Smart Copy on Microsoft Edge Canary makes it easy to copy tables from websites
Smart Copy keeps fancy formatting intact when you copy from websites and paste it into other programs.
What you need to know
- Microsoft Edge Canary now supports a new Smart Copy feature.
- The feature allows you to copy tables and content with its formatting.
- You can then paste the content into other programs while retaining its original formatting.
Microsoft is rolling out support for Smart Copy to Microsoft Edge Canary (via Techdows). The feature allows you to copy content, such as charts and images, and then paste that content elsewhere while retaining its formatting. Microsoft first announced the feature in March, and it is rolling out now to Microsoft Edge Canary.
"Smart copy makes it easier to select, copy, and paste content that you find across the web, maintaining source site's formatting, spacing and text," says Microsoft in its post announcing the feature. As outlined by Microsoft, you can "Use your mouse to select any area or content (including charts, images, etc.) and when you paste, you will get the option to paste as an image or to retain the original source formatting, saving you valuable time."
Ctrl+Shift+X invokes it - available only in Edge Canary.Ctrl+Shift+X invokes it - available only in Edge Canary.— Sumit - Insider MVP (@_sumitdhiman) November 23, 2020November 23, 2020
Twitter user and Windows Insider MVP "sumitdhimn" shared a video of the feature. In the video, a selection is made of a table on a website and then pasted into Microsoft Edge. The table pasted into Word looks exactly like the table from the source website. Manually creating a table or formatting pasted content into a table can be a lengthy process without features like Smart Copy.
You can use Smart Copy by right-clicking content and selecting the Smart Copy option or using Ctrl+Shift+X.
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Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.
Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.
