TypeThem
Concept · Guide

Copy Paste Not Working Troubleshooting

Updated 17 Aug 2026 · by SKK · 3 platforms covered
1-minute answer

If copy-paste isn't inserting a character, it's almost always the destination field rejecting the character (input validation) or the clipboard permission being blocked — rarely the character itself.

01 Step by step, per platform

A real, followable procedure for every platform — not a thin restatement of the shortcut.

Nothing pastes at all

  1. Check your browser hasn't blocked clipboard access for that site (look for a permission icon in the address bar).
  2. Try Ctrl+V / Cmd+V explicitly rather than a right-click menu, which some sites intercept.

Character pastes as a box or ?

  1. The destination font doesn't include that character ("tofu" box) — this is a font problem, not a paste problem. The character itself is fine.

Field strips the character silently

  1. Many forms (usernames, filenames) intentionally filter to ASCII-only for compatibility — this is deliberate input validation, not a bug.

02 FAQ

Why does the character work on my site but not in an email client?

Some older email clients or plain-text email modes don't render full Unicode. Switch to HTML/rich-text mode in the email client, or check the recipient's client if it's on their end.

Copied to clipboard