehrig]

This is a known bug and was fixed in releases R2022b Update 6 and R2023a.

If you still observe a similar behavior, please report it to the Technical Support team by creating a Service Request:

mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

Please do not forget to send the following information:

Output of this command:

ver -support

and the full reproduction steps.

Answer 2

[Frank]

I have been having this same problem with 2021b. It seems not to happen after just opening matlab but starts after a time (not more than 20ish minutes). I can close matlab and restart and that seems to work for a short while also. I checked my keyboard shortcuts preferences settings and Windows is selected not emacs. Plus it is not just the Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V (i.e. the shortcuts) that are not working but the "copy" and "paste" options are not in dark font in the right-click pop up menu, and are not selectable, regardless of whether there is anything in the clip/copy memory. I have found one workaround that seems to be working without fail, but it is still annoying. I found that if I have copied something that I want to paste into a function, I can open up a new script, which allows me to paste into the new script. Then if I copy from the new script I can paste that back into the function where I had wanted to paste it in the first place. Curious. Not monumentally disastrous, but definitely annoying.

[Ana Fernández]

Same problem here. I also seems to affect only the Editor. The command window works fine with copy/paste. The second shortcut option for copy/paste (appearing in the keyboard shortcut preferences ) Ctrl+Insert / shift+insert does work... Well, not always

[Kenneth De Leener]

Same problem here.

Not a settings issued

[Rik]

This answer should probably be reposted as a comment or a separate question.

Update 3 was published recently, you could check if this is reported as one of the fixed bugs. You may also consider submitting it as a bug report if it isn't already.

[mkoh]

Same problem here also with R2021b Update 3

[Yiyang Jiang]

same here +1

[liangfang LI]

+1...

[hao pan]

+1 ... same problem in R2021b Update 3 and Update 2 64-bit...

[Benjamin Ehrlich]

+1 I still see this:

(R2021b) Update 3 64bit, windows enterprise

[Jingxi Weng]

+1, so annoying, I am also using 2021b. I have to open a new editor and paste there.

[Steve Shelby]

Same problem in 2022a. Works again after closing & reopening the file in the editor (no MATLAB restart).

• The Windows keyboard shortcuts are indeed enabled for CTRL+C and CTRL+V. Not the problem.
• It doesn't work using keyboard shortcuts, nor menu selection. It is beyond the keyboard shortcuts.
• The copy command is not copying anything, so there is nothing to paste.
• When I close and reopen the file I'm working with then it seems to work fine.*
• *I wanted to copy from file A to file B. Could not even cut and paste from file B to file B. Could edit it, typing to add text, and save it, but could not copy or paste. Closed and reopened file B (didn't close and reopen A), and then I could copy and paste from file A to file B.

[Charles Archibald]

Using 2021B, does not work at all in the Variable Editor. Crtl-C/V works every where else. In 2016B on the same computer it works as expected. This is duplicate on several other computers at my location. All have the correct keyboard prefences enabled.

Very frustrating!

[Charles Archibald]

Using Windows 10 latest updates.

[Jiali Chen]

+1 R2020a at win11 Pro platform

[Tsuneko Mishima]

Same problem in 2022b on windows 10 Enterprise version 21H2. The only solution I found is as follows. I can open up a new script, which allows me to paste something on it. After pasting something on it, the other scripts (which had paste problem) allowed me to paste the clipboard. It's weird and annoying, but it works so far.

[Frank]

It may be even weirder. David Veit discovered that when the copy/paste fail happens, just open up another script or .m file (without even pasting into it), then go back to the original pane and voila, the problem is gone. That is what I do now. There are so many dangling threads on this conversation I have lost track of where the current status is, but I think the problem is being "worked" somewhere. I have my suspicions where the problem may lie, but all many of us truly care about is getting the quantitative suff we want done and not fooling around with arcane coding issues. I have a follow on it so that if it gets fixed I might find out.

[Shiwei LIN]

Thank you. I found the same problem. And the workaround is that open a new script and paste something into it. Then you will find you can copy and paste in any other scripts.

[Matthew Bolan]

I can't believe that's what fixed it but opening a new script and pasting in there does indeed fix it.

[Frank]

Matthew, somewhere later in the thread it is noted that you don't have to actually paste into the new editor pane, just opening it seems to fix the problem. In all, this is a trivial thing to workaround, but it is just an annoying "feature" I hope they fix definitively soon. As an aside, I have been working with release 2023a for a while now and it seems the problem occurs much more rarely, if at all. I don't know if they actually fixed anything or if subsequent releases jumble the ancillary software enough that the problem goes away. Seems like it has gone from being a bohrbug to being a heisenbug.

[Maksim Korotkov]

Caught that bug on R2024a and solution still works

[Image Analyst]

Contact tech support. Call then or go here: Bug Reports

I believe it was fixed 2 years ago. At least I have no longer experienced it.

