Paste is the best clipboard manager for Mac and iOS. It stores everything you copy and paste on Mac, iPhone, or iPad and keeps your clipboard history organized. Extend clipboard capacity and keep everything you copy across all devices organized. Copy and paste smarter. Shortcut of the day Mac OS X Copy and Paste Copy paste Copypasta Shortcuts. The way Macs do it may seem off to newer users, but OS X does allow both copy/paste, and cut/paste actions for files. Copy And Paste on Mac How to copy on a Mac: Left-click on your mouse or trackpad to place the cursor in front of the text you want to copy. Hold down the left mouse/trackpad button and slide.
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Copy and paste has been revolutionary for productivity. That may sound bizarre, considering how commonplace it is. Everyone copy–pastes, all the time. But without such functionality, we’d have to start from scratch on whatever we are working on every time.
Instead of starting over, copy and paste gives us control and time. Control to know that once we’ve created something once — whether it’s a passage of text, an entire document, images, videos, music, code — we can replicate it, instantly and easily. And wherever we have an internet connection, we can share those creations or links with anyone else in the world.
When you stop and think about it, copy and paste is remarkable (on a Mac: Command/⌘+C to copy, then Command/⌘+V to paste). The problem is, we are so used to it, so used to skipping back and forth between tasks that once we’ve copied something, if we don't paste it, we can quickly lose it and need to start again. Such a pain! Unfortunately, even the most expensive Macs only have one clipboard.
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How to view and manage clipboard history on macOS
Once you’ve copied something else, what you originally copied is lost. A Mac clipboard is a transient memory function, only designed to hold one item at a time. Once it's gone, it's gone. Clearly, this is a problem, and one that developers have been working on with numerous solutions, known as clipboard managers, appearing over the years. Thankfully, we have a solution we highly recommend to this particular problem with copy and paste history.
Where do you find the clipboard on your Mac?
A Mac clipboard is one of those macOS programs that runs in the background. You can find it and view clipboard through the Finder menu, in the top toolbar. Find and select Show Clipboard to see the last item you copied.
How does the macOS clipboard work?
As a native program, macOS clipboard runs the same way as other macOS operating functions. Clipboard is a basic program, which is why it takes up almost no processing power or space, except for the item it currently holds. Unfortunately, this comes with limitations. You can’t see anything else, apart from the latest item you copied. Once you copy something else, the first copied item disappears.
Gladly, now we have a solution for viewing the little-known secondary clipboard, where you can find your clipboard history.
The Mac’s hidden secondary clipboard
Not many people know that macOS has a hidden secondary clipboard. It’s a very well-kept secret. Select any text and press Control + K to cut it. To paste it in its new location, press Control + Y. Note that this cuts, rather than copies, the text. As this feature uses a different functionality, it won’t remove what is currently on the “main” clipboard.
Universal Clipboard
Universal Clipboard is a feature that was introduced in macOS Sierra and iOS 10, and allows you to copy and paste between Apple devices, as long as they’re signed into the same iCloud account and connected to the same WiFi network, with Bluetooth switched on. They also need to be physically close to each other.
To use Universal Clipboard, all you have to do is copy on one device and paste on the other.
How to view clipboard history
The main way to view your clipboard history is to paste (Command/⌘+V). That will show you the most recent item you copied. But did you know you can copy and paste in the Finder too? If you want to copy a file from one folder to another, for example, you can select it, press Command/⌘+C, then click in the folder you want to copy to and press Command/⌘+V.
You can even access clipboard history on a different device than the one you copied from, thanks to Universal Clipboard in macOS Sierra and iOS 10. To use it, your devices must be running at least iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, have both Bluetooth and WiFi turned on and be close to each other. They’ll also need to be signed into iCloud, since Universal Clipboard uses iCloud to sync data. Then all you have to do is copy on one device and paste on the other, using the usual copy and paste method on each device.
How to avoid clipboard limitations
If you have problems using Universal Clipboard, try logging out of iCloud on each device and logging back in again.
There are a couple of alternatives to copying and pasting.
