Copying and pasting text from websites or other documents into Microsoft Word can be frustrating when unwanted formatting comes along with the text. Fonts, font sizes, colors, and other formatting can make the pasted text stand out from the rest of your document. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to paste text into Word without bringing the formatting with it.
Paste Without Formatting on a PC
Here are the main options for pasting plain text by removing formatting in Microsoft Word on a Windows PC:
Use Keyboard Shortcuts
The fastest keyboard shortcut for pasting text without formatting is:
- Ctrl + Shift + V – This will paste the text in the same style as the surrounding text.
You can also try:
- Ctrl + Alt + V then select Unformatted Text from the paste options.
Change Default Paste Setting
To set plain text as the default paste option:
- Go to File > Options > Advanced
- Under Cut, copy, and paste, change the default to Keep Text Only
Now regular Ctrl + V pasting will avoid formatting.
Use Paste Options Button
If you have the paste options button enabled, you can click on it after pasting to select Keep Text Only. To enable this button:
- Go to File > Options > Advanced
- Check Show Paste Options button when content is pasted
Paste Into Notepad First
An easy trick is to first paste into Notepad, then copy the plain text back out and paste into Word.
Paste Without Formatting on Mobile
Pasting text without formatting on mobile devices works a bit differently:
Android
On Android, paste into another app like email first, then select Paste as plain text. Copy that text and paste it into Word.
iPhone
On iPhone, use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Option + Command + V to paste without formatting. Or long press then choose Keep Text Only.
Tips for Pasting Clean Text
Here are some additional tips:
- Double check pasted text for hidden formatting
- Use markdown when writing natively in Word for clean formatting
- Try a text replacement app to automatically strip formatting
Summary
Pasting unwanted text formatting in Word can be annoying, but is easily avoidable. Use one of the above keyboard shortcuts, change default settings, enable advanced options, or paste text into an intermediary app. Following these simple tips will have you pasting clean text into Word documents in no time.
