How to Display Selectable, Copyable Read-Only Text in WPF

Overview

This article explains how to display text such as error messages or logs in WPF so that it remains non-editable while still allowing selection and copying. Although TextBlock is suitable for display scenarios, it is not designed for partial text selection and copy operations in the same way as TextBox. For this requirement, a practical approach is to use a read-only TextBox and adjust its appearance so it behaves like a display control.

Prerequisites / Environment

• Framework / Language: WPF / C# / XAML
• Target controls / features: TextBlock, TextBox
• Architecture: Applicable to both MVVM and code-behind implementations
• Intended use cases: Error messages, logs, and detail text display

Problem

In screens that display error messages or detailed information, the content often needs to remain non-editable while still being easy to copy. A dedicated copy button is one possible solution, but many real-world cases require copying only a part of the displayed text. This creates a need for a UI element that behaves as read-only display text while still supporting text selection and copy operations.

Cause / Background

TextBlock is a lightweight control intended for display-only text rendering and works well for static labels or descriptive text. However, standard TextBlock usage is not well suited to workflows where users need to select and copy part of the rendered text.

TextBox, by contrast, is designed as an input control, but setting IsReadOnly="True" disables editing while preserving built-in text selection and copy behavior. In addition, the background, border, and caret display can be adjusted so the control visually resembles a TextBlock. For display scenarios, this makes it possible to treat a TextBox as a practical replacement for TextBlock.

Solution

When display-only text also needs to be selectable, replace TextBlock with TextBox and apply a small set of visual and behavioral settings. The key settings are as follows.

• IsReadOnly="True" Prevents editing while allowing selection and copying
• IsReadOnlyCaretVisible="False" Hides the caret when the control is read-only
• Background="Transparent" Makes the background transparent
• BorderThickness="0" Removes the border
• TextWrapping="Wrap" Wraps long text across multiple lines

With this configuration, the control keeps the selection and copy behavior of TextBox while appearing close to TextBlock in common display layouts.

Implementation

The following XAML shows the minimal setup for displaying an error message as non-editable but still selectable text. The control is styled so it can be used as a replacement for TextBlock in situations where copy support is required.

<TextBox
    Text="{Binding ErrorMessage}"
    IsReadOnly="True"
    IsReadOnlyCaretVisible="False"
    Background="Transparent"
    BorderThickness="0"
    TextWrapping="Wrap" />

With this configuration, the displayed text cannot be modified, but users can still select any required part and copy it. Because the appearance is also close to TextBlock, existing display-only text can often be replaced with TextBox without changing the surrounding layout significantly.

For long or multi-line content, return handling and scrolling can be added to improve usability. The following example shows that extended configuration.

<TextBox
    Text="{Binding ErrorMessage}"
    IsReadOnly="True"
    IsReadOnlyCaretVisible="False"
    Background="Transparent"
    BorderThickness="0"
    TextWrapping="Wrap"
    AcceptsReturn="True"
    VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto" />

Setting AcceptsReturn="True" makes multi-line content behave more naturally, and VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto" improves usability when the text exceeds the available display area.

Notes

• TextBox retains input-control characteristics, so default styling may introduce padding or focus visuals that differ from TextBlock
• Using only IsReadOnly="True" may still display a caret when the control receives focus, which can make the control appear editable
• Setting IsReadOnlyCaretVisible="False" suppresses the read-only caret and gives the control a more display-oriented appearance
• If strict visual consistency is required, additional properties such as Padding, Focusable, or a shared style definition may also need adjustment

Alternatives / Comparison

Summary

When WPF text must remain non-editable while still supporting selection and copying, using a read-only TextBox in place of TextBlock is an effective solution. IsReadOnly="True" prevents editing, and IsReadOnlyCaretVisible="False" suppresses the caret that would otherwise make the control look editable. By also removing the border and background, the control can be used in the same kinds of display scenarios as TextBlock while preserving copy functionality.

This configuration is a suitable default pattern for any screen that displays text which users may need to reference and partially copy.