How to copy and paste as plain text on iOS?

This will work:

1. Select text to be copied
2. in context menu, tap "Copy"
3. Go to insert point
4. Paste using Shift-Option-Command-V (instead of Command-V)

Takes a lot of fingers.

iPadOS 17 put an end to that keyboard shortcut (which I used all. the. time.)

Now I have to copy, open Plain Text, open the target app and paste.

I should have said that the key combination only works with a keyboard.

On the iPhone (without a keyboard) I “Copy” from the context menu and then run this two-action shortcut (which someone else cleverly wrote):

https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/e509d2dc6fc7415bb0d6cf6fd4404cfd

Then “Paste”

Unfortunately does not work for me in the mail app. The text is still formatted after pasting but in slightly different format e.g. now all is bold (original text had only a bold title).

This is indeed very annoying. There is no option to paste text completely unformatted. I struggle again and again to get pasted text formatted in the desired way. Even worse when I try to decrease the font size. Sometimes it gets bigger instead of smaller...

My workaround / solution:

Paste the text into the Notes app. There it is pasted unformatted.

Now you can copy it again and paste it e.g. into a new mail, also unformatted.

So where does one find this “plain text” you speak of. Every time I learn how to do something, Apple decides to challenge that knowledge. They’ve been 10-0 in besting me so far. 🙄

Yes, I use Plain Text. I’d prefer the keyboard shortcut to having to use an extra app dozens of times a day tho.

Thank you LALawyer2 for your tip but this works only on MacOS (as you have written in your separate answer).

The idea for a solution on iOS using an additional shortcut is not bad, but - be honest - quite cumbersome. My workaround to paste copy text firstly in the Notes App (will be pasted unformatted) then copy from there and paste e.g. in a new mail works easier for me.

I paste the copied text into a TextEdit document, then change the format: TextEdit > Make Plain Text. Then I copy that text and paste anywhere. TextEdit is another of the free macOS apps. One aspect of this app is that if you quit it with Command-Q, it closes all the open documents and reopens them next time you open the app. In this way you always have a plain text document available to remove styling on copied text.

Hi there,

There is no option for this in Settings.

Consider submitting this feedback to Apple:

Product Feedback - Apple

You can send Apple a feedback

Product Feedback - Apple

You can use a third party text editor app from the App Store

Notes does not clear all formatting when pasting. Maybe it used to when you posted this (I don’t know). However, LALawyer2’s solution is extremely simple and effective. Just tried it.