Relic
Get Relic free
Topic

Copy and paste, explained

Copy and paste is the most-used trick on any device, and it works a little differently on each one. These guides cover every platform, keyboard and mouse, including the shortcuts and the plain-text paste that save the most time.

Start here
Pillar·12 min

How to copy and paste on any device

The same two steps work everywhere once you know the shortcut for your device. Copy and paste on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone, Android and tablets, by keyboard, trackpad or touch, with every shortcut in one table.

Read
In this topic
7 min

How to copy and paste on an iPad

The iPad copies by touch like an iPhone, but it also takes keyboard shortcuts and lets you drag things between two open apps. Every method, plus Procreate and the fixes when paste won't show up.

Read
7 min

How to copy formatting in Word

Copy the look of text in Word without the words. The Format Painter, single click vs double click, the keyboard shortcut for your version of Word and for Mac, and when styles work better.

Read
6 min

How to copy and paste on a Chromebook

Chromebooks handle copy and paste a little differently from Windows or Mac. The keyboard shortcuts, the two-finger touchpad tap, and pasting as plain text.

Read
7 min

How to copy and paste on a Mac

The Mac uses Command, not Control, which trips up a lot of switchers. Copy and paste on macOS by keyboard, mouse and trackpad, plus paste without formatting.

Read
6 min

How to copy and paste on an iPhone

iPhone copy and paste runs on taps and gestures instead of a keyboard. Copying text, links and images, plus the three-finger shortcuts most people never learn.

Read
8 min

How to copy and paste on Android

Android copy and paste starts with a press and hold. Plus the Samsung extras: the keyboard clipboard, pinned clips, text from photos and pasting to a Windows PC.

Read
6 min

How to copy and paste in Google Docs

The Google Docs shortcuts for copy, cut, paste and select all, how to paste without formatting, how to make a copy of a whole doc, and why right-click paste asks for clipboard access.

Read
6 min

How to paste without formatting

Pasted text often drags its old fonts and colors with it. Pasting as plain text in Windows, Mac, Google Docs, Word and Excel, with the shortcut for each.

Read