When you copy text from a web page, email, or another document and paste it into Word, the original formatting often comes along. Fonts, colors, sizes, and hyperlinks can clutter your document and force you to waste time cleaning up. Word includes several built-in methods to paste only the plain text, stripping all source formatting. This article explains the fastest keyboard shortcut, the Paste Options menu, and a default setting change so you never paste formatted text again.
Key Takeaways: Paste Plain Text Without Formatting in Word
- Ctrl+Shift+V: Pastes text without any formatting in Word 2021 and Microsoft 365.
- Right-click > Keep Text Only: The Paste Options button appears after pasting and lets you undo formatting.
- File > Options > Advanced > Cut, copy, and paste > Pasting from other programs > Keep Text Only: Changes the default paste behavior to plain text for all pastes.
How Word Handles Formatted vs. Plain Text Pasting
When you copy text to the clipboard, Word stores both the text and its formatting information. The formatting includes font family, size, color, bold, italic, underline, paragraph spacing, bullet styles, and hyperlinks. By default, Word pastes all of this formatting to preserve the original look of the content.
Plain text pasting discards all formatting attributes and inserts only the raw characters. The pasted text inherits the formatting of the surrounding paragraph in your current document. This is useful when you want to merge content from different sources without having to reformat each piece manually.
Word provides three main ways to achieve plain text pasting: a keyboard shortcut, a right-click menu option, and a global setting change. Each method works slightly differently depending on your Word version and whether you are pasting from inside Word or from an external application.
Steps to Paste Without Formatting in Word
Method 1: Use the Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl+Shift+V
- Copy the source text to the clipboard
Select the text from a web page, email, PDF, or another document. Press Ctrl+C or right-click and choose Copy. - Place your cursor in the Word document
Click the exact location where you want the text to appear. - Press Ctrl+Shift+V
Word pastes the text without any formatting. The pasted content uses the font, size, and style of the paragraph where you inserted it.
This shortcut works in Word 2021 and Word for Microsoft 365. In older versions such as Word 2016 or Word 2019, Ctrl+Shift+V may not be available. For those versions, use Method 2 or Method 3.
Method 2: Use the Paste Options Menu
- Copy the source text
Press Ctrl+C or right-click and select Copy. - Right-click where you want to paste in Word
A context menu appears with several paste icons under Paste Options. - Click the Keep Text Only icon
The icon looks like a clipboard with the letter A. Word inserts the text without formatting.
After pasting, a small Paste Options button appears near the pasted text. You can click it and choose Keep Text Only to remove formatting if you accidentally pasted with formatting.
Method 3: Change the Default Paste Setting to Always Use Plain Text
- Open Word Options
Click File > Options. - Go to the Advanced tab
In the left pane, click Advanced. - Find the Cut, copy, and paste section
Scroll down about halfway through the Advanced options list. - Change the setting for Pasting from other programs
Click the dropdown next to Pasting from other programs and select Keep Text Only. - Change other paste settings if needed
You can also set Pasting within the same document and Pasting between documents to Keep Text Only if you prefer. - Click OK
Word saves the new default. From now on, every paste from an external source will strip formatting.
This method changes the global behavior for all documents. If you later need to paste formatted text temporarily, use the Paste Options button after pasting and choose Keep Source Formatting.
Common Problems When Pasting Plain Text in Word
The Ctrl+Shift+V Shortcut Does Nothing
If Ctrl+Shift+V has no effect, you are likely using Word 2016, Word 2019, or an earlier version. These versions do not support that shortcut. Use the right-click menu or change the default paste setting in File > Options to achieve plain text pasting.
Pasted Text Still Shows Formatting After Changing Defaults
The default paste setting applies only to new pastes. If you already pasted the text before changing the setting, the formatting remains. Delete the formatted text and paste it again. Also verify that you changed the correct dropdown: Pasting from other programs controls text from outside Word.
Hyperlinks Are Still Active in Plain Text Paste
When you paste plain text from a web browser, Word may still convert web addresses into clickable hyperlinks. This is controlled by Word’s AutoCorrect settings. To disable this, go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type tab and uncheck Internet and network paths with hyperlinks.
Bullet or Numbered List Formatting Persists
Plain text pasting removes font formatting but may preserve list indentation and bullet characters. To remove list formatting, select the pasted text and click the Bullets or Numbering button in the Home tab to toggle the list off.
Paste Special Dialog: Alternative to Plain Text Pasting
| Item | Ctrl+Shift+V | Paste Special > Unformatted Text |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Word 2021 and Microsoft 365 only | All Word versions |
| Steps to use | One key combination | Alt+Ctrl+V, then select Unformatted Text, then press Enter |
| Formatting removed | All formatting, including fonts, colors, and hyperlinks | Same as plain text, but preserves line breaks and paragraph marks |
| Best for | Quick pastes from any source | When you need to choose between multiple paste formats |
The Paste Special dialog offers more control. Press Alt+Ctrl+V after copying text. In the dialog, select Unformatted Text and click OK. This works in all Word versions and is useful when you want to see all available paste formats before choosing.
You can now paste any text into Word without worrying about unwanted formatting. Start by using Ctrl+Shift+V for the fastest method. If that shortcut is not available, change the default paste behavior in File > Options to Keep Text Only. For complete control, use the Paste Special dialog with Alt+Ctrl+V and select Unformatted Text. This approach keeps your documents clean and consistent regardless of where the content comes from.