[Steven Lord]

If you're using update 7 of release R2022b or later or release R2023a or later and cannot copy and paste into the Editor, please contact Technical Support directly using this link and describe the exact process with which you can reproduce this behavior. [If you have software that can let you record your interactions with the Desktop, recording a video showing your steps could be very useful.]

Answer 3

[Philippe Lebel]

this will maybe seem redundant, but for precision of answer:

the path to change the keyboard setting in order to allow copy-paste as mentionned in Ed's post is:

HOME -- > Preferences --> MATLAB --> Keyboard --> Shortcuts.

[Adnane CHAKIR]

thank you bro .. by changging active setting to windows default it works

[Kayna Mendoza Trujillo]

omg thank you!

Answer 4

[Frank]

Just upgraded to R2022b on Windows 10 and the problem still exists.

My work around still works: when editing functions, scripts, etc and the failure to copy/paste occurs, I just open up a new edit pane and paste into that. After doing that, when I go back to what I was editing, paste works fine. At this stage it is only a minor inconvenience for me.

[godfreap]

Wow, I can't believe that works. Thanks man!

[Charles Lee]

It works! Amazing! Thanks so much!

[Jenberia Getnet Demil]

I found it as a proper solution. Thank you!

[Adam]

It works for me !

Answer 5

[Image Analyst]

I've found that every 3 or 4 days with r2021b, paste won't work in the editor. I can paste to the command window and other places outside MATLAB, but not into the command window. Restarting MATLAB seems to fix it.

[William Umlauf]

I just ran into this with 2022b as well.

Answer 6

[McG]

I have the same problem both with R2021b update 3 and R2022a. Sometimes, but I don't know exactely when and why, paste command doesn't work. After restarting matlab everything starts to works again for undefined time (1 minute, 1 hour, 1 day...).

[Leonidas Mavroudakis]

That's good thing to know that the bug also exists in R2022a. I have contacted MathWork's customer service and they are aware of this bug and working towards resolving it. Good thing that I saw your comment before upgrading to R2022a. Right now, it feels more like downgrading to a previous non-buggy version..

[Image Analyst]

@Leonidas Mavroudakis The previous version is not free of bugs. Every large complicated software has bugs. Even Microsoft, HP, Oracle, Apple, Google, Facebook, etc. have bugs in their software. As versions progress, old bugs get fixed, but unfortunately new bugs get introduced (though mostly in newly-added functionality).

For a list of known bugs in MATLAB and Simulink, go here:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/bugreports

[ILoveMATLAB]

McG

I started to have this problem last week in 2022a. Closing and reopening the editor tabs fixes the issue on my machine temporarily.

Answer 7

[Steve Shelby]

Same problem in 2022a. Works again after closing & reopening the file in the MATLAB editor. No restart needed.

• The Windows keyboard shortcuts are indeed enabled for CTRL+C and CTRL+V. Not the problem.
• It doesn't work using keyboard shortcuts, nor menu selection. It is beyond the keyboard shortcuts.
• I can generally paste what I copy to other files in other editors, ... just not to any file in the MATLAB editor.
• When I close and reopen the file I'm working with then it seems to work fine.
• Once I close & reopen just one file, ... issue seems to go away for all files.

[Image Analyst]

We'd like others to double check this when it happens. So, if it happens to anyone, try installing a free clipboard utililty like https://freeclipboardviewer.com/

Then open up the clipboard viewer and see if anything goes into the clipboard when you copy. This will help us narrow down if it's a copy problem or a paste problem.

[Steve Shelby]

I was able to copy using keyboard shortcuts, and paste to a file in another editor.

[Steve Shelby]

Using Windows 10 Enterprise. MATLAB 2022a.

[Piotr Balik]

Wow! I think simple reopening works like a charm. Helped me once just now :D

Answer 8

[David Veit]

Same problem here R2022a Update 5. Problem still exists.

It is not a problem with the keyboard shortcuts as also copy/pase using context menu is not working. Works outside MATLAB and Editor restart temporarily "fixes" the problem.

Answer 9

[Ed Marquez]

Hi,

The keyboard short-cuts for Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V) may not work if the "Editor/debugger key bindings" preference is set to "Emacs" instead of "Windows". This may be worth checking for your MATLAB.

In order to check the MATLAB Keyboard preferences File -- > Preferences --> Keyboard --> Shortcuts. If the "Active Settings" option is set to "Emacs", the Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V) features will be disabled. To enable these features, change the "Editor/debugger key bindings" option to "Windows" and click on the "Apply" button in the right bottom corner of the "Preferences" window.

