Fix FORMATETC 0X00040130: Clipboard Data Same Error in Windows

Quick Answer

Clear the clipboard via Task Manager (end Clipboard.exe) or restart Explorer. If that doesn't work, kill any Office app that's holding the data.

What's Happening Here?

You get this error when you copy something (text, image, file) and the system says: “The data format you're trying to copy is already on the clipboard.” It sounds backwards, right? You'd think that would be fine. But in Windows, the clipboard can only hold one format at a time per slot unless the source app is still holding a reference to the original. That's where FORMATETC comes in — it's the internal structure that describes the data format (like CF_TEXT for plain text or CF_DIB for bitmaps). Error code 0X00040130 translates to DV_E_FORMATETC, which means: “The format you're requesting matches the format already stored — and that's considered a conflict.”

This typically happens in older apps that use OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) — think Microsoft Office 2010 or 2013, or any third-party software that pulls data via COM. You'll see it when you copy a chart from Excel and try to paste it into Word as a linked object, or when you drag-and-drop content between two instances of the same program. The real trigger? The source app hasn't released its clipboard handle. So Windows thinks you're trying to copy the exact same data in the exact same format again — and it blocks it.

Let's get this sorted. The fix is straightforward, but you gotta do the steps in order.

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Open Task Manager. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. You should see the Task Manager window. If it's the compact view, click More details at the bottom-left.
2. Find clipboard.exe. In the Processes tab, scroll down until you see Clipboard under the Background processes section. Click it once to highlight it.
3. End the task. Click End task in the bottom-right corner. After you do this, the clipboard service restarts automatically — you don't need to do anything else. You should see the clipboard icon in the system tray flash and then reappear.
4. Test the copy. Go back to the app that showed the error. Try copying again. If the error is gone, you're done. If it still pops up, move to step 5.
5. Restart Windows Explorer. In Task Manager, go to the Processes tab. Find Windows Explorer (listed under Apps). Right-click it and select Restart. Your taskbar and desktop will flicker for a second — that's normal. After it comes back, test the copy again.
6. Kill Office background processes. If you're using Office, sometimes a background instance of Excel or Word is holding the clipboard. In Task Manager, look for Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word in the Processes tab. Right-click and select End task. Then test again.

If the Main Fix Doesn't Work

Sometimes the issue is deeper. Here are three fallback options:

Option 1: Clear Clipboard via Command Prompt

Open Command Prompt as admin (search for cmd, right-click, Run as administrator). Type this and press Enter:

echo off | clip

That sends a blank line to the clipboard, wiping it clean. You should see no output. Then try copying again.

Option 2: Disable the Clipboard History

If you've got Windows 10 or 11 with clipboard history on (press Win + V to check), that feature sometimes interferes. Turn it off: go to Settings > System > Clipboard and toggle Clipboard history to Off. This stops the system from caching multiple clipboard entries, which can cause the format conflict.

Option 3: Reboot in Safe Mode and Clear

If nothing else works, boot into Safe Mode (hold Shift while clicking Restart, then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart > press 4). Once in Safe Mode, open Notepad, press Ctrl + V (should paste nothing), then close it. Reboot normally. This forces all non-Microsoft services to release their clipboard handles.

Prevention Tip

Stop closing apps while they're copying data. I see this all the time — someone copies a block of text from Excel, then closes Excel before pasting. That leaves the clipboard in a weird state. Always paste first, then close the source app. Also, if you're using an old Office version (pre-2016), update to at least Office 2019 or Microsoft 365 — those versions handle clipboard format negotiation better and rarely throw 0X00040130.