Copy and paste on Mac
Learn the different ways to copy and paste text and other items on your Mac — and how to undo the change if you make a mistake.
To learn how to select the text or items you want to copy, see Select items on your Mac screen.
Use keyboard shortcuts
Using keyboard shortcuts is the fastest way to copy and paste.
On your Mac, select the text or item you want to copy.
Press Command-C to copy the selection.
Go to the place where you want to paste the selection, then press Command-V.
If you pasted the selection in the wrong place (or changed your mind), press Command-Z to undo the paste.
Use Control-click
Control-clicking opens a shortcut menu that includes the copy and paste commands. You can also set up a right-click on a mouse or trackpad that opens the same shortcut menu. See Right-click on Mac.
On your Mac, select the text or item you want to copy.
Control-click the selection, then choose Copy from the shortcut menu.
Go to the place where you want to paste the selection, Control-click, then choose Paste from the shortcut menu to insert the copied content.
If the Paste command is dimmed or unavailable, you can’t paste content in that location.
Use the menu bar
The menu bar that runs across the top of the screen contains an Edit menu with options for copy, paste and undo.
On your Mac, select the text or item you want to copy.
From the menu bar, choose Edit > Copy.
Go to the place where you want to paste the selection, then choose Edit > Paste to insert the copied content.
If the Paste command is dimmed or unavailable, you can’t paste content in that location.
If you pasted the selection in the wrong place (or changed your mind), choose Edit > Undo.