How to Clear Formatting in Word (and Paste Without Formatting)
Text copied from a website or email often brings strange fonts, colours, background shading and spacing with it. Instead of fixing each bit, clear the formatting and start fresh.
Quick reference
| What you want | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Clear font formatting | Ctrl + Space |
| Clear paragraph formatting | Ctrl + Q |
| Back to Normal style | Ctrl + Shift + N |
| Paste as plain text | Ctrl + Shift + V |
1. Clear All Formatting
1. Select the text (or Ctrl + A for everything).
2. On the Home tab, click Clear All Formatting — the letter A with a pink eraser.
2. On the Home tab, click Clear All Formatting — the letter A with a pink eraser.
The text goes back to the Normal style: default font, size and spacing. Headings also turn back into normal text, so reapply them afterwards.
2. Keyboard shortcuts
• Ctrl + Space — removes font formatting (bold, colour, font) but keeps paragraph settings.
• Ctrl + Q — removes paragraph formatting (indents, alignment, spacing) but keeps the font.
• Ctrl + Shift + N — applies the Normal style.
• Ctrl + Q — removes paragraph formatting (indents, alignment, spacing) but keeps the font.
• Ctrl + Shift + N — applies the Normal style.
3. Paste without formatting
Stop the mess getting in to start with:
• Right-click where you want to paste and choose the Keep Text Only icon (a clipboard with an A).
• Or press Ctrl + Shift + V in Microsoft 365 to paste as plain text.
• Or paste normally, then click the small (Ctrl) box that appears and choose Keep Text Only.
• Or press Ctrl + Shift + V in Microsoft 365 to paste as plain text.
• Or paste normally, then click the small (Ctrl) box that appears and choose Keep Text Only.
4. Make plain text the default paste
1. Go to File → Options → Advanced.
2. Under Cut, copy, and paste, set Pasting from other programs to Keep Text Only.
3. Click OK.
2. Under Cut, copy, and paste, set Pasting from other programs to Keep Text Only.
3. Click OK.
5. Get rid of stubborn highlighting and shading
• Highlighting isn't removed by Clear All Formatting. Use Home → Text Highlight Colour → No Colour.
• Background shading from websites: Home → Shading → No Colour, or Home → Borders → Borders and Shading → Shading → No Colour.
• Background shading from websites: Home → Shading → No Colour, or Home → Borders → Borders and Shading → Shading → No Colour.
Troubleshooting
My headings disappeared. Clear All Formatting also clears styles. Select each heading and click Heading 1 or Heading 2 again.
Ctrl + Shift + V doesn't work. It needs Microsoft 365. Use right-click → Keep Text Only instead.
Wrapping up
Select the messy text and click the eraser A. Better still, paste with Keep Text Only and it never gets messy.
