Microsoft is finally solving this Windows copy and paste file issue

OneDrive on a Laptop
(Image credit: Shutterstock - monticello)

Moving important files around your PC will hopefully soon be a lot easier thanks to a new Windows update from Microsoft.

The company has unveiled an upgraded copy/move system for user files across its OneDrive and Sharepoint cloud storage and file-sharing services.

The change should mean that copying, pasting and moving files around your system is simpler than ever before, helping users keep track of the items that mean the most to them.

Copy upgrade

According to MSPowerUser, which first spotted the update, the move towards a dialogue-based interface should let Windows users have an easier time choosing the specific destination for the files they are moving.

The change will display a wider range of available files, folders and places by default, letting users pick where their files need to go, and also allowing them to select who the files are shared with.

The new update will begin gradually rolling out within the next few weeks to Targeted Windows users, and should be released to Standard users by mid-November 2021.

The news is the latest upgrade Microsoft has made to its copy-and-paste tool, one of the cornerstones of the Windows software platform. Earlier in 2021, the company introduced a new option to the clipboard menu (Win + V), allowing users to “paste as plain text”, overriding any unwanted formatting.

This change looked to specifically target issues when copying from a web page, and had been a much-demanded addition for users everywhere. Unlike with the standard Windows 10 copy-and-paste shortcuts, which transfer the formatting of the original source, users will also soon be able to use the clipboard menu to eliminate any unwanted formatting quirks.

Microsoft also recently revealed an upgrade to the clipboard panel designed to make it easier for users to paste multimedia content into messages, documents and emails, as well as  improvements to the Cloud Clipboard utility, which allows users to copy-and-paste items across multiple devices.

Via MSPowerUser

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.