Copy and Paste With Keyboard Shortcuts
The fastest and most common method. These shortcuts work everywhere on your Mac – in documents, browsers, emails, Finder, and every app.
- Select the text, file, or image you want to copy. For text, click and drag across it. For files in Finder, click to select.
- Press Command + C to copy.
- Click where you want to paste.
- Press Command + V to paste.
The copied content stays on the clipboard until you copy something new, so you can paste the same thing multiple times.
Cut, Copy, and Paste Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Command + C | Copies selected content to clipboard (original stays) |
| Cut | Command + X | Copies and removes selected content (for text and files) |
| Paste | Command + V | Pastes clipboard content at cursor position |
| Paste without formatting | Command + Shift + V | Pastes as plain text, matching the destination’s formatting |
| Select all | Command + A | Selects everything in the current document or window |
| Undo paste | Command + Z | Reverses the last paste (or any action) |
On Mac, the Command key replaces the Ctrl key used on Windows. If you’re switching from a Windows PC, just remember: Command is the new Ctrl for all shortcuts.
Copy and Paste With Right-Click
- Select the text or item you want to copy.
- Right-click (or Control-click, or two-finger click on the trackpad).
- Select “Copy” from the context menu.
- Right-click where you want to paste.
- Select “Paste.”
If two-finger clicking doesn’t work on your trackpad, enable it in System Settings, then Trackpad, then “Point & Click.” Set “Secondary click” to “Click with Two Fingers.”
Copy and Paste With the Menu Bar
- Select what you want to copy.
- Click “Edit” in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Click “Copy.”
- Click where you want to paste.
- Click “Edit” again, then “Paste.”
The Edit menu also shows the keyboard shortcuts next to each action, which is a handy reminder while you’re learning them.
Paste Without Formatting
When you copy text from a website or document, the formatting (font, size, color, bold) comes along with it. If you paste into an email or document and the text looks different from the rest, use “Paste and Match Style” to strip the formatting.
Shortcut: Command + Shift + V (in most apps) or Command + Option + Shift + V (in some apps like Pages and Microsoft Word).
We put together a full guide on 4K monitors for Mac Mini that pairs well with this.
This pastes the text as plain text, adopting the formatting of wherever you’re pasting. It’s one of the most useful shortcuts on a Mac – use it whenever pasted text looks out of place.
Copy and Paste Files in Finder
You can copy and paste files between folders just like text.
- Select one or more files in Finder (click to select one, Command-click for multiple, or Command + A for all).
- Press Command + C to copy.
- Navigate to the destination folder.
- Press Command + V to paste the files.
To move files instead of copying them (removing from the original location), use Command + Option + V instead of Command + V. This is the Mac equivalent of “cut and paste” for files – Command + X doesn’t work for files in Finder.
Copy and Paste Between Devices (Universal Clipboard)
If you have multiple Apple devices signed into the same Apple ID with Bluetooth and WiFi enabled, Universal Clipboard lets you copy on one device and paste on another.
Copy on iPhone, paste on Mac: Copy text or an image on your iPhone. On your Mac, press Command + V. The content pastes from your iPhone’s clipboard.
Copy on Mac, paste on iPhone: Press Command + C on your Mac. On your iPhone, tap and hold, then tap “Paste.”
Our docking stations for MacBook Pro walkthrough covers this from a different angle.
Universal Clipboard works between Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Both devices need Bluetooth and WiFi on, and Handoff enabled (System Settings, then General, then AirDrop & Handoff on Mac; Settings, then General, then AirPlay & Handoff on iPhone).
Copy and Paste Images and Screenshots
Screenshots: Press Command + Shift + 4 to take a screenshot of a selected area. The screenshot saves to your desktop and is also copied to the clipboard. Press Command + V to paste it directly into a document, email, or chat.
Images from the web: Right-click an image in Safari or Chrome and select “Copy Image.” Then paste it into any app that supports images.
Images in Preview: Open an image in Preview, press Command + A to select all, then Command + C to copy. Paste into another document or app.
Why doesn’t Command + X work for files?
macOS handles file cutting differently than Windows. Instead of Command + X to cut files, you copy them with Command + C and then “move-paste” them with Command + Option + V. This moves the files to the new location and removes them from the original folder. The reason: Apple designed it this way to prevent accidental file deletion if you copy but forget to paste.
Can I view clipboard history on Mac?
macOS only stores one item on the clipboard at a time. Copying something new replaces what was there before. For clipboard history, use a third-party clipboard manager like Maccy (free, open source), Paste (paid), or Alfred’s clipboard feature. These apps store your clipboard history and let you paste older items.
How do I copy and paste with an external keyboard?
On Apple keyboards, use Command + C and Command + V as normal. On Windows keyboards connected to a Mac, the Windows key acts as Command. So Windows + C copies and Windows + V pastes. You can remap modifier keys in System Settings, then Keyboard, then “Modifier Keys” if the layout feels awkward.
Sources
Apple – Mac Keyboard Shortcuts | Apple – Universal Clipboard
