How to Copy and Paste in a Word Document? 4 Easy Steps

In this tutorial, you will learn how to copy and paste in a Word document. This feature is important for copying and pasting content, rearranging paragraphs, or moving data from one document to another document. Whether you’re working on a report, assignment, or any professional document, learning the copy-paste function can significantly boost your skill.

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to copy and paste in Word documents easily.

How to Copy and Paste in a Word Document?

Step 1: Open Your Document
Launch Microsoft Word and open the document (or a blank document) where you want to copy and paste content.

Step 2: Select the Text or Object
Use your mouse to click and drag over the text or object you want to copy. You can also use the keyboard by holding Shift and pressing the arrow keys to select content.

Step 3: Copy the Selected Content
Two methods are used to copy the selected text.

• Press Ctrl + C on your keyboard.
• OR, right-click on the selected text and choose Copy from the context menu.

Step 4: Place the Cursor Where You Want to Paste
Click in the document where you want to paste (insert) the copied content. Two methods are used.

• Press Ctrl + V on your keyboard.
• OR, right-click and select Paste from the menu.

Types of Paste Formatting Options:

Microsoft Word allows you to copy and paste text with formatting options to make editing and organizing content more efficient. The three Paste Options icons may appear in a dialog box.

• Keep Source Formatting
• Merge Formatting
• Keep Text Only

1- Past as Keep Source Formatting in Word:

Keep Source Formatting is a paste option in Microsoft Word that retains the original style and appearance of the text or object you copied. When you choose this option, Word keeps the font type, size, color, bold/italic settings, and any other formatting exactly as it was in the source (original location).

This option is useful when you’re copying content from one document to another and want the pasted text to look the same as you copied—irrespective of the formatting used in the new document.

Example:
If you copy bold, red text written in “Calibri 14pt” from Document A and paste it into Document B using “Keep Source Formatting,” it will remain bold, red, and in “Calibri 14pt,” even if Document B is using a different font style like “Times New Roman”.

2- Past as Merge Formatting in Word:

Merge Formatting is a paste option in Microsoft Word that combines the formatting of the copied text with the formatting of the destination (where you’re pasting it). This means that the font style, size, and color will adapt to match the document you’re pasting into, while basic formatting like bold, italics, or underlining is preserved.

This option is useful when you want the pasted text to blend in with the surrounding content so your document looks consistent and professional.

Example:
If you copy bold, blue text from Document A that uses “Arial 16pt” and paste it into Document B that uses “Calibri 12pt” using Merge Formatting, the pasted text will appear in Calibri 12pt (matching the destination) but will still be bold and blue if that styling was present in the original.

3- Past as Picture in Word:

The Picture paste option in Microsoft Word allows you to paste the copied content as an image instead of editable text or objects. When you choose this option, Word converts the selected text, table, chart, or other content into a static picture format.

This is useful when you want to preserve the exact appearance of the content—including fonts, spacing, and formatting—without allowing further edits to the text itself.

Key Features:

• The pasted content becomes a non-editable image.
• You can resize, move, or apply picture formatting (e.g., borders, shadows).
• It helps prevent accidental changes or formatting shifts.

Example:
If you copy a styled table or a block of formatted text and paste it as a Picture, it will appear exactly as it looked, but you won’t be able to edit the text—it behaves like a photo inside your document.

4- Paste as Keep Text Only in Word:

Keep Text Only is a paste option in Microsoft Word that removes all original formatting from the copied content and pastes it as plain text. When you choose this option, the text will automatically adopt the formatting (font, size, color, style) of the destination document where you paste it.

This is the best choice when you want your pasted content to match the rest of your document exactly, without any extra styles, colors, or layouts carried over from the source.

Example:
If you copy italic, red text in “Georgia 14pt” from another document and paste it using Keep Text Only into a document using “Calibri 12pt” with black font, the text will appear as plain black text in Calibri 12pt, losing all italics, color, and font style.

Q&A:

Q: How to copy and paste in a Word document and keep formatting?
Ans: Use the Keep Source Formatting option while pasting the text.

Q: How to copy and paste in a Word document using a keyboard?
Ans: For copying, press Ctrl + C, and for pasting, use Ctrl + V on the keyboard.

Q: How to copy and paste a PDF file to a Word document?
Ans: PDF files have two characteristics. One provides the opportunity of copying text, while the other does not have the opportunity to copy text from the PDF document.
The file, which provides the opportunity of copying text, can be copied and pasted into a Word document. Simply copy content and paste.

Q: How to copy and paste a signature into a Word document?
Ans: Simply copy the signature and paste it into a Word document.