OSX Mavericks Copy Function Not Working

One possible solution (worked for me)

It's notable that I could copy but just couldn't paste.

Procedures

1. Open terminal and enter the following command: echo "" | pbcopy

2. Press enter

3. Close Terminal

This will blank out the pasteboard and thereafter you can resume to normal functionality.

I have the same problem!

After updating to Mavericks from 10.8.5. I cannot copy and paste within Finder or ANY application. The copy / paste buttons are grey out in all applications.

This is a bit of a disaster especially when video editing as copy / paste is often required!

Is this a MAJOR bug??!!!

Yep, same here Copy & Paste F.U.B.A.R. as of Mavericks!!!!! This is truly grim! Really do not know what to do. Without those functions it makes the entire drill pointless.

Just done a clean install of Mavericks on a Mid 2012 Macbook Retina 15 and then copied back all my data and I still can't copy and paste in most apps (other than browsers/text)...

Surely it isn't because current apps (Screenflow, Final Cut Pro X to name a couple) are "not Mavericks compatible"???

Thanks for the update, I don;t have the app installed.

In FCPX and Screenflow and paste button is greyed out even after a select something to copy, so essentially I cannot paste anything anywhere in either of those apps (might be in other too, haven't tested all of them).

Same here, I don't have the app installed. I cannot paste anything even click and drag function is not working after my update. Any help?

Mine is the opposite. I can copy but I can't paste. What's going on?!!! Cany anyone please help

Has anyone figured this out yet? I just upgraded to a newer OS X (10.9) last night (MacBook Pro late 2009) and cannot copy and paste, even with the command key or control key. I can copy/paste fine with my mouse but there are times when I have text highlighted and right-clicking will unhighlight the text and defeat the purpose. Ideas? I use this function for work/studying all day, every day...

Try going to System Preferences/Keyboard/Shortcuts - see if you have any 'warning' triangles.

I'm having this problem too. I wonder, does anyone know if there's a way to discover other apps/programs that might also use the same shortcuts as copy/paste that might be interfering? I need to do some more poking around to make sure it's the OS, my browser, or ... ??? ... but so far Chrome and Safari are both giving me the same issue. However, it's in the same site where I'm having the issue. I'm working on a newsletter online in Constant Contact -- so maybe it's a Constant Contact issue. However, I'm on deadline and don't have a lot of time to try to figure it out right now. OK - non-helpful venting going on right here -

TL;DR version

1. I went to System Pref/keyboard/shortcuts and didn't see any "warning" triangles

1a) Note: I closed all my programs and restarted computer too.

2. I can't paste at all: I have tried using the keyboard shortcut, the Safari (and Chrome) menus, and using the mouse. The paste function is completely grayed out. I can copy the text and paste it back into the same field, just not into a different field.

3. A reason I am wondering if it might be a constant contact issue is I tried typing the address into the field (I was trying to create a web link to an article) and I could not type in the field.

I am all over the place - sorry if this is unclear. If anyone has questions/insight/an article to share -- any help would be appreciated. Thx. jem.

Yeas I have two triangles one is input sources, the other spotlight. Spotlight has been much better since upgrading . Internet sharing was a nightmare.

If I have them what do I do ?? 😐

Anyone find a solution for this yet? We are just moving the office to Mavericks (downgrading?), and finding that copy does not work in a variety of situations.

None of the above suggestions are applicable; we've just done clean installs. I've seen the problem mainly in Word and Excel (Office 2011), but also in Mail.

Many thanks this worked perfectly