How to Copy, Paste & Cut On A Mac (2026)

If you’ve just switched from Windows to Mac and are struggling to figure out how to copy and paste on your Mac, the easiest way to do it is to press Command (⌘) + C to copy and Command (⌘) + V to paste.

This guide covers all the ways to copy and paste on a Mac, including in different applications and on the latest Apple Silicon Macs (M1-M5).

Copy, Paste & Cut Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Keyboard	Menu Bar	Right‑Click
Copy	Command (⌘) + C	Edit > Copy	Right‑click > Copy
Cut	Command (⌘) + X	Edit > Cut	Right‑click > Cut
Paste	Command (⌘) + V	Edit > Paste	Right‑click > Paste
Paste & Match Style	Shift + Command (⌘) + Option + V	Edit > Paste and Match Style	—

*Note: These shortcuts work for text, images, and most files, depending on the app. For tips on right-clicking, check out our guide on how to right click on Mac.

For more tips, check out our ultimate guide to keyboard shortcuts on Mac.

How To Copy, Paste & Cut on Mac

There are many occasions when you might want to move text, images, files, or other objects from a document, PDF, app, or file to another location.

However, copying and pasting on a Mac works differently than on Windows, so if you’ve recently switched to a Mac or MacBook, it’s easy to feel confused or frustrated.

The main difference is that Macs use a Command (⌘) key and Option (⌥) key instead of Control, and these keys are often combined with others to perform actions like cutting, pasting, formatting, or running other keyboard shortcuts.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to copy and paste using your keyboard, mouse, or trackpad, and even how to copy between Apple devices using Universal Clipboard.

Quick Copy, Paste & Cut Essentials

Before diving into all the methods, here are the basic Mac shortcuts:

• Copy: Command (⌘) + C
• Cut: Command (⌘) + X
• Paste: Command (⌘) + V

How To Copy On A Mac

To copy text or images:

1. Select the content you want to copy:
   • For a single word, double-click it.
   • For a sentence or paragraph, click at the start, hold Shift, and click at the end, or click and drag.
2. Press Command (⌘) + C.
3. Your Mac will store the content in the clipboard to be pasted wherever needed.

How To Paste On A Mac

Once you’ve copied content:

1. Open the app or document where you want to paste it.
2. Place the cursor where you want the content.
3. Press Command (⌘) + V to paste.

How To Cut On A Mac

Cutting moves content rather than duplicating it:

1. Select the text or item you want to cut.
2. Press Command (⌘) + X.
3. Paste it elsewhere with Command (⌘) + V.

Note: Some apps (like PDFs or read-only documents) do not support cutting text. Copying usually works universally.

Copy and Paste Without Formatting

By default, pasting retains the original formatting. To paste text without formatting (so it matches the style of the target document):

1. Copy or cut the text as usual (Command (⌘) + C or Command (⌘) + X).
2. Place the cursor where you want it.
3. Press Shift + Option + Command (⌘) + V.

The pasted text will adopt the style of the destination document, saving time on formatting.

Copy and Paste Using a Mouse

1. Select the content by double-clicking a word or click-and-drag for longer sections.
2. Right-click and choose Copy or Cut.
3. Navigate to the target document, right-click, and choose Paste.
4. To paste without formatting, choose Paste and Match Style from the right-click menu.

Copy and Paste Using Menus

1. Select the content you want to copy.
2. Go to the Edit menu in the app and select Copy or Cut.
3. Navigate to your target document, click Edit, then Paste.

Copy and Paste on a Mac Trackpad

If you prefer using the trackpad:

1. Select the text by holding and dragging on the trackpad.
2. Tap with two fingers to open the context menu and select Copy.
   • On Force Touch trackpads, a three-finger tap also opens the context menu.
3. Move to the destination, tap with two fingers, and select Paste.

Copy Multiple Items on a Mac

The built-in Mac clipboard stores one item at a time, but modern macOS apps like Notes, Messages, and Pages may temporarily offer clipboard previews when pasting.

For full clipboard history, third-party clipboard apps like Paste or Alfred let you save multiple items for repeated use.

You can still view the current clipboard contents:

1. Open Finder.
2. Go to the Edit menu and choose Show Clipboard.

Copy & Paste Between Mac and iPhone/iPad (Universal Clipboard)

Apple’s Universal Clipboard lets you copy on one device and paste on another (Mac, iPhone, iPad) seamlessly.

Requirements:

• All devices signed into the same iCloud account
• Handoff enabled on all devices
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on
• Devices near each other (within ~10 meters)
• iOS 17 / iPadOS 17 / macOS Ventura 13+ or later

Enable Handoff:

• Mac: Apple logo > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff > Handoff ON

• iPhone/iPad: Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > Handoff

You can now copy and paste between a Mac and iPhone whenever you want by using any of the above copy and paste methods on a Mac. Anything you copy to your Mac clipboard will be available on your iOS device.

It also works vice versa so if you tap “Copy” on an item on your iPhone, you can paste it on your Mac.

Tips & Tricks for 2026

• Emoji and Symbols: Press Control + Command (⌘) + Space to open the emoji and symbols picker. Copy and paste emojis anywhere.
• Quick Drag-and-Drop: Hold Option while dragging items between apps to copy instead of move.
• Paste Link as Text: Right-click in Safari and select “Copy Link as Text” to paste without formatting.
• Clipboard Previews in Apps: Apps like Notes and Pages now show a temporary clipboard history for easier multi-step pasting.

FAQ

Why doesn’t Control + C work on my Mac?

Macs use Command (⌘) + C instead of Control + C.

Can I copy multiple items at once?

The system clipboard stores only one item. Use apps like Paste or Alfred for multiple items.

Why is Cut greyed out sometimes?

Some apps (read-only documents, PDFs) don’t support Cut. Copy works universally.

Can I copy files as well as text?

Yes. Use Command (⌘) + C / Command (⌘) + V to copy files in Finder, images in apps, or text.

Does Universal Clipboard work automatically?

Only if devices are on the same iCloud account, Handoff is enabled, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on, and devices are near each other.