macOS Quick Tip: Copy and Paste Text Without Formatting

[arc of the universe]

i have been using this in macOS for a while.

sorry for asking this question in a macOS thread, but how to do this exact same thin in iOS/iiPadOS ?

i use this command sequence so frequently in macOS in my work flow, that if it can be done as easily in iOS/iPadOS it would also be useful.

 

[JohnC1959]

Cmd-Option-V isn't working for me in MS Word (nothing gets pasted at all), but Shift-Cmd-V pastes without formatting. So thanks for the tip! This is an issue I encounter a lot, so I usually use the Edit options in the menu bar to paste without formatting.

FYI, Cmd-Opt-C and V are to copy and paste JUST the format of the text but NOT the actual text. Also, shift-cmd-V will copy the formatting (I just tested copying text from one with formatting in notes to email). If it didn't paste with formatting for you there may have been something else going on.

 

[terrapinjess]

I knew about this but always forget, so I go up to the Edit menu and hover over the option to show the hotkey combo. Then I never know what the symbols (option, alt, etc) mean so I give up. Shift and Command’s symbols are easy but I always forget what option and alt are and I hate wasting time testing it out.
Seeing it written out in this article is helpful. 🤘

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I use a menu bar app for this, purely because I keep forgetting what the button combo is! I really need to remember it…

 

[eXan]

A related tip is to use Cmd-Shift-T command in TextEdit to switch to plain text mode, so anything you paste into it becomes format-less.

 

[svish]

Nice tip. Will definitely be using this from now on. Very useful!

 

[one more]

You can mimic this by copying the text from the Share sheet, it automatically copies without formatting. Just hold down on whatever text you want to select, swipe over to Share... and tap copy.

Ha, this is a good tip, thanks! 👍

 

[d___d]

This is one of my top shortcuts! I usually hit both ⌘ + ⌥ with my thumb to make it easier.

It's good to learn about the Microsoft alternative. I had wondered why that wasn't working as expected. I might look if I can change the mapping there, as consistency is desirable.

 

[star-affinity]

A way to paste with no style, not with matching style. I just want the -ing text thank you.

Have you tried to paste terminal logs in textedit?

Not sure I know what you mean is the problem pasting text from Terminal into TextEdit…

The first mistake is using TextEdit. Use an actual plaintext editor - there's a ton of good choices - I prefer MacVim.

…but you can make the current document into plain text in the Format menu in TextEdit: Make Plain Text (⇧⌘T).

 

[orbital~debris]

By the way, on MacOS it's called ”Paste and Match Style”, so it's not that the text is pasted without formatting, rather that it adheres to the formatting set at the place where the text is pasted.

Or am I missing something here?

This entire article could have just been a mention/reminder of the "Paste and Match Style" feature available in the macOS 'Edit' menu, along with its keyboard shortcut.

The contorted Windows angle is just a little odd, for MacRumors.com…

 

[fgengineer]

Top tip. How did this one evade common knowledge for so long.

Because this is a God tier keyboard shortcut.

This action should be what gets pasted by default.

I don’t think I will remember this.

 

[jdang307]

You know where this doesn't work? Microsoft apps. Microsoft's "Paste special…" menu is the bane of my existence. Why they can't just make HTML, Rich Text, and Plain Text, or Paste without formatting direct keyboard commands is beyond me.

MS has it's own shortcuts that work on Mac.

Also, in Word (the one I use the most) I have it set to copy and paste without formatting by default between different documents, and keep formatting if pasting from the same document. But you can skip that last one so Ctrl-V is always pasting without formatting in Word, on the Mac.

 

[Will Co]

This action should be what gets pasted by default.

I don’t think I will remember this.

This. I've already found myself cutting and pasting going via a text editor even though I ready this a couple of days ago.

 

[ossifer]

Just doesn’t work with Microsoft and Google apps, unsurprisingly.

 

[ossifer]

I don’t understand why pasting with formatting even exists. 99% of the time it just creates a mess.

It feels like an impressive-seeming feature from the 90s that has stuck around despite being useless.

Agree totally! Make it the other way around — two-finger paste without formatting, four-finger with…

 

[CarlJ]

…but you can make the current document into plain text in the Format menu in TextEdit: Make Plain Text (⇧⌘T).

You can also hammer in screws using a pipe wrench, but it's not using the right tool for the job. TextEdit is mediocre as a plain text editor.

 

[star-affinity]

You can also hammer in screws using a pipe wrench, but it's not using the right tool for the job. TextEdit is mediocre as a plain text editor.

Haha, yeah.
I like CotEditor: https://coteditor.com/

 

[CarlJ]

I like CotEditor: https://coteditor.com/

That actually looks like a really decent choice. Thank you for bringing it to my attention (I'll stick with MacVim because I've been using vi since the 80's and have decades of muscle memory built up, but I might recommend it to others).

 

[jjwwqq]

I wish Apple would bring back the scrapbook.

 

[emulator]

Yikes…I guess I’ll stick to pasting into a text editor (unless the destination program has an Edit -> Paste as Unformatted Text option). Very hard to do one handed, at least for me.

For everyone believe me. This is as stupid as it can be... for buttons for pasting unformatted txt.

 

[star-affinity]

Keep a log of changes like this in Notes in case you forget about these changes when going to a different Mac.

Which makes me think settings like this should be saved in one’s Apple Account/iCloud.

 

[ryanflanders256]

Typically I open TextEdit, press shift + command + T, paste, command + A, copy, switch apps, then paste.

This shortcut is clearly better!

Thank you.