How to Copy and Paste on Mac

This article shows you how to copy and paste text or files on a Mac computer. Although the Mac's built-in menu bar is often used to copy and paste data, you can still use your trackpad or keyboard to do this.

Use the menu bar

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Find the text or file you want to copy. You can copy text to paste into another document or data entry field, or copy one or more files to paste one into another folder on your computer.

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Select text or file. To select text, click and drag your mouse over that text to highlight it. You can select a file by clicking on it.

If you want to select multiple files at once, hold down the key ⌘ Commandwhile clicking each file.

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Click Edit . It's on the left side of the menu bar at the top of your Mac screen to open a list of options.

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Click the Copy option in the Edit menu . This is the operation of copying selected text or files to your Mac's clipboard.

If you're copying just one file, you'll see the file name displayed next to Copy .

You will not see copies of text or files at this time.

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Find where you want to paste the text or file. You can paste text into any data entry field or document and paste files into most folders on your computer.

If you paste text into a data entry field, make sure you click into the field before working.

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Click Edit on the menu bar to open a list of options.

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Click Paste Item in the drop-down list. You will see the text or file displayed at the selected location.

Click the Paste Items option if you have copied multiple files.

If you're just copying one file, click Paste [file name] , for example, Paste "Screenshot 1" in the selection list.

Use the mouse pad

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Consider using keyboard shortcuts. You can use your Mac keyboard to open the right-click menu and copy and paste data:

Hold down the key Controlwhile clicking the data to open a menu with Copy and Paste options .

Press ⌘ Command+ key Cafter selecting text or file to copy data.

Press the ⌘ Command+ key Vafter copying text or files to paste data.

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Open the Apple menu. You'll click the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen to open this menu.

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Click System Preferences… in the menu to open this window.

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Click Trackpad . It's at the top of the System Preferences window. The screen will display another window.

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Click the Point & Click tab . It's at the top of the System Preferences window.

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Check the "Secondary click" box on the left side of the window. This is how to enable two-finger clicking for your Mac's trackpad.

If this box is already ticked, the 'secondary click' feature is enabled.

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Find the text or file you want to copy. Go to the document or folder that contains the content or text you want to copy.

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Select text before copying. You will need to click and drag over the text you want to copy before you can copy it.

If you want to copy multiple files, hold down the key ⌘ Commandwhile clicking each file to copy.

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Perform a two-finger click on the selected data. Placing the mouse pointer over the selected data and then pressing the trackpad with two fingers will display a selection list.

If you've selected multiple files, just perform a two-finger click on the selected files at a time.

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Click Copy in the drop-down list to copy the selected data to your Mac's clipboard.

You will not see a copy of the text or data at this time.

If you're copying just one file, you'll see the name of the file next to Copy .

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Find where you want to paste the text or file. You can paste text into any data or text entry field and paste files into most folders on your computer.

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