Many people have discovered the power of using styles to format their documents. The styles allow them to easily and quickly provide a consistent look to their documents. It is possible for styles to become "corrupted" if you copy paragraphs from one document to another. For instance, let's assume that you have a document that is formatted using your well-defined styles. If someone gives you a different document, and you copy paragraphs from their document and paste them in yours, the pasted information doesn't necessarily adopt the styles you created in your document--instead, it retains much of the formatting that existed in the other document.
So how do you make sure that your styles don't become corrupted when you copy and paste information from other documents? The easy answer is to simply paste the information as unformatted text (choose Edit | Paste Special | Unformatted Text).
There are, of course, difficulties that are inherent in using this approach. The biggest problem is that once you paste the information in your document, you will need to go back and format the text using your styles. In addition, if you are copying tables from one document to the other, then you will need to completely redo the tables, in addition to applying styles.
While the reformatting procedure may seem like a lot of work, it is the only way to stop formats from being imported along with the pasted text.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1491) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!
Styles are a powerful component of Word. You use them to determine the way that your text should appear. This tip ...
Discover MoreStyles are a great boon for applying styles in a powerfully consistent manner. How Word applies styles, however, depends ...
Discover MoreYou can easily use regular editing techniques to copy styles from one document to another. Here's how to make quick work ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments