How to prevent copy and paste over cell with drop down list in Excel?
For a cell with data validation drop down list, when copy content from another cell and paste to it, the drop down list will be gone and replaced with the new pasting content. In some cases, you want to prevent copy and paste other content over the cell with drop down list, what would you do to deal with it? In this article, you will get a VBA method of dealing with this problem.
Prevent copy and paste over cell with drop down list in Excel
Prevent copy and paste over cell with drop down list in Excel
1. Open the worksheet with the drop down list cell you want to prevent copy and paste.
2. Press Alt + F11 keys simultaneously to open the Microsoft Visual Basic Applications window.
3. In the Microsoft Visual Basic Applications window, double click the current worksheet name in the left pane, then copy and paste the below VBA code into the Code editor. See screenshot:
VBA code: Prevent copy and paste over cell with drop down list
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
'Updated by Extendoffice 20200903
Dim xValue As String
Dim xCheck1 As String
Dim xCheck2 As String
Dim xRg As Range
Dim xArrCheck1() As String
Dim xArrCheck2() As String
Dim xArrValue()
Dim xCount, xJ As Integer
Dim xBol As Boolean
' If Target.Count > 1 Then
' Exit Sub
' End If
xCount = Target.Count
ReDim xArrCheck1(1 To xCount)
ReDim xArrCheck2(1 To xCount)
ReDim xArrValue(1 To xCount)
Application.EnableEvents = False
On Error Resume Next
xJ = 1
For Each xRg In Target
xArrValue(xJ) = xRg.Value
xArrCheck1(xJ) = xRg.Validation.InCellDropdown
xJ = xJ + 1
Next
Application.Undo
xJ = 1
For Each xRg In Target
xArrCheck2(xJ) = xRg.Validation.InCellDropdown
xJ = xJ + 1
Next
xBol = False
For xJ = 1 To xCount
If xArrCheck2(xJ) <> xArrCheck1(xJ) Then
xBol = True
Exit For
End If
Next
If xBol Then
MsgBox "The selected cells containg data validation drop-down lists, no pasting allowed."
Else
xJ = 1
For Each xRg In Target
xRg.Value = xArrValue(xJ)
xJ = xJ + 1
Next
End If
Application.EnableEvents = True
End Sub4. Press Alt + Q keys to exit the Microsoft Visual Basic Applications window.
5. When you paste content to a cell with drop down list, a dialog box will pop up to remind you the pasting is no allowed. See screenshot:
Note: This VBA just work in single cell pasting. If you copy and paste in multiple cells, it won’t work.
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