01 / CLIPBOARD · 5 min read
How to Copy and Paste on Mac: Shortcuts, Tricks, and History
Copy and paste on a Mac: Command + C and V, pasting without formatting, using the trackpad, moving files, and getting back things you copied earlier.
To copy and paste on Mac, select the text, image or file and press Command + C (⌘C), click where you want it, then press Command + V (⌘V). To paste text without the original fonts and colors, press Option + Shift + Command + V (⌥⇧⌘V). You can also right-click, or tap with two fingers on the trackpad, and choose Copy or Paste.
The Basic Copy and Paste Shortcuts
On a Mac the shortcuts use the Command (⌘) key, where Windows uses Control:
- Command + C (⌘C): Copy the selected text, image or file.
- Command + V (⌘V): Paste it into a document, a text box or a folder.
- Command + X (⌘X): Cut text: it is removed from the old place and ready to paste somewhere else.
Paste Without Formatting
When you copy text from a website or a PDF and press ⌘V, it often brings along its own fonts, colors and sizes. To paste it so it looks like the text around it:
Press Option + Shift + Command + V (⌥⇧⌘V). This is called Paste and Match Style, and you can also find it in the Edit menu.
Copy and Paste with the Trackpad or Mouse
- Select the text, or click the file you want to copy.
- Right-click it (on a trackpad, tap with two fingers, or hold Control and click).
- Choose Copy from the menu.
- Go to the place you want it, right-click, and choose Paste.
Moving Files in Finder
In Finder, Command + X does not work on files. To move a file instead of copying it:
- Select the file and press Command + C.
- Open the folder you want it in and press Option + Command + V (⌥⌘V). The file is moved there.
A Mac Remembers Only the Last Thing You Copied
The Mac keeps just one copied item at a time. When you copy something new, the old item is gone, so people often switch back and forth between windows to copy things one by one.
A Copy History with Tegaro
The Tegaro Clipboard tool keeps a list of what you copied:
- History (⌃⌥V): Open the list, then press ⌘1 to ⌘9 to paste one of the items.
- Search inside screenshots: Find a past screenshot by the words written in it.
- Text from screen (⌃⌥T): Drag a box over text in an image, video or slide and it is copied.
Clipboard is off until you turn it on, and it needs Pro after the 14-day trial.
Tegaro needs no account, and what you copy stays on your Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Command + C not work on Mac?
Try it in another app first. Some pages and apps do not allow copying. Also check System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Modifier Keys to see that the keys have not been changed, then restart the Mac if it still fails.
Does Mac keep a history of things I copied?
No. It keeps only the last item you copied, and copying something new replaces it. To keep a history you need a clipboard app, such as the Tegaro Clipboard tool.
How do I cut and move files on Mac instead of copying?
In Finder, select the file and press Command + C. Open the destination folder and press Option + Command + V (⌥⌘V). The file is moved there instead of duplicated.
Ten Mac tools, one icon
Tegaro puts Clipboard, Clipboard, Displays, Power and more in one menu-bar icon. Everything is free for 14 days, no card needed; after that the core tools stay free and Pro unlocks the rest.