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How to Cut, Copy, and Paste on a Mac

Learn how to put stuff where you want it

By Alexander Fox Alexander Fox Writer University of the Arts Alexander Fox is a former Lifewire writer who loves translating tech for consumers. His work appears in AppleGazette, MakeTechEasier, and SpyreStudios. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 13, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple Macs iPad

What to Know

Select the text or folder you wish to cut or copy, then press Command+C to copy or Command+X to cut.To paste the text or folder you cut or copied, place the cursor where you want it to go and press Command+V.You can copy an image by hovering the cursor over it, pressing Control, then selecting Copy Image. This article explains how to use the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands on a Mac. These instructions were created for macOS Catalina (10.15) but apply to most earlier versions of macOS and Mac OS X. Some older versions of the operating system may have a slightly different interface.

How to Copy Cut or Paste Text

To copy, cut, or paste text, complete the following steps: Highlight the text you want to copy or cut. If you're using a mouse or trackpad, move the cursor to the beginning of the text you want to copy. Then, click and hold while dragging the cursor over the content you want to copy. If you're using the keyboard, move the cursor to the beginning of the text you want to copy. Then, press and hold Shift while using the arrow keys to select the content you want to copy. You'll see a colored box around the selected content. In Microsoft Word, there are detailed selection options you can adjust to make selecting easier. To copy the highlighted text, use one of the following methods: On the keyboard, press Command+C.From the menu bar, select Edit > Copy. To cut the text, use one of the following methods: On the keyboard, press Command+X.From the menu bar, select Edit > Cut. To paste the text you just copied or cut, place the cursor in an editable area, like a text box or a document, and use one of the following methods: On the keyboard, press Command+V.From the menu bar, select Edit > Paste. To copy the contents of a cell in Microsoft Excel, the easiest method is to select the cell (not the text) and then copy it.

Keyboard Shortcuts That Help With Copy and Paste

Other keyboard shortcuts are especially helpful when using copy-and-paste commands: Command+A (Select All). This keyboard shortcut selects all text or items within the current view, based on your selection or cursor position. The Select All command is helpful when you need to copy an entire document.Command+Z (Undo). Use the Undo command to undo the last action, for example, if you pasted text in the wrong location.

How to Cut Copy or Paste an Image

If you can select content by dragging the cursor over it, you can copy it. Using this technique, you can copy hard-to-select objects, such as images on websites. To copy an image from a web page, hover the cursor over the image you want to copy, press Control, select the image, and then select Copy Image from the context menu. The image is now on your clipboard, and you can paste it using the steps provided in the previous section into any field that accepts images. The process is the same in a document, although, in documents, you can cut as well as copy images. You can also copy the URL of an image by hovering the cursor over the image, pressing Control, and then selecting Copy Image Address from the context menu. You can't use the Cut command in PDFs, but copying text and images from a PDF works well.

How to Cut Copy and Paste Files and Folders

You can cut, copy, and paste files and folders in macOS the same way you cut, copy, and paste text and images. However, macOS provides a unique way of reproducing files and folders in Finder called Duplicate. The Duplicate command creates a copy of the selected items in the same folder as the original. If you want to create copies in another location in Finder, use the Copy command. To duplicate files within Finder, complete the following steps: Select one or more folders or files. Press Control, selected the highlighted elements, and then select Duplicate from the context menu. (You can also duplicate the item by selecting File > Duplicate on the menu bar or by pressing Command+D.) For faster copying, press and hold Option, and then drag the file to a new location. This command automatically duplicates the file, even in the same folder. If you want to move the selected file or folder instead of duplicating it, press Command+Option+V. This command deletes the files from their original location when they're pasted to the new location.

How to Copy and Paste Across Apps

The Cut, Copy, and Paste commands work across apps, as well. You can make a selection in one app, copy or cut it, and then paste it into a different app. Because the clipboard is global, the same clipboard content is available anywhere on your Mac. One common use for this functionality is sharing content from the web. In a web browser, copy text, an image, or an element from a web page. Then, switch to the destination app, place the cursor where you want the content to appear, and paste the content. To copy and paste content across apps, the destination app must be capable of accepting the copied content. For example, if you copy this sentence, switch to Finder, and then paste, nothing will happen because Finder has nowhere to put the text.

Resolve Formatting Problems

Pasting between apps with rich text formatting can be frustrating. Pasting from a website into a Word document, for example, can result in odd-looking text because the Copy and Cut commands grab both the selected text and its formatting. When you paste the text, the formatting comes with it. When you want to paste rich or formatted text from a source, instead of using the standard Paste command, use the Paste and Match Style or Paste and Match Formatting command. This command adjusts the formatting to match the destination file's formatting. This way, the pasted content will fit seamlessly into the rest of your document. When you've selected and cut or copied the text in your source document, go to the destination document and select Edit > Paste and Match Style or Paste and Match Formatting, or use the keyboard shortcut Shift+Option+Command+V. Not every app has a Paste and Match Style command, and some apps use a different keyboard shortcut, so be sure to check the application's Edit menu. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Copy and Paste on a Laptop How to Copy and Paste on Facebook How to Change Folder Color on Mac How to Copy and Paste on a Chromebook How to Cut, Copy, and Paste in Word How to Insert a PDF Into Word How to Copy and Paste Text Styles on a Mac How to Copy, Paste, or Cut Text Without a Context Menu Use Office Clipboard to Copy Multiple Items in Excel How to Hide and Unhide Columns, Rows, and Cells in Excel How to Transfer Data From a Nintendo 3DS SD Card How to Control F On a Mac How to Use Microsoft Word The Best Mac Shortcuts in 2022 The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts in 2022 How to Copy & Paste Without a Mouse Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies