While copy and paste is an easy thing to do on any computer and in case you just switched from Windows to Mac. Then, you might be confused on how to carry out this copy and paste task easily. Here’s how to copy and paste files and text on Mac.
How to Copy and Paste Files and Text on Mac
1. Using the Menu Box
To copy and paste on your Mac using this option:
Step 1: First, highlight the item to be copied by holding down the left mouse key. Make sure that the highlighted section shows a coloured box.
Step 2: Then Right-click the selected file or text and choose the “Copy” or “Cut” command.
Step 3: Now move to the location for pasting the copied item.
Step 4: After that Right-click the chosen location and select the “Paste” option.
2. Using the Command Key
Step 1: First of all Highlight the item to be copied by holding down the left mouse. Make sure that the highlighted section shows a coloured box.
Step 2: Then use Mac keyboard shortcuts such as Command + C (Copy) or Command + X (Cut).
Step 3: Now move to the location for pasting the copied item.
Step 4: After this use keyboard shortcut Command + V to paste the item.
3. Using the Option Key to Copy
This method of copying is less known but it is usually quicker than the two mentioned above.
Step 1: Begin by placing your mouse cursor on the item you want to copy.
Step 2: Now hold down the Option key as well as the right button of your mouse.
Step 3: This will automatically create a duplicate.
4. Hold Down Command + X and Drag to Cut
The Command + X (Cut) method does not work for files however there is a way around this:
Step 1: First place your mouse cursor on the item you want to copy.
Step 2: Then hold down the Command key as well as the right button of your mouse and drag the file.
Step 3: Now you should see that the “plus” icon on the file has disappeared. This means the file is being cut and not being copied.
How to Copy and Paste Files or Folders and Images
Mac’s own Finder tool makes it easy to copy files and folders from one location and paste it in another. Here’s how to do so:
Step 1: First select the file or image you want to copy by placing your mouse arrow on it.
Step 2: Then Right-click the selected file and choose “Copy” out of the pop-out options or use a keyboard shortcut.
Step 3: Now the copied file will be placed in your clipboard.
Step 4: After that move to the location, you want the file pasted using the Finder window.
Step 5: Simply “Paste” the file.
Also from copying the image itself, another thing a Mac system allows you to do is to copy the image address.
Step 1: First of all select the image you want to copy by placing your mouse arrow on it.
Step 2: Then Right-click the selected image and choose “Copy Image Address.”
Step 3: Now the copied address will get a place in your clipboard.
How to Copy and Paste Across various Apple Devices
If you have more than one Apple OS device synced, copying and pasting across the devices should be simple. The Universal Clipboard provided for Apple products made available when you enable Continuity on Mac makes it possible for you to copy any text or image from an iOS device such as an iPhone and then paste to your Mac. Here’s how to do so,
Step 1: Firstly select the item you want to copy by placing your mouse arrow on it.
Step 2: Then Right-click the selected item which should bring out options.
Step 3: Now choose “Copy” from the options or make use of a keyboard shortcut to perform this action.
Step 4: After this, the copied item should be available on all your Apple devices, so all you have to do is “Paste” it.
How to Use the Paste and Match Style
Paste and Match Style simply means you copied and pasted the formatting of the text as well. A simple way to avoid this is by using a command that makes sure the pasted text match up to the formatting of the new one.
Here’s how to do this;
Step 1: Firstly access the Menu Box by right-clicking.
Step 2: Now select “Paste and match style.”
There is also a keyboard shortcut, but it varies between apps in use. You can also try Eisenberg of the shortcuts below:
Command + Shift + V
Command + Shift + Alt/Option + V
Conclusion
Knowing how to copy and paste on a Mac and across Apple devices will definitely save you a lot of time. Now instead of rewriting something which has been done in the past, you can easily transfer with the click of a few buttons.