X

How to copy plain text from Skype

Sometimes you just want the actual message, and not all the additional information in a Skype call.

Nicole Cozma
Nicole Cozma has an affinity for Android apps and devices, but loves technology in general. Based out of the Tampa Bay Area, she enjoys being a spectator to both sunsets and lightning storms.
Nicole Cozma
Skype

If you've ever copied and pasted text from a Skype call or conversation, you've probably noticed that Skype adds a time stamp and some quotation texts to whatever it is you copied. This can be handy for showing someone else exactly who said something and when, but it becomes rather tedious when copying a string to be entered into, say, a search box. If this bothers you, then you're in luck. This additional information is completely optional (albeit on by default) and can be easily disabled from within Skype. Read on to learn how.

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 1: Open the Tools menu from the main Skype window. Select Options from the list that appears.

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 2: View the IM & SMS options by clicking on the button in the left pane.

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 3: Select IM settings from the list under the IM & SMS heading.

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 4: Click on the Show advanced options button in the right pane.

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 5: Under the heading Pressing Ctrl+V will, click on the option labeled Paste message as plain text.

From now on, the text that gets copied to your clipboard will be only the text you select to copy. You can manually add the time stamp by selecting the name and time text from within the chat window.