Copied text can bring fonts, colors, or spacing that do not suit a Google Slides presentation. Pasting without formatting is useful when you want the wording to adopt the destination’s text treatment. Check the content afterward because removing formatting can also remove useful visual distinctions.
Copy the intended text
Select the source wording carefully and copy it. In Slides, click into the destination text box at the intended insertion point. Confirm that you are editing text rather than selecting the slide thumbnail or an unrelated object.
Use the plain-text paste option
Use the editor’s paste-without-formatting option or the platform shortcut shown in Google Slides keyboard help. On common Windows desktop setups this is Ctrl+Shift+V; on Mac, use the corresponding Command+Shift+V shortcut where supported.
Browser clipboard restrictions can affect menu-based copy and paste. Google’s copy guidance recommends keyboard shortcuts when browser menus cannot access the clipboard. Do not weaken browser security or install an unknown clipboard extension merely to complete a text paste.
Review wording and structure
Read the pasted text for missing spaces, duplicated headings, changed punctuation, missing reference labels, and line breaks that no longer serve a purpose. Reapply necessary emphasis deliberately, and check whether a list remains a useful list rather than a block of disconnected lines. Inspect text fitting before presenting: plain text can still overflow or trigger automatic shrinking. Keep original source citations and essential qualifiers in the wording even when the visual formatting has been removed.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.