[You-Seong Chae]

I have the same problem, tried your solution. but mine was already set to "Windows". In my case, the 'copy and paste' works if I restart the matlab program. But I have to do this every time I reboot my computer. finding for a solution.,

[Lawrence Marks]

I have this same problem. I don't have a problem with copy and paste outside of Matlab. In MATLAB, often it will stop allowing me to copy the code in live editor and paste into notepad etc... The only way to continue working is to close Matlab and then start it again.

Larry

[JFLabrie]

Similar issue on MATLAB Version: 8.5.0.197613 (R2015a).

Works for a while, then it stops working. I need to restart Matlab and it works again for a while.

My preferences indicate: "Windows Default Set".

I can copy from Workspace and paste to Windows Notepad.

I can copy from Editor and paste to Windows Notepad.

I can't paste to Workspace wherever come my copied data.

I can't paste to Editor wherever come my copied data.

That makes me believe the copy function still work in Matlab but that it is the paste function that turns off or has an issue after working with Matlab for a while.

[amin ya]

Same here. Restart helps but annoying.

Answer 10

[Mattias Arlbrant]

Copy-paste randomly stops working in 2022a. It has been like this for many years now. Please fix this ASAP, it is incredibly annoying.

Btw, "Every large complicated software has bugs" is a horrible excuse for ignoring serious bugs for years. Years!

Mathworks has a very unfortunate tendency to prioritize adding new unstable functionality instead of making the basics work.

[Image Analyst]

There is no proof they are ignoring it. As a software developer myself I know that intermittent bugs that happen with end-users using different hardware and possibly different platforms than me, and that cannot be reproduced on my computer, are one of the most difficult bugs to solve. Has that situation ever happened to you @Mattias Arlbrant? How did you solve it? By the way, I have also experienced the copy-paste stop working on occasion, like around every 2 weeks or so.

[Mattias Arlbrant]

"Proof?" Please. Several years have passed. They clearly haven't solved it. That is so because they have assigned this bug low priority, thereby effectively ignoring it.

I have actually never encountered a frequently occurring bug which could never be reproduced. Sure I have encountered bugs that I could not reproduce on the first try, but then someone else always could. And we are not talking about someting rare and unimportant here, we are talking about copy paste not working in a code editor! A problem experienced by a lot of people. For years.

[Rik]

We're not talking here about a bug that can't be reproduced. We're talking about a bug that is apparently extremely tricky to reproduce. I have not spotted any pattern whatsoever. Have you?

And what exactly is a frequently occurring bug? For me the problem is rare enough that I haven't even bothered to report the bug. I know Mathworks is aware, but I suspect bugs would be assigned higher priority if more people report it. Have you reported it?

[Walter Roberson]

Datapoint: I have never had this happen on MacOS Catalina.

[Walter Roberson]

I have in the past seen reports of software problems that turned out to depend on the exact processor model together with the order that operating system and DLL updates were installed. Knowing the installed software versions was not enough even if you happened to have the right processor model: you had to have updated in a particular order for the problem to happen.

For example if the first time you installed a particular runtime DLL was after a particular OS update then the problem might occur, but if you had the runtime already installed at the time of the update then even though the update process involved upgrading the DLL, then the problem might not occur. Same installed software, different results (this kind of problem is sometimes a matter of different registry entries, but sometimes different internal versions of the software can get installed...)

Some problems are just really hard to reproduce. They might affect some people a fair bit and yet never occur on the test systems.

Answer 11

[David Veit]

Viewing at the suggestions I found out that for me it is enough to switch to another editor tab in the same window and back, without any pasting or typing in the other window. Just switching is enough for me. Note that it has to be in the same Editor Dock Window to work.

[Image Analyst]

It just happened to me after not happening for about 7 weeks. It's in the clipboard (I can see it) but it won't paste. Just switching editor window to a new m-file and then switching back did not allow me to paste it, so that didn't fix it. I had to close down the "bad" m-file and reopen it. Then I could paste into it again.

Answer 12

[hadi shanei]

I have same problem with a little difference. cntrl+c does not work but cntrl+v does. when i run matlab without adminstrator permision problem is fixed and all key works properly.

[Yongzhen Mi]

Thanks for the answer! I had the same problem with you. Running without being the administor does solve the problem!

[Image Analyst]

@Yongzhen Mi it was probably just because you restarted it, not because of admin mode. Even when I was getting this problem with earlier versions, it was fairly rare, intermittent, and unpredictable and not reproducible, but simply restarting it would fix it and the problem wouldn't occur for days or weeks after that. But since I've upgraded to R2023a and 2023b I've never experienced the problem again. I suggest you upgrade.

Answer 13

[Alon Keren]

I have the same problem in R2022b, Windows10 Version 22H2.

The problem was solved by closing and reopening the m-files.

[Image Analyst]

I upgraded to r2023a and I have not experienced it yet. Try upgrading.

Answer 14

[Aghamarsh Varanasi]

Hi everyone,

We are aware of this issue and we are investigating it. We will try to fix this in a future release.

