PasteClean Smart Clipboard

Paste from Word/Google Docs into any editor with equations intact and formatting cleaned.

Problem

People constantly copy from Microsoft Word or Google Docs into Markdown editors, LaTeX, or online rich text, only to find equations gone or turned into images and formatting broken; some pastes even crash the editor. A Show HN tool specifically tried to solve this, proving the pain is real and frustrating.

Solution

A cross-platform clipboard middleware that detects when a paste originates from Word or Google Docs, parses the clipboard HTML, preserves bold, italic, lists, and equations (MathML/LaTeX), and converts them into clean plain text or Markdown suitable for the target editor. It strips inline styles, extra blank lines, and hidden characters, with configurable rules per target format.

Users

Researchers, teachers, technical writers, and data scientists who frequently convert Word documents to Markdown/LaTeX.

MVP

Monitor system clipboard and detect source; provide a hotkey paste that turns Word/Google Docs content into clean Markdown with equations; basic settings panel to choose output format (Markdown/plain text/LaTeX); start with macOS desktop, then expand to Windows.

Revenue

Freemium with a one-time purchase (e.g., $9) or subscription ($2/month) unlocking equation conversion and custom templates; promote via Product Hunt and academic communities.

Why now

Remote work and online collaboration make cross-platform pasting more frequent, yet mainstream editors still handle equation paste poorly; indie developers can build a lightweight desktop tool fast, and a Show HN post already validated the need.