DeGPT
·6 min read

How to Copy from ChatGPT to Outlook Without Formatting Issues

Stop sending emails with broken bullets, random bold text, and obvious AI formatting. Here's how to make ChatGPT output look professional in Outlook.

You draft the perfect email in ChatGPT. You copy it. You paste it into Outlook. And then...

You see:

  • Bullets that turn into weird dashes or symbols
  • Random bold or italic text that doesn't match your email style
  • Spacing that looks off—too much here, too little there
  • That unmistakable "AI wrote this" feel that recipients notice

This guide covers:

  • Why ChatGPT text looks strange in Outlook
  • Manual workarounds (slow but free)
  • The one-click fix with the DeGPT Chrome extension

Skip the manual work

Install the DeGPT Chrome extension and clean ChatGPT text with one click—right inside ChatGPT.

Add to Chrome

Why ChatGPT text looks wrong in Outlook

When you copy from ChatGPT, you're not just copying visible text. You're copying:

  • Hidden HTML formatting that Outlook interprets differently than browsers
  • Markdown characters like asterisks for bold that may or may not convert properly
  • Special Unicode characters for bullets that Outlook replaces with its own symbols
  • Inconsistent spacing from how ChatGPT renders paragraphs

Outlook (especially the desktop version) has its own ideas about how text should look. When it encounters ChatGPT's formatting, it often:

  • Converts bullets to the wrong symbol
  • Adds extra line breaks between paragraphs
  • Changes fonts mid-paragraph
  • Keeps markdown asterisks visible instead of making text bold

Method 1 – Paste as plain text in Outlook

The safest manual method is to strip all formatting before it hits Outlook.

Step 1 – Copy from ChatGPT

  • Select the text you want
  • Press Ctrl + C

Step 2 – Paste without formatting in Outlook

In Outlook, use one of these methods:

  • Ctrl + Shift + V (if your Outlook version supports it)
  • Right-click → Keep Text Only
  • Home tab → Paste dropdown → Keep Text Only

Downside: You lose all formatting—bullets, bold, headings. You'll need to re-add these manually, which defeats some of the time savings of using ChatGPT.

Method 2 – Copy to Notepad first, then to Outlook

A classic workaround that guarantees clean text:

  1. Copy from ChatGPT
  2. Paste into Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit in plain text mode (Mac)
  3. Copy from Notepad
  4. Paste into Outlook

This strips all hidden formatting. But like Method 1, you lose bullets and structure.

When this works: Short replies, quick messages where formatting doesn't matter. Not great for structured content with lists.

Method 3 – Use DeGPT for professional, paste-ready emails

If you send multiple emails per day using ChatGPT, you need something faster that keeps your formatting intact.

DeGPT cleans AI-generated text so it looks professional and pastes cleanly into Outlook.

Option A: Use the Chrome Extension (Fastest)

  1. Install the DeGPT Chrome extension
  2. In ChatGPT, click the DeGPT button that appears on any response
  3. Choose your cleaning options (fix bullets, strip markdown, remove AI tells)
  4. Click copy—paste directly into Outlook

No switching tabs. No extra steps. Works directly inside ChatGPT.

Option B: Use degpt.app

  1. Copy your text from ChatGPT
  2. Go to degpt.app
  3. Paste and select your cleaning options
  4. Copy the cleaned version into Outlook

What DeGPT fixes for Outlook emails:

  • ✅ Converts markdown to clean plain text (or proper formatting)
  • ✅ Normalises bullets so they paste correctly
  • ✅ Removes excessive spacing
  • ✅ Strips "AI tells"—phrases that scream "this was written by ChatGPT"
  • ✅ Optionally hides emails, phone numbers, and names (PII) before sharing

Why this matters for professional emails

Your colleagues and clients can often tell when an email was written by AI. Common giveaways:

  • Overly formal language ("I hope this email finds you well")
  • Bullet points that don't match the rest of your email style
  • Visible markdown formatting (asterisks, underscores)
  • Inconsistent spacing and structure

Using DeGPT before pasting helps your emails look like you actually wrote them—because you did, with AI assistance, properly cleaned up.

Which method should you use?

Use plain text paste if:

  • You rarely use ChatGPT for emails
  • You don't need bullets or formatting
  • You're happy to reformat manually

Use the Notepad method if:

  • You want a quick, tool-free option
  • The email is short and unstructured

Use DeGPT if:

  • You send multiple AI-assisted emails per day
  • You need to keep bullets, structure, and formatting intact
  • You want emails that don't look AI-generated
  • You work in a professional environment where quality matters

Next steps

Install Chrome ExtensionTry DeGPT Online →