- One is to use text clippings. These are snippets of text that look like files, but can’t be edited and behave differently. To create a text clipping, select text in any document and drag it to the desktop. You can then drag it onto any document in any application that accepts text and drop it at the point where you want to paste it. You can also drag and drop the snippet directly from one application window onto the window of another — missing outboard stores multiple items.
- Paste is quite straightforward. Think of it as a clipboard manager for your Mac, which automatically keeps everything you’ve copied regardless of the format. You can record all clipboard types, from plain text to images, screenshots, links, and more. Anytime you need, you can smart search through the clipboard history manager, share anything through AirDrop or sync to iCloud, and even access clipboard history on other devices using the Universal Clipboard.
- Rocket Typist is another great app that approached solving clipboard limitations from a different angle. This app allows you to create multiple text snippets for passages you use frequently, from email greetings to PHP scripts. Assign trigger combinations for saved snippets and call on them in any app or environment. Alternatively, you can then paste directly into the document you’re working on by selecting the snippet in Rocket Typist to move it to the clipboard and pasting it the regular way.
- One more tool to help solve the clipboard problem is Unclutter. Designed as an app for storing notes and files neatly on your Desktop, Unclutter features a clipboard manager that retains the contents of your Mac’s clipboard, even after you copy something else. An organized interface makes your clipboard history easily accessible, allowing to find any old item you need to paste again.
How do you paste from the clipboard on a Mac?
To paste something from the standard macOS clipboard, use Command/⌘+V. However, when you are using a clipboard manager like Paste, you’ve got several options for pasting items from the clipboard.
![Copy paste mac shortcut Copy paste mac shortcut](/uploads/1/1/9/5/119537089/128322330.png)
- Drag and drop items from the Paste interface directly to any Mac app
- Select and paste multiple items at once
- Paste items as plain text, no matter the format of the original
- Access and paste files from multiple devices using iCloud sync
- Paste using customized shortcuts for most recent as well as old items
- Allow others to paste your snippets by sharing over AirDrop.
How to fix it a non-working clipboard
The first step when you discover that copy and paste don’t work is to check that it’s macOS that’s at fault and not your keyboard. Select some text in any application, then go to the Edit menu and choose Copy. Then go back to the Edit menu and choose Paste or Unclutter. If that works, the problem is with your keyboard.
If that doesn’t work, trying fixing the issue with Activity Monitor.
- Go to Applications > Utilities and double-click on Activity Monitor to launch it
- In its search box, type: pboard
- When it shows the pboard process, select it and press the X in the toolbar
- Click Force Quit and then close Activity Monitor
Go to an app where copy and paste wasn’t working and try again. If it still doesn’t work, try using Terminal to fix it.
- Go to Applications > Utilities and double-click on Terminal to launch it
- Type: killall pboard
- Hit Return
- Close Terminal
Try and copy and paste again in the same app as before. If neither Activity Monitor nor Terminal solves the problem, the next step is to restart your Mac.
How to recover clipboard history on a Mac
The fact that the macOS clipboard only retains the most recently copied thing means that there’s no way to easily view or recover clipboard history. You can, however, use Command/⌘+Z to undo the most recent action and then press it repeatedly to step back through everything you’ve done. Eventually, assuming the application you’re using supports unlimited undos, you’ll get to the point where you pasted the item you want to recover.
A much easier way to recover clipboard history is to use apps like Paste or Unclutter. They retain multiple items and allow you to view them easily in the app, selecting the one you need.
![Copy Paste For Mac Copy Paste For Mac](/uploads/1/1/9/5/119537089/146881396.jpg)
Snippets manager for Mac
Check out the top three best clipboard managers for handling snippets. Grab the handiest one for the job.
How to clear the clipboard
Clearing your clipboard is easy. Either overwrite the current copied item with a copy of something else or, in case of using Paste, delete the clipboard history with a few clicks. However, it’s a good idea to store some items or the whole clipboard history in iCloud just in case you need some of it in the future. Paste or Unclutter make managing clipboard history as straightforward as it can be.
