Notch and clipboard
How to paste without formatting on a Mac
Updated · Applies to macOS 14 and later
Press ⌥⇧⌘V (Option-Shift-Command-V), or choose Edit → Paste and Match Style. The text takes on the font and style of wherever you paste it, instead of keeping the formatting it was copied with.
The shortcut
⌥ ⇧ ⌘ V is Paste and Match Style. The pasted text matches the font, colour, and size around it. It’s also in the Edit menu of apps that support it, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and TextEdit.
Why pasted text keeps its formatting
When you copy, the app puts more than one version on the clipboard: plain text, and usually a formatted version with fonts, colours, and links. The app you paste into uses the richest version it understands. Paste and Match Style asks it to use the plain text instead.
When an app doesn’t have it
- Web apps: many, including Google Docs, paste without formatting with ⇧ ⌘ V.
- Paste into a plain-text place first: paste into the browser’s address bar or a search field, then copy it again. Only the text survives.
- TextEdit: paste into a new document, choose Format → Make Plain Text, then copy it again.
Removing things you can’t see
Plain text can still carry invisible characters, like zero-width spaces that break passwords and searches, and links can carry tracking tags. The clipboard viewer shows every format on your clipboard, marks hidden characters, and copies a clean version.