How to Copy the Same Text to Multiple Cells in Excel: Desktop & Mobile

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Quick & easy ways to repeat values in Excel

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: July 19, 2024

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Copying & Pasting (Desktop)

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Copying & Pasting (Mobile)

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Filling Continuously (Desktop)

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Filling Continuously (Mobile)

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Video

This wikiHow teaches how to copy one value to an entire range of cells in Microsoft Excel. If the cells you want to copy to are in a single row or column, you can use Excel's Fill feature to fill the row or column with the same value. If you want the value to appear in a wider range of cells, such as multiple contiguous or non-connected (desktop-only) rows and columns, you can easily paste the value into a selected range.

Inserting the Same Data into Multiple Cells in Excel

Type your value into a cell.
Right-click to copy the value.
Click and highlight the cells you want the value in.
Right-click to paste the value into all the cells you selected.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Copying and Pasting to One or More Ranges (Desktop)

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For example, if you want the word "wikiHow" to appear in multiple cells, type wikiHow into any empty cell now. Use this method if you want the same value to appear in an entire range.
This copies the value to your clipboard.

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Select the range of cells in which you want to paste the value. To do this, click and drag the mouse over every cell where the value should appear. This highlights the range.
- The range you select doesn't have to be continuous. If you want to select cells and/or ranges that aren't connected, hold down the Control key (PC) or Command key (Mac) as you highlight each range.
Every cell in the selected range now contains the same value.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Copying and Pasting to One or More Ranges (Mobile)

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For example, if you want the word "wikiHow" to appear in multiple cells, type wikiHow into an empty cell above (if applying to a column) or beside (if applying to a row) the cells you want to fill.
This highlights the cell.
This opens the Edit menu.
Now that the value is copied to your clipboard, you'll be able to paste it into a series of other cells.
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Select the range of cells in which you want the selected value to appear. To do so, tap the first cell where you want the copied value to appear, and then drag the dot at its bottom-right corner to select the entire range.
- There is no way to select multiple non-touching ranges at once. If you need to copy the value into another non-adjacent range, repeat this step and the next step for the next range after pasting into this one.
This copies the selected value into every cell in the range.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Filling a Continuous Column or Row (Desktop)

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For example, if you want the word "wikiHow" to appear in multiple cells, type wikiHow into an empty cell above (if applying to a column) or beside (if applying to a row) the cells you want to fill.
The cursor will turn to crosshairs (+).
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Click and drag down the column or across the row to fill all cells. As long as Excel does not detect a pattern, all selected cells will be filled with the same value.
- If the filled cells show up as a pattern, such as a series of increasing numbers, click the icon with a plus sign at the bottom of the selected cells, then select Copy cells .

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Filling a Continuous Column or Row (Mobile)

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For example, if you want the word "wikiHow" to appear in multiple cells, type wikiHow into an empty cell above (if applying to a column) or beside (if applying to a row) the cells you want to fill.
This highlights the cell. ^{[1]
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This opens the Edit menu.
You will then see some arrow icons.
If you want to fill a row, tap the arrow pointing to the right and drag it until you're finished filling all of the cells. If you're filling a column, tap the arrow pointing downward, and then drag it down to fill the desired amount of cells.