Further, if you are facing this issue, let us know which OS you are facing this, the MATLAB Version, also if you are facing this in regular editor, live editor or App designer. This will help us to narrow down the issue.

[Tom Hartley]

I've had this problem for a couple months. I now use the same workaround mentioned by Frank above: Open a new tab, paste into it, then go back to the file I was working on. This workaround is superior to closing the file because the undo-history is still preserved.

Using plain m-files in regular editor mode.

MATLAB Version: 9.12.0.1927505 (R2022a) Update 1

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Version 10.0 (Build 19044)

Java Version: Java 1.8.0_202-b08 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode

[Image Analyst]

From my "ver" command:

MATLAB Version: 9.13.0.2049777 (R2022b)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise Version 10.0 (Build 19044)

Java Version: Java 1.8.0_202-b08 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode

Thanks Tom for the workaround. That might be faster than restarting MATLAB.

[asaf benjamin]

same problem.

MATLAB Version: 9.11.0.1809720 (R2021b) Update 1

MATLAB License Number: 40558509

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC Version 10.0 (Build 17763)

Java Version: Java 1.8.0_202-b08 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode

[Devid Bianco]

For me, it happens in the Live Editor.

MATLAB Version: 9.12.0.2009381 (R2022a) Update 4

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Version 10.0.19044

[Isaac Asher]

I'm seeing the same issue in the regular editor.

MATLAB Version: 9.11.0.1873467 (R2021b) Update 3

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Version 10.0 (Build 19043)

[Image Analyst]

I heard from the developer that they think they have a lead for why it might happen, but I haven't heard from them when they might release a patch or corrected code. They haven't decided that yet.

[John Murphy]

Seems to happen more frequently for me when the code I am editing is on a remote drive.

Version for me:

MATLAB Version: 9.13.0.2193358 (R2022b) Update 5

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise Version 10.0 (Build 19044)

Java Version: Java 1.8.0_202-b08 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode

[Matt Latourette]

I also experience this problem:

MATLAB Version: 9.13.0.2080170 (R2022b) Update 1

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise Version 10.0 (Build 19044)

Java Version: Java 1.8.0_202-b08 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode

My hardware is:

Dell OptiPlex 7040 with an Intel Core i7-6700 CPU

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 745 running driver version 528.49

[Image Analyst]

Like I said, I upgraded to r2023a and I have not experienced it yet. Try upgrading.

Answer 15

[Simon Robledo Cardona]

I have the same problem in R2022a, regular editor, in Windows 10. Is it fixed already in R2023a?

[Image Analyst]

Please click on the "I have the same question" button up under the original question.

The developer has not let me know explicitly if they've fixed it yet, so I'm not sure. I upgraded to r2023a and I have not experienced it yet, but even before I upgraded it only happened every few weeks or so, so I can't say for sure yet.

Answer 16

[Ayushman Agrawal]

Problem still exists in R2023a. Ctrl+C doesn't work in app designer code editor. Ctrl+V works fine. Also I can still copy using right click and selecting "copy", but the keyboard shortcut just doesn't work. Please fix this.

[Jenberia Getnet Demil]

Dear Ayushman Agrawal please create new file and write something then clear it. then the copy paste shortcut will work fine.

Answer 17

[Raphael]

I am facing the same issue in version 2023a. Macros ctrl+C, ctrl+V and crtl+X are working intermittently. Right clicking and selecting copy, paste and cut is not working as well (the option is not greyed out, but nothing happens).

[Dyuman Joshi]

@Raphael, Best to file a service request. Follow the steps mentioned in the accepted answer.

You can also go through the workarounds others have mentioned in this thread.

[Raphael]

@Dyuman Joshi I'll file a service request, thank you. The "workaround" I was able to use was dragging and droping, for some reason that was working.

Answer 18

[Kevin]

Seems to be caused by MathWorks' "dark mode" beta bug.

So early on, soon after installing MATLAB 2022, I was getting annoyed by the assault of bright light anytime I opened the MATLAB screen, since my Windows and every other app is set to dark mode. There was no native MATLAB ability to choose a different theme so I searched online and found a way to do it by using MathWorks' beta version of "New Desktop for MATLAB". Forgot that I had even done that.

Using Simulink today, I noticed copy/paste wasn't working and neither was the "Layout" button in the scope properties. Tried a bunch of stuff including restarting MATLAB and rebooting. Going into MATLAB to look at preferences, I noticed a sticky option at the top of the toolbar to revert back to the old desktop for MATLAB. I clicked that, MATLAB restarted, and everything works great now . . . well, except I need to squint every time I activate the MATLAB screen until my eyes adjust.

As of this post, with the latest 2023 version, there still does not appear to be native MATLAB dark mode.

[Adam Danz]

Note that the majority of reports in this thread were prior to the 2023 beta desktop release.