How do I paste without formatting in Windows?

Press Ctrl+Shift+V in Chrome, Word, Gmail and most modern apps. Some older apps need Ctrl+Alt+V and then select 'Unformatted Text'.

Why does text copied from a website paste with weird fonts?

Browsers copy the HTML markup of your selection — including fonts, colors, spans and hidden characters. Paste targets that accept rich text keep that markup. A copy-as-clean-text tool strips it before it reaches your clipboard.

How to Copy Clean Text From Any Website (No Formatting, No

Q: How do I paste without formatting on Mac?

Press Cmd+Shift+Option+V to paste as plain text in most Mac apps. Or use the Clean Copy Chrome extension to copy clean text from any website.

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Why selected text pastes with formatting junk

The browser does not copy plain text when you press Ctrl/Cmd+C. It copies the HTML fragment of your selection — every <span>, inline style, font-face declaration and tracking pixel used to render that section on the page.

If the paste target accepts rich formatting (email, Word, Notion, Google Docs, a CMS editor), it keeps that markup. What you see is a messy blend of the source page's design and your document's theme. If you paste into a Markdown editor or AI prompt, the invisible characters can silently corrupt your text.

Paste as plain text shortcuts

Ctrl+Shift+V (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+V/Cmd+Shift+Option+V (Mac) pastes unformatted text in many apps. It works — but only if the app supports it, and you have to remember to use it every time.

Clipboard managers

Tools like Ditto, Maccy or Paste can strip formatting as a rule. They add a clipboard history panel and a margin of convenience, but they sit outside the browser and your workflow.

Browser extensions

A copy-as-clean-text extension like Clean Copy fixes the problem at the source: it converts your selection before it reaches the clipboard. Every paste — anywhere — is clean by default. No shortcuts to remember.

Five ways to copy clean text

1️⃣ Paste-special shortcut (built-in)

Windows: Ctrl+Shift+V — works in Chrome, Word, Gmail, Teams, Slack, VS Code, Obsidian and most modern apps. Ctrl+Alt+V (Paste Special dialog) for older apps.
Mac: Cmd+Shift+V or Cmd+Shift+Option+V depending on the app. Gmail and Word use the four-key combo.
Limitation: Requires manual activation every paste. If you paste 50 times a day, you have to think about formatting 50 times.

2️⃣ Paste as plain text via app setting

Some apps let you set paste-to-match-style as the default. Obsidian has a toggle. VS Code has a setting (editor.pasteAs). Gmail does not. Result: it only works in the apps you configure, and you configure it app by app.

3️⃣ Clipboard manager with format stripping

Tools like Ditto (Windows) or Maccy (Mac) keep a history of copied items and can strip rich formatting on paste. Helpful for power users who copy-paste all day, but an extra app to install and manage.

4️⃣ Clean Copy Chrome extension (recommended)

Clean Copy adds a right-click menu and a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C). Select any text on any website, invoke Clean Copy, and the clipboard receives clean text or Markdown — no matter where you paste next. Runs entirely in the browser, no data sent anywhere, MIT licensed and free.

5️⃣ Clean Copy Web — no install at all

Not on your own computer? Clean Copy Web runs in any browser: paste messy text or HTML, copy back clean Markdown or plain text. Nothing is uploaded. Prefer zero setup on your own browser? The Clean Copy bookmarklet adds one-click clean copying to your bookmarks bar — no extension needed. dansk version →

Install Clean Copy in 30 seconds

Install Clean Copy — free — takes under a minute.
Select text → right-click → Clean Copy → Markdown or clean text.

Or press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C to copy selected text as Markdown immediately. Install guide on the Clean Copy page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I paste without formatting on Mac?

Cmd+Shift+Option+V pastes as plain text in most Mac apps. Cmd+Shift+V also works in many. The Clean Copy Chrome extension removes the need entirely — copy cleanly once, paste anywhere.

Why does copied text have weird fonts and sizes?

You copied the page's HTML markup. The browser transferred every style rule that the page used. Use Clean Copy to strip the markup before it reaches your clipboard.

Does Clean Copy work in Word or Google Docs?

Clean Copy writes clean text or Markdown to your clipboard. When you then paste into Word or Google Docs, the text arrives clean — no styles, no font changes, no smart quotes. Works universally because it operates at the clipboard level.

Get Clean Copy free → Copy as Markdown guide →

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Dansk version: Kopiér ren tekst fra enhver hjemmeside