Here's some instructions on how to copy and paste content - using either a mouse or a keyboard - in all of the key work applications when using a Mac.
Like a loyal football fan dedicates their life in support of a team, you may have pledged your allegiance to a certain computing club. Are you Team Mac or Team PC? Devout, unswerving, you stick by them in both the highs and the lows. Switching teams is unspeakable. The thing is, unlike football, there are choices that are out of your control.
Let’s say you have been a hardcore PC user your entire life. You get a new job and to your horror, they use Macs in their office. You are forced to go over to the dark side…! Now on a serious note, it can be really disorientating. For example, all the keyboard shortcuts and tricks you once performed on autopilot are rendered utterly useless. A simple task becomes a perplexing puzzle!
One of those said shortcuts is the ability to copy and paste. Copying and pasting feels like computing 101, right? But if you have never used a mac before, this simple task can become really confusing. It can feel embarrassing confessing this and having to ask someone at work how to do it, especially when you are trying to use initiative and make a good first impression.
Don’t worry - we have got you covered! Below you will find instructions on how to copy and paste content - using either a mouse or a keyboard - in all of the key work applications. We have provided instructions on how to copy and paste without styling/formatting.
For those of you who are new to the concept, when you paste without styling, the content you paste matches the styling of the document you are pasting into rather than retaining the styling of its source. What do we mean by styling? It has the same font, font size, colour, background etc.
It is an incredibly useful tool! For instance, you could be preparing some outbound marketing materials and want to include some testimonials. You copy your clients’ commendations from an independent review site. When you go to paste it into your beautiful presentation, your work of art suddenly goes all awry. The font is completely incongruous, outrageously huge and sports clashing colours! This is where pasting without styling really comes into its own.
On the mac, there is a default keyboard shortcut that allows you to paste content without styling that works on most applications:
- Press ‘Command + Alt + Shift + V’
However, here are some exceptions to the rule as well as the alternative mouse method.
How to paste without styling in Google Docs
How to Paste Without Styling using Keyboard Shortcut:
- Copy the content from another source that you want to paste into your Google Doc.
- Go to your Google Doc.
- Position your cursor where you would like the content to be pasted.
- Press ‘Command + Shift + V’
How to Paste Without Styling using Mouse:
- Copy the content from another source that you want to paste into your Google Doc.
- Go to your Google Doc.
- Position your cursor where you would like the content to be pasted.
- Right Click and select ‘Paste without formatting’
How to paste without styling in Microsoft Word
How to Paste Without Styling using Keyboard Shortcut:
*Use the default keyboard shortcut mentioned above*
- Copy the content from another source that you want to paste into your Word document.
- Go to your Microsoft Word document.
- Position your cursor where you would like the content to be pasted.
- Press ‘Command + Alt + Shift + V’
How to Paste Without Styling using Mouse:
- Copy the content from another source that you want to paste into your Word document.
- Go to your Microsoft Word document.
- Position your cursor where you would like the content to be pasted.
- Right click and select ‘Paste special’
- Select ‘Unformatted Text’ and press ‘OK.’
How to paste without styling in Microsoft Excel
How to Paste Without Styling using Keyboard Shortcut:
- Copy the content from another source that you want to paste into your Excel spreadsheet.
- Go to your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
- Double click the cell where you want to paste your copied information.
- Press ‘Command + V’ to paste.
How to Paste Without Styling using Mouse:
- Copy the content from another source that you want to paste in your Excel spreadsheet.
- Go to your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
- Right click on the cell where you want to paste your copied information.
- Select Paste Special > Paste.
The information will now have been pasted into the cell.
- Click the clipboard icon in the bottom right hand corner of the cell.
- Select ‘Match Destination Formatting.’