How to Properly Copy and Paste Text Into WordPress

November 28, 2017 | By Jeff | In Tips & Advice

WordPress is a very powerful content management and blogging platform, but there are many features that some people are not aware of.  When it comes to copying and pasting text into a blog or page post, I’ve noticed that many people do it incorrectly.  Specifically, what I’m referring to is when you copy text from a Microsoft Word document, a Google Docs document, or a webpage and paste it into the visual editor.  Not many people are aware of this, but when you just copy and paste like this, WordPress will also carry over all the HTML from where you copied it from.  A lot of times this just makes it easier to keep the formatting from the source, but in many instances, you are carrying over superfluous, unnecessary, and sometimes detrimental code.

WordPress Pastes HTML by Default

Sometimes when you copy and paste text directly from a website, you will carry over html tags and styles that you don’t need for your site.  Sometimes this code might be even related to ads on the page and your text might come out looking strange.  Just have a look at the “Text” tab on the upper right in the text editor.  Too much added HTML might mess with the format of your text.  You should probably consider pasting as “plain text” instead.

How To Paste As Plain Text In WordPress

If you are having trouble with irrelevant HTML getting pasted to your posts and messing up the format, what you need to do is click the “Toolbar Toggle” button on the upper right on the text editor.  This is often referred to as “The Kitchen Sink”.  What this will do is bring up some extra tools that you can use in the text editor.  The one specifically that you are looking for is the “Paste as Text” button.

Now all you have to do is toggle the “Paste as Text” button.  You will get a message popup warning you that you will no longer post formatted text.  From here on out, as long as this button is toggled on, any text you copy and paste will not include any HTML formatting, however, paragraphs will still be broken up to make things easier.  This is the correct way to copy & paste in WordPress.

If you are in need of any assistance in your blog writing or require any of my services, I offer web design in NJ and all across the country as well.  Please feel free to contact me for a free quote on your project.

Deimos Designs is a Monmouth County NJ SEO & web design company. If you'd like a free consultation, click here.