Forum Discussion
Why Can't I Copy the Text of an Error Message in Windows 11?
With 2026 almost over, I sincerely suggest that Microsoft step up its game and finally add a feature that should have been available back in the late 1990s: the ability for users to copy all text from error messages.
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For the dialog in your screenshot, try Ctrl + C while the error window is active. You don’t need to highlight the text first.
- Click the error dialog’s title bar to focus it.
- Press Ctrl + C.
- Paste into Notepad or your support message with Ctrl + V.
Standard Windows message boxes support this and usually copy the title, message, and button labels together.
The frustrating part is that this isn’t obvious, and it isn’t universal: custom dialogs in some apps don’t support it. For those, Windows 11’s Snipping Tool > Text actions > Copy all text is a fallback after taking a screenshot. Check any extracted error codes for OCR mistakes.
