Text automatic convert to outline when copy and paste.

[Tamir2005]

Hi, When I copy and paste text as paragraph the text converts automatically to outline!

I use illustrator 24.0.3 on Mac Platform.

Does anyone have any idea where this thing came from?

Thanks.

[Monika Gause]

If the obvious settings in Preferences > File Handling & Clipboard are all usual,

could you check if there are any extensions in place that interfere with the clipboard?

This can be general Mac system extensions, but also some borwser plugins.

Also: you don't copy and paste text from InDesign?

[Tamir2005]

Hi Monika,

Thanks for your reply.

When I copy the text from Indesign to Illustrator I received Win. with:

"Adobe illustrator the document contains PDF objects that have been reinterpreted"

"To preserve appearance, some text has been outlined"

When I copy and place in Indesign it's work OK.

[Ton Frederiks]

Copy and paste between InDesign and Illustrator ould be better.

Ligatures from InDesign can cause outlines in Illustrator.

Try to turn off Ligatures in InDesign before copy.

Or copy the text with the Text tool instead of the text frame with the selection tool.

Or try to use a CC library to exchange text.

[Test Screen Name]

This sounds normal. Your original message seemed to say it only happened inside Illustrator (copy from Illustrator, paste to Illustrator). You can't expect to keep everything intact in styles and detail between different apps. 

[Tamir2005]

Maybe it's normal between Indesign to Illustrator.

But copy and paste text in illustrator it's converted automatically, I don't remember anything like that!

[Test Screen Name]

So do you get this message if you copy IN ILLUSTRATOR and paste IN ILLUSTRATOR? No InDesign use?

[Tamir2005]

No. Just between Indesign to Illustrator.

My problem is only in illustrator when I copy and paste, the convert to outline automatically.

When I use copy holding the "alt" and drag with the double arrow it as paragraph and not convert to outline

[happie_97]

This is interesting. I tried to replicate and I get the same. Copying and pasting and Alt dragging text from Illustrator to InDesign don't create outlines. I researched this issue and InDesign Secrets wrote an article about it.

They don't list an exact solution but Steve Werner has a workaround.

"Here’s a workaround that may help sometimes with a lot of Illustrator formatting: (1) Save the Illustrator file as PDF, choosing to Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities (you can use the Illustrator Default PDF export preset. (2) If you have Acrobat Standard or Professional, choose File > Save As and select RTF as the format. (3) In InDesign, choose File > Place and turn on the options to retain formatting."

Hopefully, there will be a fix in the future.

[dinar16342420]

This really made me suffer for a while! 

It'll only happen if you copy/paste the text along with a shape as grouped or something. Try to copy/paste only the text and it will be done with no issues.

[dinar16342420]

So basically just ungroup things then, copy/paste

[Salih Orayil]

I had the issue even text is copied alone. I have tried with ungrouping the shapes, but attempt failed. Text is outlined in every case whenever I copy & paste. Alt dragging is a solution

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about your experiences. I would request you to share a few more details like:

• OS and version of Illustrtaor
• Is the issue related to a specific document?
• Could you please share a sample document with us? You can upload it to the Creative Cloud (https://helpx.adobe.com/in/creative-cloud/help/share.html) and share the download link.
• When did this start happening? Are there any recent changes made to your system? For example, any antivirus, system updates, or web extensions installed recently.
• Are there any apps running in the background? If yes, close them one by one and see if that helps resolve the issue?
• Are you using any third-party clipboard tools?
• A small video demonstrating the issue could be really helpful. (Include layer panel)
• Does manually resetting Illustrator Preferences (https://helpx.adobe.com/in/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html) help to resolve the issue?
  Disclaimer: Please note that resetting preferences will remove all the custom settings, and Illustrator will launch with default settings. You can also take a backup of the folders in case you want to. Location is mentioned in the article.

Also, you may try opening the app in Safe Mode (Mac / Windows) and see if you are able to copy-paste text as formatted.

I will be looking forward to your response.

Thanks & Regards,
Anshul Saini

[fatmarker · Accepted solution]

This will be caused by any utility app on your system that enhances the clipboard, such as Clipy or Raycast. Simply quit those apps or add Illustrator to an exclude list if that's offered.

[Lostindream · Accepted solution]

This is exactly, what happened to me. I have closed the Clippy app and everything working normal again. Thank you.

[theDanielJLewis]

I had this same problem and I found that Keyboard Maestro was the culprit. So I went into its Settings ➜ Excluded, and added Illustrator to the "Clipboard History" exclusions.

And then my text objects copied just fine (except the ones grouped with a shape, GRR!).

[Bigwig]

OMG, thank you! I was losing my mind with this and that totally fixed it!

[Lopetz]

For me the bug appeared today without having any clipboard extension running. A Grouped object with text is outlined when copy/paste or cut/paste in Adobe Illustrator 29.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1.1. Btw: Alt & Shift doublicate the same group doesn’t outline the text. See attached video.

[Monika Gause]

A couple of system extensions and third party apps can cause this.

One is named in this thread.

[Lopetz]

thanks. I have closed all third party apps and all extensions, restarted Illustrator but the behaviour remains.

[Monika Gause]

Here is a bug report, which might contain more info: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/45020731-copyin...

You could also search the forum, this happens quite often and people name their culprits.