Ah okay. I don't know if you saw some previous conversations in this thread. 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.
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macOS Quick Tip: Copy and Paste Text Without Formatting
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If you're a Mac user with a Windows PC background, you'll probably know how to use the typical copy and paste commands in macOS. But there's a handy clipboard trick that's worth keeping in mind.
In Windows, the Copy and Paste key combinations are Control-C and Control-V, respectively. On the Mac, it's very similar – all you do is use the Command (⌘) key instead of Control.
But did you know that you can also paste text without its original formatting? Not knowing that this is possible on a Mac, many users paste text into a plain-format text editor to strip it of any styling before copying and pasting it again to its intended destination. But you don't have to do that.
If you'd rather directly paste the copied text elsewhere as purely plain text, use the key combination Command-Option-Shift-V and it will be automatically stripped of any formatting.
This is a system-wide shortcut, so you can use it almost anywhere in macOS that accepts text input.
Article Link: macOS Quick Tip: Copy and Paste Text Without Formatting
Now that is a useful tip, thanks!
pasting my web copied test into outlook emails just became a lot easier. Although there is a dedicated 'wipe formatting' button in outlook but this is still easier! 15 years on Mac and I didnt know this. :/
this should be the default setting. or at least changeable in settings. 4 key combination yikes
When's the last time you used windows, you just right click and it gives you the option to paste or paste as plain text. all one hand.
Nice tip, but I believe that learning the correct keyboard shortcut will allow us to use it on any Mac, not only on our own.
I've been known to "wash" text to remove formatting on iOS/iPadOS, by pasting it into Drafts (a text-only notes/scratchpad app, and so much more), and then copying/pasting it from there into another app. I wouldn't recommend Drafts just for that, but i find it exceedingly useful as a way to capture notes quickly, and transform text in all sorts of ways - it's the other app on my Dock on my phone, along with Phone, Messages, and Mail.
I try to keep Windows to an absolute minimum 😛
But I was referring to what I've seen countless Windows users do, so it's them who are missing the right-click options.
Why does this article lean hard into Cmd-X/C/V being a thing for Windows users? I haven't used Windows in decades, and use these all the time on macOS.
I've had success with laying the side of my left thumb across both Command and Option, pinky on the Shift key, for these kinds of combinations, but, yeah, it's inconvenient - I'd rather have the two swapped system-wide (so Cmd-V strips formatting and Cmd-Opt-Shift-V keeps formatting).
i use it this way. "faster", at least for me, than trying to keep FOUR BUTTONS pressed togheter
i use it this way. "faster", at least for me, than trying to keep FOUR BUTTONS pressed togheter
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?
It's not system-wide. Pretty close, though. I wish it were system wide. If every app supported Paste and Match Style, we could swap Paste and Paste and Match Style's beybindings easily.
I’ve had tickets submitted to Apple Engineering since 2016 asking why iOS does not have a format-stripping copy/paste option as most business pros use iOS and since it doesn’t have a proper email macros (or changeable signatures) feature when replying with the same 10 responses most use in any given business, at least wash formatting when using Notes to store canned responses.
Problem is pasting into iOS Mail looks normal while composing but when delivered to various inboxes they read like a ransom note. It’s evident we copy > pasted from various things into one email. Looks like amateur hour. It’s 2025, Apple. Haven’t you purchased enough companies to implement this very basic feature that I’m sure one of them had built in?
(I’ve NEVER gotten a proper response for any of the doz Engineering tickets for various product issues in the last 20 years)
Problem is pasting into iOS Mail looks normal while composing but when delivered to various inboxes they read like a ransom note. It’s evident we copy > pasted from various things into one email. Looks like amateur hour. It’s 2025, Apple. Haven’t you purchased enough companies to implement this very basic feature that I’m sure one of them had built in?
(I’ve NEVER gotten a proper response for any of the doz Engineering tickets for various product issues in the last 20 years)
The first mistake is using TextEdit. Use an actual plaintext editor - there's a ton of good choices - I prefer MacVim.
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.