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 the same problem since November 2024. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't fix it. Will there be a solution soon? There are many users who have it and also initial workarounds, but they do not restore full functionality. --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVZN1kqMzdM

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

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.

PowerPoint may not be able to parse your formatting in Word. Have you tried pasting as Plain Text ( Home>Paste>Keep Text Only )?

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

2025-02-15T12:22:38+00:00

I've the same problem since November 2024. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't fix it. Will there be a solution soon? There are many users who have it and also initial workarounds, but they do not restore full functionality.

--> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVZN1kqMzdM
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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

2025-03-25T14:29:24+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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John Korchok 236.3K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-03-24T23:43:39+00:00

PowerPoint may not be able to parse your formatting in Word. Have you tried pasting as Plain Text (Home>Paste>Keep Text Only)?
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