Windows 10 update disables a handy copy-and-paste trick

Windows 10
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Microsoft has rolled out a new Windows 10 feature pack to members of its early-access Insider program, delivering improvements to the operating system’s screen-snipping utility, taskbar and on-screen keyboard.

However, as part of the update, the company has also temporarily disabled the ability to copy-and-paste screen captures directly into a folder in File Explorer. Instead, users will need to save screenshots manually via the Save As function.

In a blog post, Microsoft explains the handy feature was withdrawn due to an unspecified issue discovered by members of Insider scheme. “We hope to re-enable this capability in a future update after we address this issue,” said the firm.

Windows 10 update

Since the Windows 10 update is rolling out to members of the early-access program only, it’s possible the copy-and-paste feature will be reinstated before the changes trickle down into a full public build, so regular users need not worry for now.

However, this is not the only change Microsoft has made to the venerable Windows 10 copy-and-paste function in recent months. The company has delivered a number of small optimizations, some of which are well worth having on your radar.

In August, the company revealed an upgrade to the clipboard panel designed to make it easier for users to paste multimedia content into messages, documents and emails.

The new Windows 10 clipboard (accessed via the Win + X shortcut) stores not only text entries, but images and HTML content too. Users can also delete items in the clipboard history or disable the feature entirely from within the same panel.

Later in the year, Microsoft announced improvements to the Cloud Clipboard utility, which allows users to copy-and-paste items across multiple devices. Instead of synchronizing clipboard content across Windows 10 devices exclusively, users of the Microsoft-owned SwiftKey Keyboard for Android can also now take advantage of the tool. 

The company’s flagship web browser, Edge, has also received a new Link Format feature, which lets users specify whether a URL copied from the address bar is pasted as a link or in plain-text, depending on preference.

The Windows 10 copy-and-paste feature may seem insignificant at face value, but plays a central role in many aspects of the modern computing experience. As recent updates suggest, Microsoft is eager to squeeze every ounce of value from the feature via small tweaks, which power users will applaud.

Joel Khalili
News and Features Editor

Joel Khalili is the News and Features Editor at TechRadar Pro, covering cybersecurity, data privacy, cloud, AI, blockchain, internet infrastructure, 5G, data storage and computing. He's responsible for curating our news content, as well as commissioning and producing features on the technologies that are transforming the way the world does business.