You need to move several pieces of text, images, or tables from different parts of a Word document to one new location. The standard Cut and Paste method works for one item at a time, which forces you to switch back and forth repeatedly. A built-in feature called Spike lets you collect multiple separate items and paste them all at once as a single block. This article explains exactly what Spike is, how to use it, and what to watch out for.
Key Takeaways: Using Spike to Move Multiple Items in Word
- Ctrl+F3 (Cut to Spike): Removes the selected item from the document and stores it in Spike without pasting it yet.
- Ctrl+Shift+F3 (Paste Spike): Pastes all collected items at the cursor location and empties Spike in one action.
- Spike content order: Items are pasted in the order you cut them, not in reverse order.
What Is Spike and How Does It Work in Word?
Spike is a special storage area in Word that collects cut items from anywhere in a document. It works differently from the regular clipboard. The standard clipboard holds one item at a time unless you use the Office Clipboard pane, which can store up to 24 items. Spike has no visible pane and no item limit. Every time you cut an item to Spike, Word appends it to the end of the Spike content. When you paste, Word inserts all collected items at the cursor as a single block, preserving the order in which you cut them.
Spike is ideal for reorganizing a document when you need to gather scattered paragraphs, images, or table rows into one new section. You do not need to install anything or enable a setting. The feature is built into Word and works in Word 2013, Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, and Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. It also works in Word for Mac, though the keyboard shortcuts differ slightly.
A common misunderstanding is that Spike works like a multi-item clipboard where you can choose which item to paste. It does not. Spike always pastes everything it holds, and it clears itself after the paste. You cannot preview Spike contents or remove a single item from it.
How to Use Spike to Collect and Paste Items
Follow these steps to move multiple items from different locations to a single target position. The process uses only keyboard shortcuts.
- Select the first item to move
Click and drag over the text, image, or table you want to relocate. For a table row, click the left margin next to the row to select the entire row. - Cut the selection to Spike
Press Ctrl+F3. Word removes the selected content from the document and stores it in Spike. You see the content disappear from its original location. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for every item you want to collect. You can collect items from anywhere in the same document or from different open documents. - Navigate to the target location
Move the cursor to the exact spot where you want all collected items to appear. This can be in the same document or a different open document. - Paste all Spike contents
Press Ctrl+Shift+F3. Word inserts every item you collected, in the order you cut them, at the cursor. Spike is now empty. If you press Ctrl+Shift+F3 again without cutting new items, nothing happens.
Alternative Method: Using the Spike Command From the Ribbon
If you prefer not to use keyboard shortcuts, you can add the Spike command to the Quick Access Toolbar.
- Open Quick Access Toolbar settings
Click the small down arrow at the far right of the Quick Access Toolbar above the ribbon. Choose More Commands from the menu. - Locate the Spike command
In the Choose commands from dropdown, select All Commands. Scroll down the list until you find Spike. Select it and click Add to move it to the right pane. - Apply the change
Click OK. The Spike button now appears on the Quick Access Toolbar. To cut an item to Spike, select the content and click the Spike button. To paste Spike contents, place the cursor and click the Spike button again. The button acts as a toggle: the first click cuts, the second click pastes and clears.
Common Mistakes and Limitations When Using Spike
Spike Pastes Items in the Wrong Order
Spike always pastes items in the order you cut them. If you cut paragraph A, then paragraph B, then paragraph C, Spike pastes A, B, C in that order. To change the order, you must cut items in the sequence you want them to appear. There is no way to rearrange items inside Spike.
Spike Pastes Everything at Once
You cannot paste only part of the Spike contents. If you need only some collected items, you must paste everything and then delete the unwanted items. Alternatively, cut only the items you need in the final paste.
Spike Content Is Lost if You Close Word
Spike does not persist between Word sessions. If you close Word without pasting the Spike contents, all collected items are permanently lost. Always paste your Spike contents before closing the document or exiting Word.
Spike Does Not Work With the Regular Clipboard
Items cut to Spike do not appear in the Office Clipboard pane. You cannot use the Paste button on the Home tab to paste Spike contents. Only Ctrl+Shift+F3 or the Spike button on the Quick Access Toolbar triggers the paste.
Spike vs Office Clipboard: Key Differences
| Item | Spike | Office Clipboard |
|---|---|---|
| Access method | Ctrl+F3 (cut), Ctrl+Shift+F3 (paste) | Ctrl+C (copy), Ctrl+V (paste), Clipboard pane (Home > Clipboard) |
| Storage capacity | Unlimited items | Up to 24 items |
| Item visibility | No visible list | Visible list in Clipboard pane |
| Selective paste | Not possible | Click any item in the pane to paste it |
| Auto-clear after paste | Yes | No |
| Works across documents | Yes | Yes |
You can now collect scattered document elements using Spike and paste them all in one action with Ctrl+Shift+F3. Try Spike the next time you need to reorganize a long report or compile quotes from different sections. For an advanced tip, use Spike to move items between two open documents: cut items from document A, switch to document B, and paste. This saves time compared to copying, switching, pasting, and switching back for each item.