A question, a problem, an idea for Unformat Pro? Answers to the most common cases are below; otherwise, write to us using the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Fix a problem
⌃⌥V types nothing
- First click into the field where the text should go, then press ⌃⌥V.
- Allow Unformat Pro in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility. If it is already ticked there, untick it and tick it again.
- Check that the clipboard holds text: otherwise Unformat Pro shows “Nothing to type”.
- In Preferences › Paste anywhere, check that ⌃⌥V and ⌃⌥C are enabled.
Characters go missing or are swapped in Citrix
- Switch the typing speed to “Slow” in Preferences › Paste anywhere: remote sessions do not always keep up with fast typing.
- If some letters arrive as others (a and q, z and w…), the remote session does not use the same keyboard layout as your Mac: make them match.
- Escape stops typing in progress.
⌃⌥C copies the selection instead of an area
⌃⌥C copies the text selected in the frontmost app first. To capture an area, click elsewhere so that no text is selected, then press ⌃⌥C again. In a Citrix session, which is only a picture, ⌃⌥C goes straight to drawing an area.
⌃⌥C copies nothing or misreads the text
- Drag to draw a rectangle around the text: a single click is ignored, Escape or a right-click cancels.
- Allow Unformat Pro in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen Recording, then quit and relaunch Unformat Pro if macOS asks you to.
- In Preferences › Paste anywhere, tick the text's language, and turn off language correction for codes or usernames.
The first capture takes a while
Right after installation, or after a macOS update, the very first recognition can take about a minute: macOS prepares its recognition models in the background as soon as Unformat Pro launches. Later captures take only a moment.
Hidden files do not show
Unformat Pro sends Finder its ⇧⌘. shortcut, as if you typed it: allow it in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility. If it is already ticked there, untick it and tick it again.
An alert says “Unformat is open too”
Unformat, the App Store version, is running alongside Unformat Pro. Choose “Quit Unformat”: the first time, macOS asks you to allow Unformat Pro to control Unformat. If you decline, or if Unformat stays open, quit it from its menu bar icon, then untick “Launch automatically at startup” in its settings.
Update Unformat Pro
Unformat Pro does not update itself. Compare the version shown in Preferences › About with the one on Unformat Pro's page; if it is newer, download the .dmg, quit Unformat Pro and replace the app in the Applications folder. Your settings are kept.
⌥⌘V no longer moves my files in Finder
While the ⌥⌘V shortcut is on, it replaces the one in other apps, including “Move Item Here”. Turn it off in Preferences › Shortcuts if you need it.
Unformat Pro does not open at login
Tick “Launch automatically at startup” in Preferences › General, then click “Apply and close”: Unformat Pro then joins the login items in System Settings.
Help us help you
Tell us your macOS version, your Unformat Pro version (Preferences › About), the app you copy from and the one you paste or type into; for ⌃⌥V, say whether it is Citrix, another remote desktop or a website. Never send a password. We reply within two business days.