Excel KB5002914 Update Broke Copy and Paste: How to Restore Clipboard Functions

The Excel KB5002914 update broke basic clipboard actions and copy-paste shortcuts like Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V.

Symptoms of the Failure

The problem has affected both corporate licenses and standard standalone Office versions:

• Pressing Ctrl + V inserts an empty value or outdated data from the clipboard history into the cell.

• Dragging the autofill handle (the cross in the lower right corner of the cell) does not duplicate formulas or causes the program to freeze.

• The “Paste Special” buttons become inactive or reset number formatting to plain text.

Quick Workaround Without Uninstalling the Update

If you need to finish calculations urgently, use temporary system methods:

• Paste Special via Hotkey: Instead of the standard Ctrl + V, press the combination Ctrl + Alt + V and in the window that appears, select “Formulas” or “Values”.

• Office Clipboard Pane: On the “Home” tab, click the small arrow in the corner of the “Clipboard” block. In the sidebar that opens, click on the desired fragments manually — this method bypasses the broken direct paste algorithm.

Step-by-Step Removal of the Faulty KB5002914 Patch

To fully restore hotkey functionality, uninstall the problematic update.

Method 1. Via the Classic Control Panel

1. Press the key combination Win + R, then enter:

appwiz.cpl

2. In the left column, select “View installed updates”.

3. In the search bar at the top right, enter KB5002914.

4. Right-click the found update, click “Uninstall” and confirm the action.

5. Restart your computer.

Method 2. Via Command Prompt (CMD as Administrator) Execute one quick command to call the package uninstallation wizard:

wusa /uninstall /kb:5002914 /quiet /promptrestart

Disabling Reinstallation

To prevent Windows from downloading the same package again:

1. Open Settings (Win + I) → Windows Update.

2. Click “Pause updates” for 1-2 weeks until an official hotfix is released.

3. In Excel itself, go to File → Account → Update Options and temporarily select “Disable Updates”.