The basic steps for copying and pasting on an iMac
Copying and pasting on an iMac works the same way it does on any computer, but the keyboard shortcuts are different from Windows. On a Mac, you use the Command key (marked with ⌘) instead of the Control key. To copy something, select it with your mouse or trackpad, then press Command+C. To paste it somewhere else, click where you want it to go and press Command+V.
The Command key sits to the left of the spacebar on your iMac keyboard. Once you copy something, it stays in your clipboard until you copy something else, so you can paste the same item multiple times in different places. This works for text, images, files, and most other things you can select on your screen.
You can also use the menu bar to copy and paste if you prefer not to use keyboard shortcuts. Click the Edit menu at the top of your screen, and you will see Copy and Paste as options. The keyboard shortcut appears next to each one, so you can learn it over time.
Key Takeaways
- Copy on a Mac by selecting something and pressing Command+C, then paste it elsewhere by pressing Command+V.
- The Command key (⌘) is on the bottom left of your keyboard, next to the spacebar.
- Once you copy something, it stays in your clipboard until you copy something else, so you can paste it as many times as you want.
- You can also use the Edit menu at the top of your screen to copy and paste without using keyboard shortcuts.
- Copying and pasting works for text, images, files, web links, and most other things you can select on your iMac.
How to select text or images before copying
Before you can copy anything, you need to select it first. For text, click at the beginning of what you want to copy, then drag your mouse or trackpad to the end. The selected text will turn blue or highlighted. You can also triple-click on a word to select an entire paragraph, or click once and then Shift+click at the end of what you want to select.
For images, click once on the image to select it. A border with small squares (called handles) will appear around it. For files in Finder, click once on the file name or icon. If you want to select multiple files at once, hold down the Command key and click each file you want to copy.
Once something is highlighted or has a border around it, you know it is selected and ready to copy. If nothing is highlighted when you press Command+C, nothing will be copied.
Where your copied items go and how long they stay there
When you copy something on your iMac, it goes into an invisible holding area called the clipboard. Your clipboard can only hold one item at a time. If you copy text, then copy an image, the text disappears from your clipboard and only the image remains.
Items in your clipboard stay there until you restart your iMac or copy something else. This means you can copy something in the morning, close the program, open a different program, and paste it hours later — as long as you have not copied anything else in between. If you need to keep multiple items to paste later, you will need to paste them into a document or use a third-party clipboard manager app.
If you accidentally copy over something you needed, you cannot get it back from the clipboard. The only way to recover it is if you pasted it somewhere before copying something else. This is why some people use clipboard manager apps, which remember multiple copied items, but these are optional tools and not built into macOS.
Using cut instead of copy when you want to move something
Cut is similar to copy, but it removes the item from where it started. On your iMac, cut uses the keyboard shortcut Command+X. After you cut something, it goes into your clipboard just like a copied item, and you paste it the same way with Command+V.
Cut is useful when you want to move a file from one folder to another, or move text from one document to another. For example, if you select a paragraph in a document and press Command+X, that paragraph disappears from the document and goes into your clipboard. When you paste it elsewhere with Command+V, it appears in the new location.
Be careful with cut: once you cut something and close the program without pasting it, you may lose it. It is safer to copy first, paste in the new location, and then delete the original if you are not sure what you are doing.
Pasting text into different programs and keeping the formatting
When you paste text from one program into another, sometimes the formatting (bold, italics, colors, fonts) comes along with it, and sometimes it does not. This depends on which programs you are using and what kind of text you copied.
If you want to paste text without any formatting — just the plain words — use Command+Option+Shift+V instead of Command+V. This is called paste and match style, and it strips away bold, italics, colors, and other formatting so the text matches whatever program you are pasting into. Not all programs support this shortcut, but most do.
If you paste something and the formatting looks wrong, try using paste and match style. If that does not work, you can also paste into a plain text program like TextEdit first, then copy from there and paste into your final location.
Troubleshooting when copy and paste is not working
If you press Command+C and Command+V but nothing happens, start by checking whether you actually selected something. Click on the text or image you want to copy and make sure it turns blue or shows a border. If nothing is selected, copy will not work.
If something is selected but copy still does not work, try using the Edit menu instead of the keyboard shortcut. Click Edit at the top of your screen and click Copy. If that works, your keyboard shortcut may be broken or your keyboard may have a problem. If the Edit menu option also does not work, the program itself may not support copying, which is rare but happens with some specialized apps.
If you can copy but pasting does not work, make sure you clicked in the right place before pressing Command+V. Some programs do not allow pasting in certain areas. Try clicking in a different spot, like inside a text box or document, and paste again. If nothing works, restart the program or restart your iMac.
Using drag and drop as an alternative to copy and paste
On your iMac, you can also move files and text by dragging them instead of using copy and paste. Click and hold on a file or selected text, then drag it to a new location and release. This is faster than copy and paste if you can see both the source and destination on your screen at the same time.
Dragging works for files in Finder, text between documents, and images between programs. However, dragging moves the item (like cut), not copies it, so the original disappears from where it started. If you want to copy instead of move, hold down the Option key while dragging. This tells your iMac to copy the item instead of moving it.
Drag and drop is useful for quick tasks, but copy and paste is more reliable when you are moving things between different programs or when you cannot see both locations at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy and paste between my iMac and my iPhone or iPad?
Yes, if your devices are signed into the same iCloud account. This feature is called Universal Clipboard. Copy something on your iMac, then paste it on your iPhone or iPad, or vice versa. It works for text, images, and links. The devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network or connected to the same cellular account for this to work.
What is the difference between copy and cut on a Mac?
Copy (Command+C) leaves the original item where it is and puts a copy in your clipboard. Cut (Command+X) removes the item from where it started and puts it in your clipboard. Both use the same paste shortcut (Command+V) to put the item somewhere else.
Why does my pasted text look different from the original?
Different programs format text differently. When you paste into a new program, it may use a different font, size, or color. Use Command+Option+Shift+V to paste without formatting, which removes bold, italics, and colors so the text matches your new location.
Can I undo a paste if I made a mistake?
Yes. Press Command+Z to undo the last action, including a paste. You can undo multiple times by pressing Command+Z again and again. Each press undoes one step further back.
Does my iMac clipboard clear when I turn it off?
Yes. When you restart your iMac, your clipboard empties and anything you had copied is lost. If you need to save something you copied, paste it into a document or file before restarting.