If you could transfer textual content, a picture or one other object from one a part of a doc to a different, or from one app to a different, you could use copy (or lower) and paste. On a Mac or MacBook, the keyboard shortcuts for this are totally different from different units, so in case you are coming from Home windows you could be confused.
We’ll clarify the straightforward steps you could take to chop, copy and paste on a Mac. Our ideas will present you how you can copy and paste on a MacBook Air, MacBook Professional, iMac, Mac mini or some other Mac.
We’ll additionally cowl how you can copy and paste utilizing the keyboard on a Mac and replica and paste utilizing a Mac mouse or a trackpad, how you can paste with out formatting, how you can copy a number of objects on Mac, and how you can copy and paste between Macs and iPhones.
The principle distinction between Home windows and Macs is the important thing you could press – on a Mac that is the Command key. Command has a ⌘ image on it and is situated subsequent to the house bar. Learn: The place is the Command key?
You may additionally require the Choice key, which on some keyboards is marked because the Alt key.
One other challenge could also be in case you are utilizing a PC keyboard along with your Mac, by which case you received’t have a Command key. In that case the Home windows key tends to behave because the Command key. Equally the Alt key on a Home windows keyboards is the Choice key should you use it with a Mac.
Key combos for copy and paste on a Mac
These are the fundamental keyboard combos you could copy and paste on a MacBook (or Mac):
- Copy: Command + C
- Reduce: Command + X
- Paste: Command + V
How you can copy on a MacBook or Mac
Wish to copy one thing on a Mac? Right here’s what to do:
- Spotlight the textual content/object you need to copy: If it’s a phrase double-click on it, if it’s a sentence or a paragraph click on at the start and drag your cursor to the top of the part, or click on on the prime of a bit, press shift, after which click on on the backside of the part.
- Copy the choice by urgent Command + C, or Reduce with Command + X. Each save the chosen textual content/object to the pasteboard, however Copy leaves it in place whereas Reduce removes it.
How you can paste on a Mac or MacBook
The method is analogous if you wish to know “how do I paste on a Mac”.
- As above, you could first choose the textual content or object you need to copy or lower.
- Then press Command + C to repeat, or Command + X to chop.
- Put the cursor the place you need to place the textual content/object, and paste by urgent Command + V.
Observe that the goal could be in a unique doc and even a completely totally different utility. And even on a unique gadget, for that matter – we’ll clarify how one can copy and paste out of your Mac to your iPhone or vice versa beneath.
How you can paste with out formatting
We discover there may be nothing extra irritating than copying and pasting from one doc to a different, or from one utility to a different, solely to seek out that it additionally copies over the formatting (such because the font and textual content dimension). That is annoying when you have totally different formatting within the doc you’re engaged on and it makes issues look mismatched.
To keep away from this, you need to use a command that makes certain the pasted textual content follows the formatting of the paragraph or doc it’s becoming a member of, slightly than the one it simply left behind.
In that case, you could comply with these steps:
- Choose the textual content or object you need to copy or lower by urgent Command + C to repeat, or Command + X to chop.
- Put the cursor the place you need to place the textual content/object, and Paste by urgent Command + Choice/Alt + Shift + V.
It’s fairly a key combo, however should you can handle it you’re going to get textual content pasted within the format of your vacation spot doc or utility.
This keyboard shortcut works in Apple Pages, however it could differ between apps, so if Command + Choice/Alt + Shift + V doesn’t work strive Command + Shift + V.
In case you are utilizing Microsoft Phrase you could click on on Paste within the menu and select Preserve Textual content Solely. You may set this because the default paste if you’d like.
Reduce and paste along with your mouse
Most individuals use the Command shortcuts listed above, however there are options.
You could possibly simply use your mouse:
- Choose the textual content you need to copy (both by double-clicking on a phrase, or clicking and dragging to pick out extra).
- Proper-click on the choice.
- Choose Reduce or Copy.
- Proper-click the place you need to paste the textual content and select Paste.
Not sure how you can right-click? Learn: How you can right-click on a Mac.
Reduce and paste by way of the menus
Alternatively, you need to use the menus (app dependent):
- Choose the textual content you need to copy.
- Within the menu select Edit.
- Choose Reduce or Copy.
- Proper-click the place you need to paste the textual content and select Paste from the menu.
In Pages there may be an possibility to stick and match fashion which might be useful if you wish to lose any formatting. Different apps are prone to have an identical possibility.
How you can copy a number of objects on Mac
In case you are coming to Mac from Home windows you might be questioning should you can copy a number of objects to your Clipboard in your Mac so that you could select what you need to paste.
Sadly, the Mac doesn’t supply this characteristic… but. However it’s coming in macOS 26 Tahoe later in 2025.
On a PC you possibly can copy as much as 24 objects from Workplace paperwork to the Workplace Clipboard and paste them right into a doc, selecting what you need to paste from the duty pane.
Finest clipboard managers for Mac
There are some clipboard managers out there for Mac together with:
Jérémy Marchand’s Clipboard Heart ($6.99), Apprywhere’s Copy’em Paste ($14.99), FIPLAB’s CopyClip ($7.99/£7.59), maxbor’s CopyLess ($5), Plum Superb’s CopyPaste ($30/£23.70) and Stairways Software program’s $36 macro utility Keyboard Maestro.
Clipboard histories can be found in Butler ($20), LaunchBar ($35), and Quicksilver (with the optionally available, free Clipboard Plugin).
We expect that Alfred is an effective possibility. Alfred is an award-winning productiveness app, however amongst different options it gives a Clipboard Historical past as a part of the optionally available £34 Powerpack. With this device every little thing you copy will probably be out there in your searchable historical past. You may even save well-liked textual content snippets for simple entry. You may select for Alfred to recollect your Clipbpard Historical past for twenty-four hours, 7 days, 1 month or 3 months.
We run by means of one of the best clipboard managers for Mac in a separate article.
The place is the Clipboard on a Mac?
You’ll solely be capable to see the very last thing you copied, however you possibly can see the Clipboard on a Mac, right here’s what you could do:
- Open the Finder.
- Click on on Edit within the menu.
- Select Present Clipboard.
Sadly, till macOS Tahoe (coming late 2025) it received’t hold a document of every little thing you might have copied.
How you can copy and paste between iPhone, iPad & Mac
Another superior tip earlier than we go away this largely easy subject behind. Because the launch of Common Clipboard in macOS Sierra in 2016 it’s been doable to copy in your Mac after which Paste on to your iPhone, or vice versa. It’s also doable to share a mouse and keyboard between a number of Macs and iPads.
So long as the characteristic is enabled in your units it’s precisely so simple as it sounds, right here’s what you could do:
- Spotlight the article in your iPhone and faucet Copy.
- Now open a doc in your Mac and hit Command + V. There could be delay of 3-5 seconds for textual content or 10 or extra seconds for a picture however quickly sufficient the copied merchandise will seem.
However how do you be certain Common Clipboard is out there in your Mac, iPhone and iPad?
This bit is essential: Each units additionally must be signed into the identical iCloud account. Additionally, you will have to have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi switched on.
In case you have the entire above, right here’s what you could do to get Common Clipboard working in your Mac and iPhone/iPad:
- On the Mac, open System Settings > Common > AirDrop & Handoff. (System Preferences on older Macs).
- Choose ‘Permit Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud units’.
- On the iPhone/iPad, open Settings > Common > AirDrop & Handoff.
- Guarantee that ‘Permit Handoff’ is chosen.
