How to Fix Corrupted Urdu Text When Pasted into Microsoft Word
Question details
The user needs to fix formatting, alignment, and character order issues that occur when pasting Urdu text between documents.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Pasting right-to-left (RTL) Urdu text from a source location into a Microsoft Word document.
- Observed behavior
- The pasted Urdu text appears corrupted, exhibiting reversed character order, broken alignment, missing punctuation, and altered formatting.
Ensure that your operating system has an appropriate Urdu language pack installed and that Right-to-Left (RTL) typing support is enabled before troubleshooting document formatting.
Use the Paste as Plain Text Option
Pasting without the source formatting removes conflicting background styles that usually cause character and alignment corruption in RTL languages.
When copying text between documents, hidden formatting tags are often carried over. Stripping these tags allows the destination document to control how the text is rendered.
Highlight and copy the required Urdu text from your source document.
Right-click in the destination Word document where you want the text to appear. Under 'Paste Options', click the 'Keep Text Only' icon (the clipboard with an 'A').
Select the newly pasted text and click the 'Right-to-Left Text Direction' button in the Paragraph group on the Home tab.
With the text still selected, change the font to a dedicated Urdu typeface (such as Jameel Noori Nastaleeq) from the font dropdown menu.
Run the Microsoft Office Online Repair Tool
If pasting as plain text does not resolve the issue, repairing the Office installation can fix underlying software glitches causing text rendering failures.
Isolate the Issue Using Word for the Web
Testing your document in Word for the web helps determine if the text corruption is caused by a corrupted desktop application or an issue within the document itself.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Multilingual Document Editing
If Microsoft Word continues to corrupt your Urdu text, WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. It offers stable text formatting, reliable Right-to-Left (RTL) language handling, and full compatibility with Microsoft Office document formats.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your device.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word document directly without converting formats.
- 3. Paste Your Text: Copy your Urdu text and paste it into the document; WPS will smoothly handle the multilingual formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Urdu text reverse its order when pasted into Word?
This usually happens because the destination document lacks Right-to-Left (RTL) paragraph direction settings, or conflicting formatting from the source overrides the correct display order. Pasting without formatting usually bypasses this conflict.
How do I enable Right-to-Left text direction in Word?
You can enable Right-to-Left text direction by adding an RTL language (like Urdu or Arabic) to your Windows language settings. Once added, restart Word, and the Right-to-Left paragraph button will appear in the Home ribbon.
Can my font choice cause Urdu text corruption?
Yes. If the destination document uses a font that does not support the Arabic script or complex Urdu ligatures (like Nastaliq), the text may appear broken, disjointed, or display as unreadable boxes. Always ensure a proper Urdu font is applied after pasting.
