How to Copy and Paste on a Mac
This wikiHow teaches you how to copy and paste text or files on your Mac computer. While your Mac's built-in menu bar is the preferred way to copy and paste information, you can also use your Mac's trackpad or keyboard to copy and paste....
Method 1 of 2:
Using the Menu Bar
- Go to the text or item you want to copy. You can copy text in order to paste it into another document or text field, or you can copy one or more files to paste them into another location on your computer.
- Select the text or item. To select text, click and drag your mouse across it to highlight it. You can select a file by clicking it once.
- If you want to select multiple files at once, hold down ⌘ Command while clicking each one.
- Click Edit. It's on the left side of the menu bar that's at the top of your Mac's screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
- Click Copy. You'll see this option in the Edit drop-down menu. Doing so copies any selected text or files to your Mac's clipboard.
- If you're copying an individual file, you'll see the file's name next to Copy.
- You won't see the text or files duplicate at this point.
- Go to the place in which you want to paste the text or item. You can paste text into any text field or document, while files can be pasted into most folders on your computer.
- If you're pasting text into a text field, make sure you click the text field before proceeding.
- Click Edit. It's in the menu bar. The drop-down menu will reappear.
- Click Paste Item. It's in the drop-down menu. You should see your text or file(s) appear in the selected space.
- You'll click Paste Items if you copied multiple files.
- If you copied an individual file, you'll click Paste [file name] (e.g., Paste "Screenshot 1") in the drop-down menu.
Method 2 of 2:
Using the Trackpad
- Consider using keyboard shortcuts instead. You can use your Mac's keyboard to prompt a right-click menu, copy items, and paste items:
- Holding Control while clicking an item will prompt a drop-down menu with Copy and Paste options.
- Pressing ⌘ Command+C while text or an item is selected will copy the text or item.
- Pressing ⌘ Command+V while text or an item is copied will paste the text or item.
- Open the Apple menu
- Click System Preferences…. It's in the drop-down menu. This will open the System Preferences window.
- Click Trackpad. This is at the top of the System Preferences window. A pop-up window will appear.
- Click the Point & Click tab. It's at the top of the System Preferences window.
- Check the "Secondary click" box. You'll find this box on the left side of the window. Checking it enables the two-finger click feature for your Mac's trackpad.
- If this box is checked, secondary click is already enabled.
- Find the text or item you want to copy. Go to the document or folder in which the content or document you want to copy is located.
- Select text before copying it. You will need to click and drag your mouse across the text you want to copy before you can copy it.
- If you want to copy multiple files, hold down ⌘ Command while clicking each file you want to copy.
- Two-finger click the selected item. Placing the mouse cursor over a selected item and then pressing the trackpad with two fingers will prompt a drop-down menu.
- If you've selected multiple files, you only need to two-finger click one of the selected files.
- Click Copy. It's in the drop-down menu. Doing so will copy the selected item(s) to your Mac's clipboard.
- You won't see the text or file(s) duplicate at this point.
- If you're copying an individual file, you'll see the file's name next to Copy.
- Go to the place in which you want to paste the text or item. You can paste text into any text field or document, while files can be pasted into most folders on your computer.
- Two-finger click a text field or a blank space. A drop-down menu will appear.
- Click the Paste option. It's in the drop-down menu. You should see your text or file(s) appear in the selected space.
- You'll click Paste Items if you copied multiple files.
- If you copied an individual file, you'll click Paste [file name] (e.g., Paste "Screenshot 1") in the drop-down menu.
5 ★ | 1 Vote
You should read it
- 7 apps make it easier to select text when copying on Android
- Add Copy to folder and Move to folder in the right-click menu
- How to Copy Uncopyable Text Content
- How to Copy and Paste
- How to add 'Move to' or 'Copy to' to the Windows 10 context menu
- How to Add New Options to Right Click Menu in Windows
- 4 easy ways to copy and paste text on Android
- How to Copy and Paste on Mac
- How to fix the loss of the New menu in the right-click menu
- How to copy text from images in Microsoft OneNote
- How to copy the file list of folders with the right mouse button
- How to Copy Entire Text Chats on Android
Maybe you are interested
Google Labs Releases Whisk: A Tool That Allows You to Upload Images as Instructions Instead of Text Prompts
How to insert text into photos without downloading software
How to display image alt text on Threads
Instructions for rewriting Notepad text using AI
FF color palette, how to chat and create Free Fire signature with colored text
How to remove words from predictive text on iPhone