How to Make a Copy of an Excel File

You need a second Excel workbook and you do not want the original touched. The right copy method depends on where the file lives: your computer, Excel, a phone, or a cloud storage app.

Start with the fastest file-copy options, then use the Excel and cloud steps for AutoSave, web, mobile, and shared workbooks.

1. Copy the workbook in File Explorer or Finder

1.Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac.
2.Find the Excel file.
3.Right-click the file and choose Copy.
4.Open the folder where you want the duplicate.
5.Right-click inside that folder and choose Paste on Windows or Paste Item on Mac.

Use this direct file-copy method when the Excel file is already on your desktop, in Downloads, or inside a synced folder such as OneDrive or Dropbox.

Keyboard shortcuts do the same job. On Windows, select the file, press Ctrl+C, open the destination folder, then press Ctrl+V. On Mac, select the file, press Command-C, open the destination, then press Command-V.

2. Save a second file from Excel desktop

Use Excel's own save command when the workbook is already open and you want the duplicate to start from the current version.

1.Open the workbook in Excel.
2.Select File.
3.Select Save As.
4.Choose Computer, OneDrive, or Browse.
5.Enter a different name in File name.
6.Select Save.

That creates a separate workbook file. Put a date, client name, or version number in File name so the copy is easy to identify later.

3. Protect AutoSave workbooks before editing

For Excel for Microsoft 365 files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, create the copy before you edit. Open the workbook, select File > Save a Copy, choose the destination, then save the copied file.

After the copy is saved, edit that version. This keeps your changes in the duplicate instead of the original cloud workbook.

4. Create a copy in Excel for the web

To make another online copy, open the workbook and select File > Save As. Excel saves the copy in the same online folder.
To put the copy on your computer, select File > Save As > Download a Copy, then select Save when prompted.

Excel for the web saves automatically and does not use a regular Save button.

5. Duplicate it on iPhone iPad or Office mobile

On iPhone and iPad, use Save a Copy in Excel.

1.Open the workbook in Excel.
2.Tap File.
3.Tap Save a Copy.
4.Choose where to save the file.
5.Enter a file name.
6.Tap Save a Copy.

In Office mobile screens that show Duplicate, tap the File icon, choose Duplicate, type the new name in Name, tap a location, then tap Duplicate.

The old Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Mobile apps for Windows are no longer available for download, and Microsoft ended their support on October 14, 2025. On a Windows PC, copy the workbook with Excel desktop, Excel for the web, or File Explorer instead; on a phone or tablet, use the Excel app for iPhone, iPad, or Android.

6. Copy Microsoft cloud files from OneDrive SharePoint or Teams

OneDrive or SharePoint Select the Excel file, choose Copy to, pick a destination under Quick Access or More places, select the folder, then choose Copy here. The online portal Copy to command handles up to 500 MB at a time; for a larger Excel file or batch, copy it in File Explorer from a synced OneDrive or SharePoint folder instead.
Shared work or school OneDrive file Open the other person's OneDrive link in a browser, select the Excel file, choose Copy to, then choose your OneDrive or SharePoint destination.
Microsoft Teams Open the chat or channel files area, hover over the workbook, select More options, choose Copy to, then choose the destination.

Use the service that holds the workbook when the file is stored in Microsoft cloud storage. If Copy to is missing, you are probably on classic or on-premises OneDrive for work or school; follow Microsoft's SharePoint 2016 copy steps instead. If no other sites are listed, your organization does not allow copying across sites, so use an allowed destination or ask your IT team for access.

7. Duplicate Excel files in Google Drive Dropbox or iCloud

Cloud storage apps can duplicate an uploaded Excel file without opening it in Excel.

Google Drive On a computer in Chrome, go to drive.google.com, right-click the Excel file, then choose Make a copy. To copy it to another Drive location, select the file, press Ctrl+C, open the new Drive location, then press Ctrl+V.
Google Sheets Open the spreadsheet, select File > Make a copy, type a name, choose where to save it, then create the copy.
Dropbox web Log in to dropbox.com, hover over the Excel file, click ..., choose Copy, pick the folder, then confirm with Copy.
Dropbox desktop app Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer or Finder, right-click the Excel file, choose Copy, open the destination folder, then choose Paste on Windows or Paste item on Mac.
Dropbox mobile Open Files, tap ⁝ on Android or ... on iPhone or iPad, choose Duplicate on Android or Copy on iPhone or iPad, pick a folder, then tap Paste or Save copy.
iCloud Drive on the web Go to icloud.com/iclouddrive, sign in, select the Excel file, open More, then choose Duplicate.

8. Use the iPhone or iPad Files app

On iPhone Open Files > Browse > iCloud Drive, tap More > Select, choose the Excel file, tap More > Copy Items, go to On My iPhone or another cloud service, touch and hold a folder, then tap Paste.

On iPad Open Files, select iCloud Drive under Locations, tap Select, choose the Excel file, tap More > Copy Items, go to On My iPad or another cloud service, touch and hold a folder, then tap Paste.

Apple Files is the right place to copy a workbook stored in iCloud Drive or another enabled Files location.

9. Fix blocked copying on work or school accounts

Managed Microsoft 365 accounts can block copying, downloading, or synced file access, but the symptoms point to different causes. A missing Copy to command usually means you are on classic or on-premises OneDrive rather than a policy block. Unavailable destinations mean copying across sites is turned off. A failed Download a Copy can come from view-only sharing, block-download settings, or file-owner permissions.

Use an approved destination, or ask your SharePoint, OneDrive, or Microsoft 365 admin to change the policy. Do not use older iPhone or iPad instructions that say File > Save As; Microsoft's current Excel mobile path is File > Save a Copy.