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11
When I paste text into an email in Outlook, the following prompt hovers near the text:
Based on the hint, instead of clicking on the button with the mouse, it looks like I should be able to press Ctrl+T. But if I do that, it indents the paragraph.
So what key combination will keep the text only?
Rich Bennema
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 1 063
52
I figured it out. It isn't Ctrl+T, it is Ctrl, T (as in press and release Ctrl, then press T).
So, the pattern to paste as text only is: Ctrl+V, Ctrl, T.
Rich Bennema
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 1 063
10
Another option is Alt+H+V+T (i.e., keeping Alt pressed until after you press T).
martinpolley
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 101
4You only need to keep Alt depressed while pressing H. Then you can release Alt and press V-T. This is typical for Office and many other Windows programs. – sancho.s Reinstate Monica – 2015-01-09T14:42:26.910
Works like a charm thanks! (in Outlook 2019 there is no need to keep holdint Alt! Just pressing Alt, H, V, T in that order works for me too) +1 thanks! – Sam – 2019-10-14T06:56:21.603
6
There is an option with a small number of keystrokes, which does not involve an intermediate paste-with-format:
Ctrl+Alt+V, Unformatted text
Taken from an excellent summary of shortcuts.
sancho.s Reinstate Monica
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 2 404
4
For me, this brings up the Paste Special dialog, which either means more keystrokes or using the mouse. In terms of pasting unformatted text directly, I prefer martinpolley's answer. It's one more keystroke, but there is no dialog.
– Rich Bennema – 2015-01-09T13:49:58.590@RichBennema - The downside (for me) about that sequence, as with many others related to accessing the ribbon, is that it has changed from the "standard" shortcuts. For me it is almost set in stone that V is for pasting, and with that one you have go first with H. It's a matter of taste. – sancho.s Reinstate Monica – 2015-01-09T14:46:13.027
5
In Outlook 2016, when you paste, press Ctrl and then click on "Set default paste...":
When pressing Ctrl
Then just select options, that are appropriate for you.
Peter Morávek
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 51
This is the best answer in my opinion. Using "Merge Formatting" works well. When I use the most upvoted answer, if the text I'm pasting contains line breaks, and I'm pasting it into a numbered list; this would put it as several list items. Using this instead makes it go into 1 list item. Thanks! – Danny Beckett – 2016-10-16T06:16:26.013
1
I think I've found a great solution which makes it as good as the one I had in Word 2003 etc. Back then you had to create a macro. I called it 'pasteunformatted' and assign a shortcut key (I used Ctrl+T).
If you go Customize ribbon > Check 'developer' box to open up that tab, OK. Then select it.
Grab your some text to be copy/pasted from anywhere. This is just to set up the macro.
Click 'Record Macro'. Choose a name. Assign your shortcut key.
Now go Ctrl+V to paste. Then press Ctrl (release) then 't' as described by some users above. Now stop record. You now have a macro that will paste unformatted text as you may have had previously, with the shortcut key you assigned to it.
Hope that helps.
fieldwolf
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 11
This question is about Outlook, not Word. Outlook does not have a Macro Recorder, although some Word macros may be usable in Outlook if you add a reference to the Word object model. – Amit Naidu – 2016-02-29T16:11:01.063
1
As mentioned in the list of the keyboard shortcuts in the Outlook Help page:
Ctrl+v then Ctrl+SPACE seems a reasonable solution that gives a way to apply the current format of the mail you're writing to the text you paste. An alternative is Ctrl+v then Ctrl+Shift+z which removes any format.
Ben
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 19
These shortcuts don't do anything special. They just insert the formatted text. – Jack Miller – 2017-08-08T07:44:35.047
1
CTRL+V+SPACE worked for me.
But I found a definitive solution on another web site, just by changing my default paste settings. Here are the instructions.
I hope that it works for you.
Luis Arellano
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 19
In Outlook 2013 I have set every default paste setting to "Keep Text Only" and it does not honor the settings unless you also keep the option enabled to "Show Paste Options button when content is pasted."
– Elaskanator – 2019-07-18T14:04:53.3230
I've also found that you can simply right-click and press 'T'.
twerth5000
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 1
0
I am not sure whether this is the answer you are looking for. I have disabled the show paste options ( options --> Mail --> uncheck show paste options when content is pasted into a message) Just using Ctrl+V to paste
Hira
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 41
Warning: If you disable that setting, then your default paste options are ignored.
– Elaskanator – 2019-07-18T14:09:41.4300
With show paste options disabled you can press Menu, Ctrl, T, Enter.
The "Menu" key gives the right-click menu. It’s between Alt and Ctrl, to the right of space on my keyboard.
JonDoig
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 1
-1
I was looking for an answer that works in Microsoft Word for Mac. I tried all the answers and none of them worked. Here is the procedure that worked for me:
1- Copy a sample piece of text to the clipboard.
2- View > Macros > Choose Record Macro...
It will open a new window.
3- Click the "Keyboard" button in the new window.
4- Press Ctrl + h (or whatever combination of buttons that you prefer.)
5- Click the "OK" button.
6- Use Ctrl + v to paste the copied text to somewhere in your document.
7- Using your mouse, choose paste options, and click on "Keep Text Only".
8- View > Macros > Stop Recording
From now on, whenever you want to paste anything with the "Keep Text Only," instead of Ctrl + v, you can just press Ctrl + h (or whatever combination of buttons that you prefer.)
user2521204
Posted 2011-10-05T15:29:19.770
Reputation: 99
1Even if it works, it is odd that you first paste with format, and then "retreat" the format. It is not: 1) the way usually "paste-as-text" works, 2) a desirable way (something may happen in between, and you are left with a formatted paste). I wonder if there is another option. – sancho.s Reinstate Monica – 2015-01-09T09:42:26.570
1
... there is another option, see this answer.
– sancho.s Reinstate Monica – 2015-01-09T09:50:48.747Alternatives for pasting unformatted text are appreciated, but you might be missing the point of the question. Unless it's disabled, Outlook pops up Paste Options, even using your alternative. What I wanted to know was how to use the keyboard shortcuts for those Paste Options. The keys are displayed visually, but, to me, the combination is not obvious.
– Rich Bennema – 2015-01-09T13:57:47.617Thank you.. this is not just for Outlook, but all office programs where they have a paste option works. Once you are used to pressing
Ctrlsoon after pasting (i.e.Ctrl+Vdepress and pressCtrlagain) you will get used to it. The popup we get also gives option to paste as images, merge formatting etc. If your day job demands doing the same paste operation (e.g. pasting 30 slides into a word document as images) this sequence provides nice option. – Adarsha – 2019-07-11T02:55:10.453@sancho.sReinstateMonica This is Microsoft's way of thinking. :) – toddwz – 2019-11-20T15:59:06.470