While most Mac users limit themselves to one clipboard item at a time and feel frustrated with every accidental overwrite, you can use apps like Paste, Unclutter, and Rocket Typist — all available in the Setapp app collection — to extend the native capabilities of your Mac and save yourself hours of headaches in the future.
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You can save a lot of time by copying, cutting, and pasting on a computer. When you copy text from a website, you can paste it in a Word document or email and save it on your computer. You can also use these shortcuts to cut a file or folder and paste it in a new location. If you’re a Mac user, here’s how to cut, copy and paste items with your keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.
How to Copy and Paste ona Mac
To copy and paste text, images, or files on a Mac, you can either use the contextual menu or keyboard shortcuts.
The contextual menu is a pop-up screen thatappears when you tap on your mouse or trackpad.
But the easiest way to copy and paste is withkeyboard shortcuts.
How to Copy and Paste Using Keyboard Shortcuts
- Select the text and/or image you want to copy. You can hold down the Shift button while using the up and down arrow keys to highlight the text from your keyboard. Or you can left-click your mouse and drag it across the text to highlight it.
- Then, press Command+ C on your keyboard. While you are holding down the Command button (the button with an icon like this ⌘), press the letter C once. This will copy the text and or images to the clipboard. Note: You can only copy one set of text and/or images at one time. Every time you copy something it will replace the last thing you copied.
- Open a program to paste what you copied. Macs come with a Text app, which is a perfect place to paste and save text and images.
- Press Command + V to paste. This will paste the text and/or images from the clipboard.
Note: You can only copy one set of text and/or images at one time. Every time you copy something it will replace the last thing you copied.
How to Cut and Paste Using Keyboard Shortcuts
Instead of copying, you can choose to cut textand images to move them from one location to another. Unlike copying whichretains the copied text, the Cut command will get rid of the text in theoriginal file.
- Choose the text or image you would like to cut.
- Press Command + X on your keyboard. You can also right-click the mouse on the highlighted text and/or images and choose Cut from the pop-up contextual menu.You can also find the option to cut from the “Edit” menu in most applications.
- Press Command + V. You could also find the option to Paste by right-clicking in an app to bring up the contextual menu or in the Edit menu of most apps.
If you want to paste text without keeping the formatting (the size, font, color, etc of the text) press Command + Shift + Option + V.
You can also find this option in the contextual menu under Paste and Match Style.
How to Cut and Paste Files and Folders
If you want to move files and folders around on your Mac, you can copy and paste them with Command + C and Command + V. However, unless you want duplicates, it’s usually best to cut and paste files and folders.
Copy Paste For Mac Shortcut
Here’s how to move a file or folder on a Mac with cut and paste.
- Select the file you want to copy.
- Press Command + C on your keyboard. This will copy the file to the clipboard.
- Navigate to the folder that you want to paste the file.
- Press Command + Option + V. This will move the file or folder you copied from the old location to a new one.
You can also find the option to move a file under Edit in the Finder menu bar. However, you have to push the Option key while you are in the menu for the Move Item Here option to appear.
How to Copy and Pastewith a Mouse
- Highlight the text or image you want to copy.
- Right-click on your mouse and choose Copy from the contextual menu that appears.
- Open a program to paste what you copied. Point your cursor to where you want to place the copied content.
- Right-click on your mouse and choose Paste from the contextual menu.
How To Copy Paste For Mac
The Paste option is also available in the EditMenu of most applications.
How to Copy and Pastewith a Trackpad
Copy Paste For Macbook
- Choose the text that you want to copy. You can do this by pressing on the trackpad and dragging the cursor across the area you want to copy.
- Tap anywhere on the trackpad with two fingers to bring up the contextual menu.
- Choose Copy.
- Open a program to paste what you copied.
- Lightly tap on any space on your trackpad with two fingers. This will bring up the menu for your pasting options.
- Select Paste.
Now that you know how to copy and paste on a Mac, check out our list of the most useful Mac keyboard shortcuts here.