How to Copy and Paste on a Mac: 4 Best Methods (2024)

Copying and pasting is an essential and time-saving skill that allows you to duplicate text, images, files, and more easily. Whether you’re a new Mac user or simply looking to enhance your productivity, mastering this fundamental feature will undoubtedly streamline your daily computing tasks.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the various methods to copy and paste on a Mac, from the conventional keyboard shortcuts to the intuitive trackpad gestures. I’ll also explore some lesser-known tips and tricks to make the process more efficient. So, let’s get started!

What Is the Difference Between Cut/Paste and Copy/Paste on Mac?

On a Mac (and on most other computing platforms), there are two distinct operations for moving or duplicating content: Cut and Paste and Copy and Paste. These operations serve different purposes and have different effects on the source content:

1. Cut and Paste

The Cut operation removes the selected content from its original location and places it in the clipboard history on Mac. The clipboard is a temporary storage area in the computer’s memory where the cut content is held until it is pasted elsewhere.

Once the content is cut, it no longer exists in its original location, and you can paste it into a different location or application.

2. Copy and Paste

The Copy operation duplicates the selected content and places it in the clipboard, leaving the original content intact. You can paste the copied content into one or more different locations or applications without affecting the original source.

So, the main difference between Cut/Paste and Copy/Paste is that Cut moves the content from its original location to the clipboard. In contrast, Copy duplicates the content to the clipboard, leaving the original content untouched.

Both operations allow you to transfer content between different places, but Cut/Paste involves removing the source content, while Copy/Paste involves duplicating it.

Cut, Copy, and Paste on Mac: The Basics

Mastering Mac’s copy, paste, and cut operations revolves around a fundamental algorithm, regardless of the method you employ. Here are the general steps to follow for cutting, copying, and pasting text, file, or app on Mac:

1. Begin by selecting the text, file, or any desired item you wish to copy.
2. Save the selected item to your Mac’s clipboard with a hotkey combination or a menu command.
3. Finally, paste the item from the clipboard into its intended new location.

Now, let’s move on to specific methods to copy and paste on a Mac.

Method 1: How to Copy and Paste on a Mac With Keyboard Shortcuts

Mac keyboard shortcuts are a major time saver in different tasks, especially the well-known copy and paste. You can copy and paste on your Mac like a pro using simple shortcuts with the Command ⌘ key.

Here are the common keyboard shortcuts for cut, copy, and paste on Mac:

• Copy: Use Command ⌘ + C to copy the selected content

• Cut: Use Command ⌘ + X to cut the selected content

• Paste: Use Command ⌘ + V to paste the copied or cut content

Now, follow these steps to use keyboard shortcuts to cut, copy, and paste on Mac:

1. Select the text or file you want to copy or cut. You can click and drag to highlight the text.

2. Press Command ⌘ + X/C, depending on whether you want to cut or copy.
3. Place the cursor where you want to paste the copied content.

4. Press Command ⌘ + V and your content will be pasted.

What Is the Mac Equivalent to Control + C and Control + V?

For those transitioning from a Windows background, remember the Mac equivalents for the familiar copy-and-paste shortcuts are as follows:

• Ctrl + C Equivalent: Command ⌘ + C
• Ctrl + V Equivalent: Command ⌘ + V

It’s that simple! These keyboard shortcuts on Mac work just like their Windows counterparts, making the transition smooth and easy.

How to Copy and Paste Text on a Mac Without Formatting

To paste plain text that matches your document’s formatting, you can use the following keyboard shortcut on Mac:

Combine Option ⌥ and Shift ⇧ with the regular pasting shortcut: Option ⌥ + Shift ⇧ + Command ⌘ + V

In certain apps, you can copy the style without the text by adding Option ⌥ to the Command ⌘ + C shortcut.

Then, apply the style to the text of your choice with Command ⌘ + Option ⌥ + V.

Method 2: How to Cut, Copy, and Paste on Mac Using Mouse/Trackpad

You must enable the secondary click feature before using the Mouse/Trackpad to cut, copy, or paste content on Mac. Follow these steps to enable it:

1. Click the Apple logo in your screen’s top-left corner and choose System Settings.

2. In System Settings, go to Trackpad.

3. Under the Point & Click tab, find Secondary Click and click the drop-down menu button next to it.

4. Select Click or Tap with Two Fingers from the options.

Now, the secondary click is enabled on your Mac, and you can use the Trackpad to copy and paste on your Mac. Here’s how to use the Trackpad to copy and paste on a Mac:

1. Find the text you want to copy from the document or folder.
2. Select the text by clicking and dragging your mouse to highlight it.

3. Perform a two-finger click on the selected text.

4. This will open a context menu. Click Copy or Cut in the menu to copy/cut the selected text to your Mac’s clipboard.

5. Now, open the page where you want to paste the text (e.g., a text field or document). Bring up a context menu with a two-finger click on the text field or a blank space.

6. Click Paste in the context menu to paste the copied text into the selected space.

Method 3: Cut, Copy, and Paste on a Mac Via the Menu Bar

macOS includes built-in functionality for cutting, copying, and pasting through the menu bar. The menu bar at the top of the screen displays various application-specific menus when an application is active.

To cut, copy, and paste using the menu bar on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Click and drag the cursor over the text you want to cut or copy, or simply click the item (e.g., file, image, or folder) to select it.

2. After selecting the text or item, click the Edit menu in the menu bar and select Copy [folder/file name].

3. Position the cursor where you want to paste the copied content.
4. Click the Edit menu again and choose Paste Item to insert the content from the clipboard.

Method 4: Cut, Copy, and Paste on Your Mac Using the Context Menu

On a Mac, you can also use the context menu (right-click menu) to cut, copy, and paste text or items. This method is particularly useful when you want to perform these actions quickly without using keyboard shortcuts or the menu bar.

Here’s how to cut, copy and paste on Mac using the right-click or context menu method:

1. Click and drag the cursor over the text you want to cut or copy or click the item (e.g., file, image, folder) to select it.
2. Once you’ve selected the content, right-click (or control-click) the selected area or item. This action will open the context menu.
3. If you want to duplicate the selected content without removing it from its current location, click Copy in the context menu to copy it to the clipboard.

4. Position the cursor where you want to paste the cut or copied content. Control-click again and select the Paste Item option in the context menu.

These context menu options and shortcuts work across most macOS applications that support text and file manipulation. However, some applications may have slightly different wording or additional options in their context menus.

Copy and Paste Like a Pro on Mac

This guide provides an extensive look into the cut, copy, and paste functions on a Mac. Whether new to macOS or a seasoned user, these tips and techniques can significantly enhance your efficiency.

Here are a few more tips to improve your overall Mac experience:

• If you’re a new Mac user, check out my macOS beginner’s guide to learn how to use a Mac.
• You can use keyboard shortcuts to take a screenshot on Mac.
• If your Mac’s time or date is incorrect, you can learn how to change the time on your MacBook.

Frequently Asked Questions