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06 Numbers and Powers

Copy Paste Text Without Formatting: 6 Ways

Card No. 06·38890 · Updated · Standard formula, shown below

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Copying text from a web page, PDF, or email and pasting it into another document usually brings along the original font, size, color, and hyperlinks. To paste text without formatting, use the dedicated “paste as plain text� option in your application, or use a keyboard shortcut like Ctrl+Shift+V (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+V (Mac) that strips all formatting. Below are all the reliable methods for Windows, Mac, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and web browsers.

Why Formatting Follows the Text

When you copy text, the clipboard stores both the plain characters and the formatting instructions (font, size, color, bold, italics, links). This is called “rich text� or “HTML format.� Paste it into a program that supports rich text, and the program applies those instructions. Paste it into a plain-text editor like Notepad, and the formatting is discarded because the program doesn’t understand it. The problem arises when you paste into Word, Google Docs, email, or a CMS that does understand formatting, because it faithfully reproduces the source styling.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Plain Text Paste

The most common and fastest way is the keyboard shortcut:

  • Windows: Ctrl + Shift + V – works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Word, PowerPoint, and many other apps.
  • Mac: Cmd + Shift + V – works in Safari, Chrome, Pages, and most Mac apps.
  • Universal fallback: Ctrl + V then Ctrl + Z (undo) – in some programs, pasting with formatting then immediately undoing removes the formatting while keeping the text.

If the shortcut doesn’t work, the application may not support it. In that case, use the menu method described next.

Using the Right-Click Menu and Toolbar Buttons

Most applications offer a “Paste as plain text� or “Paste without formatting� option in the right-click context menu. In Microsoft Word, right-click and under “Paste Options� choose the “Keep Text Only� icon (a clipboard with an ‘A’). In Google Docs, right-click and choose “Paste without formatting.� In email clients like Outlook, the right-click menu has “Paste as plain text.�

In web-based editors (WordPress, Medium, etc.), look for a paste icon or a “paste as text� button in the toolbar. Some editors show a small clipboard icon with a “T� that toggles plain-text paste.

Paste Without Formatting in Microsoft Word

Word has several ways to control pasting:

  1. Shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+V opens the Paste Special dialog. Choose “Unformatted Text.�
  2. Default setting: Go to File > Options > Advanced > Cut, copy, paste. Set “Pasting from other programs� to “Keep Text Only.� This makes every paste plain text by default.
  3. Paste Options button: After pasting, a small clipboard icon appears at the bottom-right of the pasted content. Click it and select “Keep Text Only.�

Note that setting the default to “Keep Text Only� will also remove formatting when you paste within the same document, which may not be desirable if you often copy formatted text from one part of a document to another.

Paste Without Formatting in Google Docs

Google Docs offers a dedicated shortcut and a menu option:

  • Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+V (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+V (Mac).
  • Menu: Edit > Paste without formatting.

If you paste with formatting (Ctrl+V) and then press Ctrl+Shift+V again, it will replace the formatted text with plain text. This is a handy trick if you forget the shortcut at first.

Paste Without Formatting in Web Browsers

When pasting into a web form, a content management system, or an email composer in the browser, the same shortcuts usually work:

  • Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera: Ctrl+Shift+V / Cmd+Shift+V.
  • Safari: Cmd+Shift+V works in most fields, but some older versions may not support it. In that case, paste into a plain-text editor first, then copy from there.

For content management systems like WordPress, the block editor (Gutenberg) has a “Paste as plain text� option in the three-dot menu of a paragraph block. In the classic editor, there is a “Paste as text� icon in the toolbar.

Using a Plain-Text Editor as an Intermediary

If shortcuts fail or you’re using an unusual application, the simplest workaround is:

  1. Copy the formatted text.
  2. Paste it into a plain-text editor like Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (Mac, with Format > Make Plain Text), or any code editor.
  3. Copy the text from there.
  4. Paste it into the final destination.

This strips all formatting because the intermediate program doesn’t store any. It’s a reliable fallback that works everywhere.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

“Ctrl+Shift+V doesn’t work in my app.� Not all applications support it. For example, older versions of Microsoft Outlook only support plain-text paste through the right-click menu. Check the app’s documentation or use the intermediary method.

“I pasted and the text is still bold.� If you used Ctrl+V, you pasted with formatting. Use the plain-text shortcut or menu option. Also, some applications (like Excel) treat pasted text as a single cell, and the formatting may come from the destination cell style, not the source.

“Pasting without formatting removes line breaks.� No, plain-text paste preserves paragraph breaks and line breaks. It only removes font, size, color, bold, italics, links, and similar styling. However, if the source uses a table or columns, the text may appear in a different order because the structure is lost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ctrl+Shift+V work in all programs?

No. It works in most modern browsers, Microsoft Office, Google Docs, and many other applications. But some programs, especially older ones or specialized software, may not support it. In those cases, use the right-click menu or the plain-text editor workaround.

What is the difference between “paste� and “paste as plain text�?

Regular paste (Ctrl+V) inserts both the text and its formatting (font, size, color, links). Paste as plain text inserts only the characters, using the destination document’s default formatting. This is useful when you want the pasted text to match the surrounding text.

Why does pasting into a terminal or command prompt sometimes add extra characters?

Terminals often interpret pasted text as keystrokes, not as a paste event. This can cause issues with multi-line text or special characters. Use the terminal’s paste shortcut (usually Ctrl+Shift+V or right-click) and ensure the terminal supports bracketed paste.

Can I set a default so all pastes are plain text?

Yes, in many applications. In Microsoft Word, go to File > Options > Advanced > Cut, copy, paste and change the default. In Google Docs, you can’t set a global default, but you can use the shortcut consistently. In browsers, there’s no global default, but some extensions can force plain-text paste.

Does copying from a PDF and pasting without formatting keep the text?

Yes, but the text may have odd line breaks or spacing because PDFs store text in a visual layout, not a logical flow. Pasting as plain text removes formatting but does not fix broken lines. You may need to manually adjust line breaks.

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