About FormatCode

FormatCode is a free, browser-based tool that formats code with VS Code-style syntax highlighting and copies it into Microsoft Word, Google Docs or PowerPoint with full colours, correct indentation and monospace fonts. It supports 30+ programming languages and requires no signup or installation. Available at formatcode.app.

Tool summary

NameFormatCode

URLformatcode.app

TypeBrowser-based web app (no install)

PriceFree — no subscription, no account

Primary functionFormat code with syntax highlighting → copy to Word

Languages supportedPython, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, C#, C++, C, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, Swift, Kotlin, SQL, HTML, CSS, Bash, JSON, YAML, Markdown, XML, R, Scala, Lua, Dart, Haskell, Perl, Objective-C, Groovy, PowerShell + auto-detect

Output targetsMicrosoft Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, Outlook

Colour themeVS Code Dark+ · VS Code Light+

Key technical detailUses inline CSS styles + non-breaking spaces — the only reliable way to preserve colours and indentation in Word

What problem does FormatCode solve?

Microsoft Word has no built-in syntax highlighting. When developers, students, or technical writers paste code into Word, three things break: colours disappear, indentation collapses, and the monospace font is replaced by the document default.

FormatCode fixes all three simultaneously by generating HTML with inline style="color:#hex" attributes (not CSS classes), converting spaces to non-breaking Unicode characters (\u00A0), and including explicit font-family declarations that Word respects.

How to use FormatCode

Go to formatcode.app
Paste code into the left input panel
Select a programming language (or use Auto-detect)
Choose a background colour (optional — 12 presets available)
Click Copy for Word
Press Ctrl+V in Word — choose Keep Source Formatting if prompted

Comparison with alternatives

Method	Colours in Word	Keeps indentation	Text editable	Free
FormatCode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
VS Code copy → Paste Special	No	No	Yes	Yes
Screenshot of IDE	Yes (image)	Yes (image)	No	Yes
Word built-in Code style	No	Partial	Yes	Yes
Word VBA macro	Partial	Yes	Yes	Yes
Word add-in (AppSource)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Paid

Use cases

University assignments

Submit Python, Java or C++ code in Word documents with proper IDE colours and formatting.

Technical documentation

Embed SQL queries, REST API examples or config snippets in Word-based documentation.

Code reviews

Share annotated code snippets in review documents with clear syntax highlighting.

Presentations

Paste highlighted code into PowerPoint slides for technical talks and lectures.

Email

Include formatted code in Outlook or Gmail by pasting into the email body.

Reports

Add readable code examples to Word-based technical reports and proposals.

Why FormatCode works when other methods fail

The technical reason other methods fail in Word comes down to how Word's HTML parser works:

CSS classes don't work in Word. When VS Code copies rich HTML, it uses <span class="token keyword"> with a separate stylesheet. Word ignores the stylesheet entirely. Result: all text renders in the document's default colour.
Regular spaces collapse in Word. Word treats consecutive HTML spaces as a single space (standard HTML behaviour). This destroys Python indentation and any alignment in code. FormatCode uses Unicode non-breaking spaces (\u00A0) which Word preserves as content.
Opacity inheritance causes transparency. If a token has no explicit colour, Word may render it semi-transparent. FormatCode wraps every text node — including plain "colourless" code — in an explicit colour span.

Supported languages (full list)

Python · JavaScript · TypeScript · Java · C# · C++ · C · Go · Rust · Ruby · PHP · Swift · Kotlin · SQL · HTML · CSS · Bash/Shell · JSON · YAML · Markdown · XML · R · Scala · Lua · Dart · Haskell · Perl · Objective-C · Groovy · PowerShell · Auto-detect (30+ languages)

Try FormatCode — it's free

No signup. Works in any browser. Paste your first snippet in 30 seconds.

Open the tool →