How to Make a Copy of An Excel File [Ultimate Guide for Windows and macOS]

Excel is a frequently used tool in our daily work and life. We use it for data organization and analysis. Don’t know how to make a copy of an Excel file or Excel sheet? this ultimate guide will walk through different methods to create a copy of your Excel file both on Windows and macOS computers.

Microsoft Excel, which is part of the Microsoft 365 suite of products, is extensively used and has evolved into an indispensable tool for everyday data management and analysis. You've probably worked with Excel files at some point in your life, whether you're a student, a professional, or a business owner. 

There may be times when you need to duplicate an Excel file:

• 📖You want to keep the original data while changing it.
• 📑Give a colleague a copy without changing the original file.
• 📚In case of computer problems, save the Excel workbook to a different location.

Whatever the reason, knowing how to replicate an Excel file is an important skill that can save you time and effort. In this post, we will look at numerous methods on how to make a copy of an Excel file on both Windows and macOS systems, ensuring that your data is safe and accessible. In addition, we'll demonstrate how to make a copy of an Excel worksheet.

You may be interested: How to Make A Copy of A Word Document

How to Make a Copy of An Excel File on Windows PC (3 Tips)

If you are using a Windows computer or laptop, then there are three available ways to assist you in saving Excel workbook copies. Here is a brief comparison.

	Copy and Paste	Save As	EaseUS Todo Backup Free 👍
Operation method	Manually	Manually	Automatically
Copy speed	Moderate	Slow	Quick
Suitable for	Copy a single file or multiple files	One file at a time	Copy a single file or copy files in bulk

Tip 1. Copy and Paste Excel Workbook to Duplicate Excel File

Tag: the most straightforward way to copy Excel files, no need to open Excel app

Step 1. Open File Explorer on your Windows computer and locate to the Excel file you want to copy.

Step 2. Right-click the Excel workbook, and choose Copy.  You can also select multiple Excel files at a time and hold your mouse cursor on them to right-click. (Or, you can simply press the shortcut "Ctrl + C".)

Step 3. Navigate to the folder or drive where you want to save the Excel copies.

Step 4. Right-click on any black place, and select Paste. (Or, you can simply press the shortcut "Ctrl + V".)

Tip 2. Save a Copy of the Excel File via Save As

Tag: copy the file within the Excel app, copy only one file at a time

Step 1. Open the Excel file you want to copy.

Step 2. Select File in the top-left corner > Save As.

Step 3. Choose a location to save Excel copy. It can be saved to a cloud service like OneDrive, an external hard drive, or any place on your computer. 

Tip 3. Automatically Copy Excel with EaseUS Todo Backup

Tag: automatically save Excel files to any location at the set time, save workbooks in bulk at one time

If you want to save time and don't want to save copies manually each time after changing, then EaseUS Todo Backup Free is the best choice. It is a free and professional file auto backup software that can satisfy your needs to back up and save Excel, Word, and PowerPoint files to the designated location automatically when you set a scheduled backup time point.

Follow the steps to set up a way to copy Excel files once and for all.

Step 1. To initiate a backup, click the Select backup contents option.

Step 2. There are four data backup categories, File, Disk, OS, and Mail, click File.

Step 3. On the left, both local and network files will be shown. You may extend the directory to pick the backup files.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions and choose a location to store the backup.

Click Options to encrypt the backup with a password in Backup Options, then click Backup Scheme to specify the backup schedule and start the backup at a certain event. There are also other additional choices you may choose to tailor the backup process to your requirements.

Step 5. The backup may be stored on a local disk, EaseUS' online service, or NAS.

Step 6. EaseUS Todo Backup enables customers to back up data to a third-party cloud drive as well as its own cloud drive.

If you want to back up data to a cloud drive provided by a third party, choose Local Drive, scroll down to add Cloud Device, and then add and log in to your account.

You can also choose the EaseUS cloud drive. Sign up for an EaseUS Account, then click EaseUS Cloud and log in.

Step 7. Click Backup Now to begin the backup process. The backup job will be presented as a card on the left side of the panel after it has been finished. Right-click the backup job to handle it further.

