MATLAB 2025a plot: Copy Figure settings

Hi all,

When I plot a figure and click on "Copy Figure", the image that gets pasted is no longer a vector graphic. In previous versions of MATLAB, copying a figure to the clipboard and pasting it into a Word or PowerPoint file would preserve the vector format. That no longer seems to be the case.

Does anyone know how to configure MATLAB to restore this behaviour?

Thank you,

Renan

[Adam Danz]

Check your copy preferences or copy options.

I don't have MATLAB R2025a open right now but these options should be available from the figure toolstrip or the preference window. From the copy options, check your clipboard format settings.

Answer 1

[Noah Prisament]

See these settings for info on how to change that default behavior to use an SVG instead of a PNG: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/creating_plots/copy-figure-to-clipboard-from-edit-menu.html.

Likewise, you can also use the "copygraphics" function: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/copygraphics.html.

[Oleg S]

Hi Noah,

The settings you linked show a grayed-out "Content type" field that cannot be changed. It is set to "Image" for me, but even in the link's example it is grayed out.

Using copy figure in the figure window defaults to image. Using copy figure on individual axes and choosing vector works, but rather impractical for figures with subplots.

Using copygraphics works for individual axes, but not for a figure with several subplots - it does not copy anything at all.

[Oleg Iupikov]

Setting "Units" to "Points" in the same setting window enables changing "Content Type". To access Units you may need to temporally uncheck "Match on-screen size" checkbox. The reasons of doing so are unclear for me, but it worked :)

[Robert]

Thanks for posting, I had the same question, and this worked for me!

Answer 2

[Aram Zeytunyan]