How to Copy and Paste Multiple Non-Adjacent Cells, Rows, or Columns in Excel?

Copying a single range in Excel is simple, but things can become more complicated when the cells, rows, columns, or ranges you need are separated from each other. You can hold Ctrl to select multiple non-adjacent areas, but Excel cannot always copy these selections together. In some cases, you may even see the message “This action won't work on multiple selections”.

This article shows how to copy and paste non-adjacent selections using Excel's built-in tools, how to deal with the multiple-selection error, and how to use Kutools for Excel to copy multiple separate ranges at once when you have many areas to work with.

What are non-adjacent cells, rows, or columns in Excel?

Copy and paste non-adjacent selections with Excel

• Copy non-adjacent cells or ranges with Ctrl
• Fix “This action won't work on multiple selections”

Copy multiple non-adjacent ranges at once with Kutools for Excel

Excel vs. Kutools for copying non-adjacent ranges

Common questions about copying non-adjacent ranges

What are non-adjacent cells, rows, or columns in Excel?

Non-adjacent selections are cells or ranges that are separated from each other rather than forming one continuous area. For example, you may want to select A2:A5, C2:C5, and E2:E5 while leaving the columns between them unselected.

Non-adjacent selections can include:

• Individual cells, such as A2, A8, and A15.
• Separate ranges, such as A2:B5, D2:E5, and G2:H5.
• Non-adjacent rows, such as rows 3, 7, and 12.
• Non-adjacent columns, such as columns A, D, and G.

In Excel, you can normally create this type of selection by selecting the first area, holding Ctrl, and then selecting each additional area.

However, selecting multiple areas and copying them are not always the same thing. Depending on how the selected areas are arranged, Excel may not allow all of them to be copied and pasted together.

Copy and paste non-adjacent selections with Excel

For simple non-adjacent selections, Excel's built-in copy-and-paste tools may be all you need. Start by using Ctrl to select the separate cells or ranges, and then copy them as usual.

Copy non-adjacent cells or ranges with Ctrl

1. Select the first cell, row, column, or range you want to copy.

2. Hold down the Ctrl key and continue selecting the other areas you need.

3. Press Ctrl + C to copy the selected areas.

4. Select the destination and paste the copied data.

Result: If Excel supports the arrangement of the selected areas, the non-adjacent selections can be copied together.

Fix “This action won't work on multiple selections”

When you try to copy multiple non-adjacent areas, Excel may display the “This action won't work on multiple selections” message. This means the selected areas cannot be copied together in their current arrangement.

One simple Excel workaround is to copy and paste the ranges separately:

1. Select the first range and press Ctrl + C.

2. Paste it into the required destination.

3. Return to the source data and copy the next range.

4. Repeat the process until all required ranges have been copied.

This approach works well when you only have a small number of ranges to copy. For example, if you only need two or three separate areas, copying them one at a time may be the simplest solution.

However, when your worksheet contains many scattered ranges, repeatedly selecting, copying, switching to the destination, and pasting each range can quickly become repetitive and time-consuming.

Copy multiple non-adjacent ranges at once with Kutools for Excel

With Copy Ranges in Kutools for Excel, you can select multiple separate cells, ranges, rows, or columns and copy them together without repeating the copy-and-paste process for every individual area. This is especially useful when a worksheet contains many scattered sections that you want to collect or move to another location.

1. Select the first range you want to copy. Hold Ctrl and continue selecting the other non-adjacent ranges.

2. Go to Kutools > Range > Copy Ranges.

3. In the Copy Multiple Ranges dialog box, choose what you want to copy, and click OK.

• All – Copy all cell contents and formatting.
• Formulas – Copy formulas only.
• Values – Copy cell values only.
• Formats – Copy formatting only.
• Notes – Copy cell notes.
• Displayed value – Copy values as they appear in the worksheet.
• Formulas and number formats – Copy formulas together with number formatting.
• Values and number formats – Copy values together with number formatting.

You can also choose whether to include row height or column width, and whether rows and columns that are already hidden should be excluded from the copied result.

4. Select the upper-left cell where you want to place the copied ranges, and click OK to confirm the destination.

Result: The selected non-adjacent ranges are copied to the destination together, without having to copy and paste every range separately.

Excel vs. Kutools for copying non-adjacent ranges

Excel's built-in methods work well for simple or occasional tasks, but they become less convenient when you need to copy many separate ranges. The comparison below shows where each method works best.

Common questions about copying non-adjacent ranges

Can I select multiple non-adjacent cells in Excel?

Yes. Select the first cell or range, hold down Ctrl, and then select each additional area. You can use the same technique to select separate cells, ranges, rows, or columns.

Why can't I copy multiple selections in Excel?

Excel does not support copying every arrangement of multiple non-adjacent areas together. When the selected areas cannot be handled as one copy operation, Excel may display “This action won't work on multiple selections”. In that case, you can copy the ranges separately or use Kutools for Excel – Copy Ranges to handle multiple separate ranges together.

Can I copy non-adjacent ranges to another worksheet or workbook?

Yes. You can copy non-adjacent data to another area of the same worksheet, another worksheet, or another workbook. The exact process depends on whether Excel supports copying the selected areas together. For many separate ranges, Copy Ranges can reduce the amount of repeated copying and pasting.

Can I copy only the values from multiple non-adjacent ranges?

Yes. With Kutools for Excel – Copy Ranges, select Values in the Copy Multiple Ranges dialog box to copy the values without the original formulas.

Can I copy the displayed values instead of the underlying values?

Yes. The Displayed value option in Copy Ranges lets you copy the values as they currently appear in the worksheet, which can be useful for formatted numbers, percentages, dates, and other displayed results.

Can I keep row heights and column widths when copying multiple ranges?

Yes. Copy Ranges provides options to include the original row height and column width when copying the selected ranges.

Can I avoid copying hidden rows or columns?

Yes. Copy Ranges includes an option to exclude rows and columns that are already hidden, allowing you to copy the required visible data without bringing those hidden areas into the result.

Conclusion

Copying non-adjacent cells, rows, columns, or ranges in Excel is straightforward when the selections are simple and supported. If Excel displays “This action won't work on multiple selections”, copying the ranges one at a time is a practical solution when only a few areas are involved.

For larger or more scattered selections, however, repeating the copy-and-paste process can quickly become inefficient. Kutools for Excel – Copy Ranges offers a more convenient way to copy multiple non-adjacent ranges together in one operation, with additional control over whether you copy values, formulas, formats, displayed values, and more.