This guide will walk you through the basic and advanced methods of copying and pasting images and text on any device running macOS.
Copy and Paste on Windows vs. Mac
If you’re accustomed to Windows keyboard shortcuts, you might be taken by surprise when attempting to copy and paste on a Mac. While the functionality remains the same, Macs utilize the Command (⌘) key instead of Ctrl for these actions. The Command key isn’t located in the same spot as Ctrl on a Windows keyboard. Instead, you’ll find it on both sides of the Spacebar, closer to the center of the keyboard, with a symbol resembling a four-pointed star or a cloverleaf.
Copy and Paste Text on a Mac
To copy text on your Mac, start by selecting the desired portion. To do this, hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor across the text you wish to copy. This will highlight the selected text in blue. If the text is editable, such as in a document or text field, you can also click at the starting point of the text you want to copy and then use the arrow keys to precisely select the required portion. After selecting the text, you have several methods to copy the selected text:
1. Using Keyboard Shortcuts
Once you’ve selected the text, press Command + C on your keyboard. This will copy the entire selected text. Now that the text is copied, go to an editable document and place your cursor at the position where you want to paste the text. Now press Command + V to paste the text.
2. Using the Menu Bar
You can also use the menu bar at the top to copy the text. After highlighting the portion you want to copy, simply go to “Edit” and then select “Copy“. To paste the text, simply go to an editable document and place your cursor where you want to paste the text. Now, go to “Edit“, and then click “Paste.“
3. Using the Shortcut Menu
To copy the highlighted text, simply right-click to open the shortcut menu. Here are some different ways you can open the shortcut menu: Once the shortcut menu is open, click on “Copy.” To paste the text, simply open the shortcut menu and choose “Paste.”
Pasting Text Without Formatting on Mac
Often, when you copy text, it also copies its text style, font, and color. When pasting it in a different location, you may not want this. To avoid this, instead of using “Paste,” try selecting “Paste and Match Style.” This will paste the text, adjusting it to match the style of the surrounding text. To do this:
Copy and Paste Image on a Mac
Like text, the process of copying and pasting image files is similar on a Mac, but there are a few differences to keep in mind.
1. Copy Image on Mac
To copy an image, you’ll need to select it first. Unlike text, you don’t need to highlight text. Instead, use the shortcut menu. To open the shortcut menu for the image: Now, select “Copy” from the dropdown menu.
2. Paste Image on Mac
To paste an image, move your cursor to the desired location and click on the editable space. Now, press Command + V to paste the image, or bring up the shortcut menu again to paste the image from there.
Copying Content Across Apple Devices
Apple allows you to copy and paste text and images across different devices. For this to work, the devices need to have: Using Universal Clipboard on your Mac, you can copy content on one device and then paste it onto another. Simply copy any text, image, file, or content as you normally would. This content will automatically be added to the clipboard of your other nearby device. Then, on the second device, paste the content like you normally would.
