You've written the perfect prompt, ChatGPT gave you a great response, and now... you can't copy it. Or it copies but pastes as garbage.
If you're experiencing any of these issues:
- Ctrl+C / Cmd+C doesn't copy anything
- The copy button does nothing
- Text pastes with weird characters or formatting
- Clipboard seems empty after copying
- Text pastes fine in some apps but not others
This guide will help you fix it.
Prevent copy-paste issues
DeGPT cleans ChatGPT output and removes invisible characters that cause paste problems.
Why ChatGPT copy-paste fails
Copy-paste problems with ChatGPT usually fall into two categories:
1. The copy action itself fails
Browser extensions, clipboard permissions, or JavaScript errors prevent the text from reaching your clipboard.
2. The text copies but pastes wrong
The text is copied, but it contains invisible characters, HTML formatting, or markdown that breaks when pasted elsewhere.
The fixes below address both types of problems.
Fix 1 – Use ChatGPT's built-in copy button
Instead of selecting text and pressing Ctrl+C, use ChatGPT's copy button:
- Hover over any ChatGPT response
- Click the clipboard icon in the top-right corner of the response
- You should see a "Copied!" confirmation
Why this helps: The copy button uses ChatGPT's own clipboard API, which is more reliable than browser-based text selection. It also tends to copy cleaner text.
Fix 2 – Check browser extension conflicts
Browser extensions—especially clipboard managers, ad blockers, or privacy tools—can interfere with copy-paste.
To test this:
- Open an incognito/private window (extensions are usually disabled)
- Go to chat.openai.com and log in
- Try copying a response
If it works in incognito, one of your extensions is the problem. Disable them one by one to find the culprit.
Common troublemakers: Clipboard history tools, Grammarly, ad blockers with aggressive settings, and some privacy extensions.
Fix 3 – Clear your clipboard and retry
Sometimes the clipboard gets stuck with corrupted data. Clearing it can help.
Windows
- Press Win + V to open clipboard history
- Click Clear all
- Try copying from ChatGPT again
Mac
- Copy any simple text (like "test") to overwrite the clipboard
- Try copying from ChatGPT again
Alternatively, copy something simple first (a word from another page), then try ChatGPT again.
Fix 4 – Try a different browser
If copy-paste consistently fails in your browser, try another one:
- Chrome – generally the most compatible
- Firefox – good alternative if Chrome has issues
- Edge – works well on Windows
- Safari – can have clipboard quirks on Mac
Also make sure your browser is up to date—old versions can have clipboard bugs.
Fix 5 – Use DeGPT to clean the output
If the problem is that text copies but pastes wrong (weird formatting, invisible characters, broken bullets), the issue is the content itself, not the clipboard.
DeGPT can help by cleaning the output before you paste:
Using DeGPT to fix paste issues
- Install the DeGPT Chrome extension
- In ChatGPT, click the DeGPT button on any response
- Enable "Strip invisible characters" and "Fix formatting"
- Copy the cleaned output
- Paste into your target application
DeGPT removes zero-width spaces, hidden HTML, and other invisible junk that causes paste problems in Word, Google Docs, email, and other apps.
When it's actually a formatting problem
Sometimes "copy-paste not working" really means "it pastes, but it looks wrong." That's a different problem—and we have guides for that:
Quick troubleshooting checklist
- ☐Use ChatGPT's copy button instead of Ctrl+C
- ☐Test in an incognito window
- ☐Clear your clipboard and retry
- ☐Try a different browser
- ☐Use DeGPT to clean the output before pasting
Next steps
- Install the DeGPT Chrome extension to prevent paste issues before they happen
- Try DeGPT online to clean your next ChatGPT output
- Read our Word guide if your issue is formatting, not copying