3 Simple Ways to Preserve Formatting When Using Copy and Paste

PDF download Download Article
Learn how to keep the formatting of your text when you copy and paste it
PDF download Download Article

Do you want to preserve the formatting of text when you copy and paste it? Sometimes copying and pasting the content of a document between programs fails to preserve the formatting you worked so hard on, which can be annoying. This wikiHow article provides step-by-step instructions on how to preserve formatting when copying and pasting text, saving you the annoyance of losing your hard work.

How to Paste with Formatting

  • Use "Paste Special". Depending on your program, this may be under File > Edit > Paste Special, Home > Paste menu > Paste special..., or Edit > Paste Special.
  • If HTML is supported by the programs you are copy/pasting from, enable HTML formatting on both and copy-paste your complex formatting.
  • Save a Word doc as an HTML file by going to File > Save As… and select Web Page (.htm or .html).
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using Paste Special

PDF download Download Article
  1. This will move or copy the data to the clipboard.
  2. Paste Special is a suite of options for formatting pasted text in your destination software. How to access these options will vary depending on the software in use.
    • In Microsoft Office 2007 and later this is located in Home > Paste menu (the arrow underneath the clipboard icon) > Paste Special…
      • In newer versions a small clipboard icon may appear at the end of the text after pasting your text.
    • In OpenOffice this is located in File > Edit > Paste Special.
    • Google Docs has a similar option located in Edit > Paste Special, but it only works for copy/paste within the browser.
    Advertisement
  3. Depending on the software you are using, the options will have different nomenclature. Different options will treat the pasted formatting differently.
    • To retain all formatting from the text, press “Keep Source Formatting” or “HTML Format”
    • To retain only the text formatting, but not pictures, press “Keep Text Only”.
    • If both documents have special formatting, like lists or tables that you want to combine, press “Merge Formatting.” [1]
    • If you have text in an Excel spreadsheet, you can also copy and paste that information.
    • Copying a table from Word ? Use Print Layout to be able to copy the formatted table and paste it somewhere else.
    4. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using HTML Format-Supported Software

PDF download Download Article
  1. Lack of format support is the most common issue for loss of formatting when copying/pasting between web and non-web software.
    • Most modern email clients or office software will enable HTML formatting by default, whether it’s a web client, like Gmail/Google Docs, or a separate piece of software, like Microsoft Word/Outlook.
    • Software that is either very old or very simple, like WordPad, Notepad, or TextEdit will not support HTML format.
  2. It is possible that HTML formatting is supported but has been disabled. You can usually toggle this manually in the options. Enabling this option will vary depending on the client being used. Typically you will want to look for an option labeled “HTML Format” or “Rich Text” in the options section of the client or in the text composition window.
    • For example, formatting options can be toggled in Outlook in Tools > Options > Mail Format.
  3. Once both programs you are copying from and pasting to are using HTML formatting, you can copy/paste formatted text as smoothly as any other text.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Saving the File as HTML

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you do not want to change your word processor and you cannot toggle HTML formatting, then you can still format normally and convert it to an HTML format.
  2. This will convert the formatting to HTML and allow you to copy that formatting when you open it.
    • Go to File > Save As… and select Web Page (.htm or .html) from the “Save As Type” menu. This path may vary depending on the word processor you are using.
  3. The web browser will open a web page with the formatted text. If the file does not open with the browser by default there are two other options:
    • Drag and drop the .html file onto your browser icon.
    • Right-click the .html file, select “Open With…” and select your web browser from the list.
  4. Since the webpage will be HTML formatted, there should be no problem pasting it into your email client with the formatting intact.
    • Trying to email a large Word file? Save it as a PDF so it will reserve the current formatting when you send it to someone else.
    5. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    I am copying stuff from a Word document to an online application form, and it does not preserve the cubic functions and power that are inserted to the numbers. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    It sounds like the online form doesn't support the formatting language used by Microsoft Word to make these symbols. Try another notation such as X^3.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      • Update your web browsing software. Webmail clients tend to suffer when using very old versions of web browsers. It’s easy, free, and more secure!
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      4 Simple Ways to Rotate Text Direction & Position in Word
      How to
      Save a Document in Rich Text Format
      6 Easy Ways to Use Shortcut Keys to Shut Down a Windows PC
      5 Quick Ways to Change Your Desktop Wallpaper on Windows
      How to
      Check Your Mouse DPI on Windows & Mac
      How to
      Bring an Off Screen Window Back on Windows
      6 Simple Ways to Create a .ZIP File from Files or Folders
      How to
      Copy and Paste on Any Device
      4 Easy Ways to Paste Text Using Keyboard Shortcuts
      How to
      Automatically Shut Down Your Computer at a Specified Time
      How to
      Change a File Extension
      3 Easy Ways to Merge Objects in Blender: Step-by-Step
      3 Easy Ways to Customize EXE Program Icons in Windows
      How to
      Copy and Paste a Link
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Paste-Special-e03db6c7-8295-4529-957d-16ac8a778719

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 286,045 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement