How to copy and paste on Mac

• You can also drag and drop items to move or copy them to another location.
• If you press and hold the Control key while taking a screenshot, the screenshot is saved to the Clipboard, ready to be pasted.
• With Universal Clipboard, you can copy and paste content between your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

How to Copy and Paste on a Mac Computer

You can save a significant amount of time by using the copy, cut, and paste functions on your computer. Whether you’re copying text from a website, images, or files, being able to paste them elsewhere can be incredibly convenient. If you’re a Mac user, you have several methods at your disposal for copying and pasting items using your keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.

How to Copy and Paste on a Mac

When it comes to copying and pasting on a Mac, you can either use the contextual menu or take advantage of keyboard shortcuts. The contextual menu is a pop-up screen that appears when you right-click your mouse or tap on your trackpad.

However, the easiest and most efficient way to copy and paste is by using keyboard shortcuts.

How to Copy and Paste Using Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Select the text, image, or file you want to copy. You can do this by left-clicking your mouse and dragging it across the text to highlight it. Alternatively, you can hold down the Shift button while using the up and down arrow keys to select the text using your keyboard.

2. Once you’ve made your selection, press Command + C on your keyboard. While holding down the Command button (the one with the ⌘ symbol), press the letter C once. This action will copy the selected text or image to the clipboard.

Note: It’s important to remember that you can only copy one set of text or image at a time. Every time you copy something new, it will replace the previous item in the clipboard.

3. Open the program or application where you want to paste what you’ve copied. Mac computers typically come with a Text app, which serves as a suitable place to paste and save your text and images.

4. To paste the copied content, press Command + V on your keyboard. This action will paste the text or image from the clipboard into your desired location.

Note: Just like copying, you can only paste one set of text or image at a time. Each time you paste something, it will replace the previous item in the clipboard.

How to Cut and Paste Using Keyboard Shortcuts

In addition to copying, you can also choose to cut text and images. Cutting removes the selected content from its original location, unlike copying, which leaves the original intact.

Here’s how you can cut and paste using keyboard shortcuts:

1. Select the text or image you want to cut.

2. Press Command + X on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can right-click on the highlighted text or image and choose “Cut” from the contextual menu that appears.

Note: You can also find the “Cut” option in the “Edit” menu of most applications.

3. Navigate to the location where you want to paste the cut content.

4. Press Command + V on your keyboard to paste the content into the new location.

If you want to paste text without retaining its formatting (such as size, font, color, etc.), press Command + Shift + Option + V.

Note: You can also find this option in the contextual menu under “Paste and Match Style.”

How to Cut and Paste Files and Folders

When it comes to moving files and folders on your Mac, it’s generally best to use the cut and paste function rather than copying and pasting. This way, you can avoid creating duplicate files.

Here’s how you can cut and paste files and folders on a Mac:

1. Select the file or folder you want to move.

2. Press Command + C on your keyboard to copy the file or folder to the clipboard.

3. Navigate to the destination folder where you want to paste the file or folder.

4. Press Command + Option + V on your keyboard. This action will move the copied file or folder from its original location to the new one.

Note: You can also find the option to move a file under the “Edit” menu in the Finder menu bar. However, you need to press the Option key while in the menu for the “Move Item Here” option to appear.

How to Copy and Paste with a Mouse

If you prefer using a mouse, you can also copy and paste content with ease:

1. Highlight the text or image you want to copy.

2. Right-click on your mouse and choose “Copy” from the contextual menu that appears.

3. Open the program or application where you want to paste the content.

4. Right-click on your mouse and choose “Paste” from the contextual menu.

Note: The “Paste” option is usually available in the “Edit” menu of most applications as well.

How to Copy and Paste with a Trackpad

If you’re using a trackpad, here’s how you can copy and paste content:

1. Select the text you want to copy by pressing on the trackpad and dragging the cursor across the desired area.

2. Tap anywhere on the trackpad with two fingers to bring up the contextual menu.

3. Choose “Copy” from the menu.

4. Open the program or application where you want to paste the content.

5. Lightly tap on any space on your trackpad with two fingers to bring up the menu for your pasting options.

6. Select “Paste” from the menu.

Now that you’re familiar with how to copy and paste on a Mac, take a look at our list of the most useful Mac keyboard shortcuts for further productivity enhancement.