Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy | Ctrl + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V |
| Cut | Ctrl + X |
| Paste without formatting | Ctrl + Shift + V |
| Select all | Ctrl + A |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Shift + Z |
These shortcuts work everywhere on a Chromebook – in Chrome browser, Google Docs, the Files app, Android apps, and Linux apps. They’re identical to Windows shortcuts, so if you’re coming from a Windows PC, everything works the same way.
Copy and Paste Text
- Highlight the text you want to copy. Click at the start of the text, hold the mouse button (or touchpad), and drag to the end. Or click at the start, hold Shift, and click at the end.
- Press Ctrl + C to copy (or Ctrl + X to cut, which removes the text from its original location).
- Click where you want to paste the text.
- Press Ctrl + V to paste.
The copied text stays in the clipboard until you copy something else or restart the Chromebook. You can paste the same text multiple times.
Copy and Paste With the Touchpad
- Highlight the text by tapping and dragging with one finger on the touchpad.
- Tap the touchpad with two fingers to open the right-click context menu.
- Select “Copy” from the menu.
- Move the cursor to where you want to paste.
- Two-finger tap again and select “Paste.”
The two-finger tap is the Chromebook equivalent of a right-click. If two-finger tap doesn’t work, go to Settings, then “Touchpad,” and make sure “Enable tap-to-click” is turned on.
Copy and Paste Files
- Open the Files app.
- Click on the file you want to copy (or hold Ctrl and click multiple files).
- Press Ctrl + C to copy.
- Navigate to the destination folder.
- Press Ctrl + V to paste.
This creates a copy of the file. To move the file instead of copying it, use Ctrl + X (cut) instead of Ctrl + C. You can copy files between your local Downloads folder, Google Drive, USB drives, and SD cards.
Use Clipboard History
Chrome OS has a built-in clipboard history that remembers your last 5 copied items. This means you can copy multiple things and choose which one to paste.
- Press Search + V (or Launcher + V) to open the clipboard history.
- A popup shows your recently copied items – text snippets, images, and links.
- Click the item you want to paste.
The clipboard history stores the last 5 items you copied. It clears when you restart the Chromebook. It works with text, images, and links, but not with files.
Copy and Paste Images
From a webpage: Right-click (two-finger tap) on an image in Chrome and select “Copy image.” Then paste it into Google Docs, a messaging app, or an image editor with Ctrl + V.
From screenshots: When you take a screenshot (Ctrl + Show windows key), a notification appears with a “Copy to clipboard” option. Tap it, then paste the screenshot anywhere with Ctrl + V.
Between apps: Copy an image in one app (like Photos or the Files app) and paste it into another (like Google Docs or Gmail). Not all apps support image pasting, but most Google apps do.
Paste Without Formatting
When you copy text from a webpage or document, it often carries formatting (bold, fonts, colors, sizes) with it. Pasting with Ctrl + V keeps that formatting.
To paste just the plain text without any formatting, use Ctrl + Shift + V. This is especially useful when pasting into Google Docs, emails, or forms where you want the text to match the destination’s formatting instead of bringing over the source styling.
Copy and Paste Between Chromebook and Android Phone
If your Chromebook and Android phone are linked through Phone Hub, you can share clipboard content between them.
- On the Chromebook, go to Settings, then “Connected devices,” then set up your Android phone.
- Enable “Phone Hub” and turn on “Sharing” features.
- Copy text on your phone and paste it on the Chromebook (or vice versa).
Clipboard sharing works with text only, not images or files. Both devices need to be signed into the same Google account and connected to the internet.
Troubleshooting
Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V not working. Make sure the cursor is active in a text field before pasting. Some web apps intercept keyboard shortcuts – try clicking inside the text area first. If shortcuts don’t work in a specific Android app, the app may not support standard clipboard shortcuts. Restart the Chromebook if shortcuts stop working system-wide.
Pasted text has weird formatting. Use Ctrl + Shift + V to paste as plain text. In Google Docs, you can also go to Edit, then “Paste without formatting.” If formatting issues persist, paste into a plain text app (like the Chromebook’s built-in Text app) first, then copy from there to strip all formatting.
Clipboard history not showing. The clipboard history feature requires Chrome OS 89 or later. Update your Chromebook if you’re on an older version: Settings, then “About ChromeOS,” then “Check for updates.” After updating, try Search + V again.
Can’t copy from a PDF. Some PDFs are scanned images rather than text-based documents. You can’t select text in image-based PDFs. If the PDF contains selectable text, click and drag to highlight, then Ctrl + C to copy. For scanned PDFs, you’d need OCR software to extract the text.
Does the clipboard clear when I close the lid?
No. Closing the lid puts the Chromebook to sleep, but the clipboard retains its contents. The clipboard only clears when you restart or shut down the Chromebook, or when you copy something new (which replaces the current clipboard item in the primary clipboard – the clipboard history still holds previous items).
Can I copy and paste in the Linux terminal?
Yes, but the shortcuts are different in the Linux terminal (Crostini). Use Ctrl + Shift + C to copy and Ctrl + Shift + V to paste inside the terminal. Regular Ctrl + C in the terminal sends an interrupt signal to running programs rather than copying text. Clipboard content transfers between the Linux terminal and Chrome OS apps.
Is there a way to pin items in clipboard history?
Yes. Open clipboard history with Search + V, then click the pin icon on any item to pin it. Pinned items stay in the clipboard history even as new items push older ones out. You can pin up to 5 items. This is useful for text you paste frequently, like your email address or a standard reply.
See also: How to Split Screen on Chromebook, How to Delete History on Chromebook
Sources
Google – Chromebook Keyboard Shortcuts | Google – Chromebook Help
