When I copy and paste onto an email outlook does not keep source formatting. I have been through so many options screens. How do I keep the source formatting intact?

Anonymous
2023-05-01T15:00:25+00:00

When I copy and paste onto an email outlook does not keep source formatting. I have been through so many options screens. How do I keep the source formatting intact? For instance I'll copy an excel file and paste it and it only come out as plain text . This wasn't an issue until I came into work today.

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Anonymous
2024-05-03T20:05:00+00:00

Hey everyone,

I may have a small workaround that I just discovered. I tested it out twice, but it seems to have worked for me so far, please let me know if you also have success or not. So, I typically copy my messages in color similar to the one displayed by Ornelaks in this thread. I decided (out of random curiosity) to use the copy and paste function within outlook to see if it would paste and keep the color formatting.

The first two tries of using copy and paste, I used the keyboard shortcut and the left click of the mouse. THEN, I used the the copy and paste icon located in the top left corner of outlook to paste it, and VIOLA! It kept all the color in the formatting. I hope this is helpful to you all (until it stops working again), but let me know if this is helpful!

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-07-09T14:57:43+00:00

    I am having this same issue. Formatting not copying over. I schedule up to 100 programs per month and this is 100% crippling my workflow, having to reformat and re-highlight everything on every single email. I cannot even copy/paste within outlook web application and have it transfer over. For example, If I create an email within Outlook online app, copy/paste my template, re-format and re-highlight everything, and then when I paste to another email in the exact same Outlook online app... all the formatting is gone.

    I don't even have access to the paste feature in the toolbar, whether I am in "Format Text" or "Message" options. When I click the Paste button, iut just gives me a pop up of the shortcuts and doesn't paste anything.

    This was not broken a few months ago. This needs to be fixed ASAP. On the brink of quitting this job since the time it takes to complete my daily tasks just got quadrupled because of this. Insanely infuriating.

    Is Microsoft planning on doing anything about this?

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-07-08T14:19:14+00:00

    This is, unfortunately, a purposeful change. I saw this "update" in my email this morning:

    New paste default

    Pasting now merges formatting with the content in your email. To change this, click the paste icon and then Paste as is.

    Why in the world this passed testing and anyone thought it would be a good idea is beyond me. I guarantee that for the majority of people, they rely on copying and pasting while preserving original formatting. I really hope they take feedback and reverse this stupid decision.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-07-07T00:08:22+00:00

    Like you, I was missing the copy/paste icon, too. Then I tried selecting Message or Format text, and it became a selectable option.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-06-28T17:38:55+00:00

    i don't have that feature available. I have to use ctrl + v to paste, it doesn't give me any option otherwise.

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