How can I copy formatted (HTML) text in Safari?

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Level 1

14 points

How can I copy formatted (HTML) text in Safari?

I need to copy a paragraph that contains hyperlinks from an article I'm reading in Safari and paste the copied text (including the hyperlinks) into the Wordpress editor (which I run in Firefox, FWIW). I cannot find how to keep Safari from stripping out the hyperlinks—and it is not peculiar to Firefox: when I tried to paste the copied text (which included hyperlinks) into Mail, once again the links had been stripped from the text.

Is there any way for the copy in Safari to keep the text?

I'm running OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 on a Macbook Pro and have all updates installed (e.g., for Safari). The dropdown configuration options does not include this OS X option.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1)

Posted on Oct 4, 2015 11:21 AM

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Answer 1

Leisureguy Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 4, 2015 3:24 PM in response to Leisureguy

Oops: I mean "Is there any way for the copy in Safari to keep the hyperlinks AND the text?

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Answer 2

Roote

Level 4

1,631 points

Oct 5, 2015 9:16 PM in response to Leisureguy

This is a Firefox issue. I had no trouble copying text with hyperlinks from Safari, Firefox, and Chrome and pasting with hyperlinks intact into the WordPress visual editor using Safari and Chrome. I was able to copy text with hyperlinks from Firefox and Chrome and paste with hyperlinks intact into the WordPress visual editor using Firefox. However, as you stated, Firefox will accept text with hyperlinks from Safari but will not maintain the hyperlinks. So, simply avoid pasting from Safari into Firefox when using the WordPress editor. For copy --> paste use Safari/Chrome/Firefox --> Safari, Safari/Chrome/Firefox --> Chrome, or Chrome/Firefox --> Firefox.

As for Apple Mail, I also had no issue with hyperlinks copied from Safari. The links may not be clickable when composing in the New Message window, but if you highlight the link text and Control-click, you'll see the link is there. You can also use a three finger tap on a trackpad to see a Quick Look view, or send the Email to yourself.

Control-click in New Message window:

Quick Look in New Message window:

Received Mail message:

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Answer 3

Leisureguy Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 5, 2015 9:52 PM in response to Roote

This is very helpful. I did some experimenting. In each case I pasted into the WordPress Visual Editor:

Text with hyperlinks copied in Chrome:

Pasted in Firefox with Cmd-V: hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Firefox with Edit menu "Paste": "paste" grayed out if you've already pasted, but if you paste right after copy, hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Chrome with Cmd-V: hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Chrome with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Safari with Cmd-V: hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Safari with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Mail with Cmd V: hyperlinks stripped out but font copied

Pasted in Mail with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained and font also copied

Text with hyperlinks copied in Firefox:

Pasted in Firefox with Cmd-V: hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Firefox with Edit menu "Paste": "paste" grayed out if you've already pasted, but if you paste right after copy, hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Chrome with Cmd-V: hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Chrome with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Safari with Cmd-V: hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Safari with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Mail with Cmd V: hyperlinks stripped out but original font retained

Pasted in Mail with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained but default Mail font used

Text with hyperlinks copied in Safari:

Pasted in Firefox with Cmd-V: hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Firefox with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Chrome with Cmd-V: hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Chrome with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained

Pasted in Safari with Cmd-V: hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Safari with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Mail with Cmd V: hyperlinks stripped out

Pasted in Mail with Edit menu "Paste": hyperlinks retained

I confess I do not understand the difference between "Paste" and "Cmd-V" but they do act differently, and of course in some parts of Mail (e.g., the "To" field) Cmd-V does not work at all and you must use "Paste."

It's strange that Firefox won't accept the hyperlinks in Safari-copied text but does fine with Chrome-copied text and Firefox-copied text.

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