How to Make a Copy of An Excel File on macOS PC (3 Tips)

MacOS computers are different from Windows, so they adopt different solutions to save a copy of an Excel file. 

Tip 1. Copy and Paste

This method is the same as Windows copy and paste, but you need to find the Excel files in Mac Finder.

Step 1. Open Finder on your Mac, and navigate to the Excel file you want to copy.

Step 2. Select the file and press Command + C to copy it.

Step 3. Locate to the destination folder, right-click, and select Paste Item. Rr press Command + V to paste the copied file.

Tip 2. Duplicate

Step 1. Open Finder and locate the Excel file.

Step 2. Right-click on the file and select Duplicate from the dropdown menu.

Step 3. A duplicate file will be created in the same folder with the suffix copy added to the file name. You can move the copied file or rename it.

Tip 3. Drap and Drop With The Option Key

Step 1. Open Finder and find the Excel file.

Step 2. Click and hold the Option key on your keyboard.

Step 3. While holding the Option key, drag the file to the desired destination folder.

Step 4. Release the Option key, and the file will be copied to the new location.

Bonus: How to Make a Copy of An Excel Sheet

In addition to copying the entire workbook, there are times when you need to replicate a specific spreadsheet, which is a sub-sheet in a workbook. It is not difficult to copy an Excel sheet. To execute it successfully, there are two options.

Tip 1. Drap and Drop (Copy to the Same Workbook)

Step 1. Locate the worksheet you want to copy.

Step 2. Press the Ctrl key on your keyboard, and use the cursor to drag the sheet to the destination. (if you are using Mac, p     ress the Option key to drag and drop the sheet.)

Situation 2. Copy and Paste (Copy to a Different Workbook)

Step 1. Add a blank new sheet on the destination workbook.

Step 2. Navigate to the sheet you want to copy, and press Ctrl + A to Select all data in the sheet, then press Ctrl + C.

Step 3. Go back to the target sheet, and move your cursor to the first row, the first column.

Step 4. Press Ctrl +V to paste the sheet, including its formats and worksheets

The Wrap Up

To sum up, knowing how to make a copy of an Excel file is a crucial ability that may help you efficiently maintain and distribute your data. There are several methods available to complete this work, depending on whether you need to keep the original file while making modifications, share a copy with colleagues, or simply create backups.
 
You may confidently replicate your Excel files on both Windows and macOS PCs by following the methods provided in this guide. The option to make copies ensures the security and accessibility of your data, allowing you to operate more efficiently and collaboratively. EaseUS Todo Backup Free is an excellent Windows Excel file backup tool that supports copying files automatically. You should never miss it.

How to Make a Copy of An Excel File FAQs

1. How to copy an Excel workbook with multiple tabs?

The process of copying an Excel workbook with multiple tabs is the same as copying an Excel file with only one tab. You can follow the steps below:

• Open the Excel > File >Save As.
• Choose a location to store the copied file.
• Give it a name, and click Save.

Now, the copied Excel workbook has been created and contains multiple tabs in the original file.

2. How to copy data from one sheet to another in Excel automatically?

To automatically copy data from one sheet to another in Excel, use the formula =SheetName!A1 on the destination sheet. Replace SheetName with the source sheet's name and A1 with the cell reference to copy. 

This formula will retrieve data from the specified cell in the source sheet and display it in the destination sheet dynamically. You can replicate several cells by dragging the formula across the required range. Any changes made in the source sheet are automatically updated in the destination sheet using this method.

3. Why can't I copy the worksheet to another workbook?

There are several reasons why you can't copy the worksheet to another, which include:

•  The copied worksheet contains unsupported features or elements that are incompatible with the destination workbook.
• The source workbook or worksheet may be password protected, making copying impossible.
• The destination worksheet may have read-only rights, which prevents any changes or additions.
• A software or compatibility issue could impede the copying process.

Check for any limits or conflicts, establish compatibility between workbooks, remove password protection if appropriate, and seek technical support if necessary to remedy the issue.