When I copy and paste or cut and paste text from Word to PowerPoint, I get an error message that says "We're sorry. Something went wrong that might make PowerPoint unstable. Please save your presentations and restart PowerPoint." It is Microsoft 365 and PowerPoint version 2411 (Build 18227.20046 Click-to-Run) It is only text from Word. Text from other sources work fine. It is only text. Images can be copied and pasted with no problem. It is text of all sizes, including just one word from a brand-new doc. I've tried: Restarting PowerPoint Restarting Word Restarting the computer Restarting PowerPoint in Safe Mode I've tried text from different Word documents, including new docs I've just created for this purpose I've tried text with just one word, and text with a lot of words I've tried adding a new user and doing it from that user's account (same computer though)

I've posted this on the link provided by Marcus. Distressing that Microsoft isn't investigating and correcting this problem.

I've had the same problem with Office 2019 (click to run) since September. [Is it possible, it's only a click-to-run problem??] When I try to copy Word text to PowerPoint, an error message appears. It's not PowerPoint's fault, though, as I can copy text/graphics from all other programs to PowerPoint. It's also not possible to copy Word text to OpenOffice 4. This means that something in the Word clipboard isn't working. What I've already tried: Reinstalled Office 2019 --> no success Deleted this registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office --> It worked for two days, then the error came back (a friend also has the same problem and the error came back after a short while after deleting this registry key). Started Word in Safe Mode --> that works, copying is possible again. I then restarted Word without add-ons --> the error reappeared, it's not the add-ons. There are many internet sites where the error has been reported, but Microsoft hasn't added it to its to-do list yet, probably because it doesn't occur on all devices. Interestingly, it affects the entire Office product family. I know users with Office 2016 who have the error, as well as with 2019 and Office 365. Anyone who has the error, please post here to bring it to MS's attention: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/c85d63b1-b1ee-ef11-a4dd-7c1e52c1c6b2

There is a thread of probably the same issue, closed without solution: Copying from Word does not retain text/html type - shows 'Empty String' Also seems to be the same case in this unresolved November post here: Pasting from Word no longer carries over format The bug is still present in M365 version 2502 (build: 18526.20168 click-to-run)

Same here. Since the end of 2024. It is a wider issue than just PowerPoint. Basically, any formatted text copied from Word to the clipboard seems to be corrupted (text/html is a blank string) and that causes the error. On the other hand, the formatted text can be pasted as PLAIN TEXT to all applications, including PowerPoint, Excel, Gmail in Firefox. By that way, however, we loose formatting like hyperlinks, styles, tables, etc. Neither resetting (deleting) normal.dotm nor repairing/reinstalling M365 does not help. However, when I start WORD in SAFE MODE, the copy function works perfectly, with full formatting, no error message in PowerPoint. Note, I have no more addons (COM or startup) in Word, so this potential cause can be excluded.

Thanks for your response. Yes, I can paste plain text, but I've been using PPT for years and have never before had this issue.

Pasting from Word to PowerPoint is causing an error message

Anonymous

When I copy and paste or cut and paste text from Word to PowerPoint, I get an error message that says "We're sorry. Something went wrong that might make PowerPoint unstable. Please save your presentations and restart PowerPoint."

It is Microsoft 365 and PowerPoint version 2411 (Build 18227.20046 Click-to-Run)
It is only text from Word. Text from other sources work fine.
It is only text. Images can be copied and pasted with no problem.
It is text of all sizes, including just one word from a brand-new doc.

I've tried:

Restarting PowerPoint
Restarting Word
Restarting the computer
Restarting PowerPoint in Safe Mode
I've tried text from different Word documents, including new docs I've just created for this purpose
I've tried text with just one word, and text with a lot of words
I've tried adding a new user and doing it from that user's account (same computer though)

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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24 answers

Anonymous

2025-03-25T15:40:55+00:00

I've posted this on the link provided by Marcus. Distressing that Microsoft isn't investigating and correcting this problem.
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Anonymous

2025-03-25T15:20:43+00:00

I've had the same problem with Office 2019 (click to run) since September. [Is it possible, it's only a click-to-run problem??]

When I try to copy Word text to PowerPoint, an error message appears. It's not PowerPoint's fault, though, as I can copy text/graphics from all other programs to PowerPoint. It's also not possible to copy Word text to OpenOffice 4. This means that something in the Word clipboard isn't working.

What I've already tried:

Reinstalled Office 2019 --> no success

Deleted this registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office
--> It worked for two days, then the error came back (a friend also has the same problem and the error came back after a short while after deleting this registry key).

Started Word in Safe Mode --> that works, copying is possible again. I then restarted Word without add-ons --> the error reappeared, it's not the add-ons.

There are many internet sites where the error has been reported, but Microsoft hasn't added it to its to-do list yet, probably because it doesn't occur on all devices. Interestingly, it affects the entire Office product family. I know users with Office 2016 who have the error, as well as with 2019 and Office 365.

Anyone who has the error, please post here to bring it to MS's attention: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/c85d63b1-b1ee-ef11-a4dd-7c1e52c1c6b2
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2025-03-25T14:51:59+00:00

There is a thread of probably the same issue, closed without solution: Copying from Word does not retain text/html type - shows 'Empty String'

Also seems to be the same case in this unresolved November post here: Pasting from Word no longer carries over format

The bug is still present in M365 version 2502 (build: 18526.20168 click-to-run)
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Anonymous

2025-03-25T14:29:24+00:00

Same here. Since the end of 2024.

It is a wider issue than just PowerPoint. Basically, any formatted text copied from Word to the clipboard seems to be corrupted (text/html is a blank string) and that causes the error. On the other hand, the formatted text can be pasted as PLAIN TEXT to all applications, including PowerPoint, Excel, Gmail in Firefox. By that way, however, we loose formatting like hyperlinks, styles, tables, etc.

Neither resetting (deleting) normal.dotm nor repairing/reinstalling M365 does not help. However, when I start WORD in SAFE MODE, the copy function works perfectly, with full formatting, no error message in PowerPoint. Note, I have no more addons (COM or startup) in Word, so this potential cause can be excluded.
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Anonymous

2025-03-24T23:58:18+00:00

Thanks for your response. Yes, I can paste plain text, but I've been using PPT for years and have never before had this issue.
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