The basic steps for copying and pasting on Facebook

Copying and pasting on Facebook works the same way it does anywhere else on your computer or phone — you select the text or link you want, copy it, then paste it somewhere new. On a computer, you highlight what you want with your mouse, press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac), then press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V) where you want it to go. On a phone or tablet, you tap and hold the text until a menu appears, tap Copy, then tap and hold where you want to paste it and select Paste.

The main difference on Facebook is that some content — like other people's posts or comments — may not let you copy it the normal way. Facebook's design sometimes blocks selection on certain elements to protect content or prevent spam. If you can't copy something directly, there are workarounds depending on what you're trying to copy and where you want to paste it.

Key Takeaways

  • On a computer, highlight text with your mouse, press Ctrl+C to copy, then Ctrl+V to paste; on a phone, tap and hold the text until Copy appears in the menu.
  • Facebook sometimes blocks copying of other people's posts or comments to prevent spam, but you can usually copy text from your own posts or from comments you wrote.
  • If you want to share someone else's post, use Facebook's built-in Share button instead of copying and pasting, which keeps the original post linked and credited.
  • Links posted on Facebook can be copied like any other text, but copying a link from the address bar of a Facebook page gives you a different URL than copying the link from within a post.
  • When you paste text into Facebook, the platform may strip out formatting like bold or italics, depending on where you're pasting it.

Copying text from your own posts and comments

Text you wrote yourself — in your own posts, comments, or messages — can be copied normally. Click or tap and hold to select the text, copy it, and paste it wherever you need it. This works in your News Feed, on your profile, in Messenger, and in comments you've left on other people's posts.

If you're copying a longer post or comment, you may find it easier to select all the text at once. On a computer, click at the start of the text, then hold Shift and click at the end. On a phone, tap and hold, then drag the selection handles to cover everything you want. Once it's highlighted, copy and paste as usual.

Why Facebook blocks copying of other people's content

When you try to copy someone else's post or comment directly, Facebook often prevents it. This is a deliberate design choice meant to stop spam bots from automatically scraping posts and reposting them across the platform. It also discourages people from copying posts without attribution, which can spread misinformation or take credit for someone else's words.

The blocking isn't perfect — some posts can still be copied, and the rules change depending on privacy settings and post type. Public posts are more likely to be copyable than private ones. If you find you can't copy a specific post, it's usually because the person who wrote it has privacy settings that restrict it, or Facebook's system flagged it as sensitive content.

Using Share instead of copy and paste

If you want to share someone else's post with your friends, Facebook's Share button is the better choice than copying and pasting. When you click Share on a post, you can add your own comment and send it to your timeline, a group, or a specific person. The original post stays linked and credited to the person who wrote it, and your friends can see where it came from.

Copying and pasting someone's post into your own status or comment makes it look like you wrote it, even if you didn't mean to. Using Share keeps the source clear and is what Facebook's system is designed for. You'll find the Share button below most posts — it usually looks like an arrow or a box with an arrow pointing outward.

Copying links from Facebook posts

Links posted on Facebook can be copied like regular text. If a post contains a clickable link, you can right-click it (or tap and hold on a phone) and select Copy Link. This copies the actual URL, not the text that appears on the screen. You can then paste that URL into a browser, an email, a message, or anywhere else you need it.

Be aware that if you copy the link from Facebook's address bar — the bar at the top of your browser that shows the web address — you're copying Facebook's URL for that page, not the link the post is pointing to. If you want the actual destination link, copy it from within the post itself. This matters if you're trying to share an article or website that someone posted about.

Pasting text into Facebook posts and comments

When you paste text into a Facebook post, comment, or message, the text usually appears as plain text without any special formatting. If you copied text that was bold, italicized, or underlined, Facebook will strip that formatting away. The text itself stays intact, but the styling is lost.

Some formatting can be added after you paste by using Facebook's built-in text tools. In the post composer, you'll see buttons for bold, italic, and strikethrough. You can select text you've already pasted and explore these styles. In comments, your formatting options are more limited — Facebook comments don't support bold or italic text at all, so any formatting you paste will be removed.

Copying and pasting on mobile devices

The process on phones and tablets is slightly different because you don't have a mouse. To copy text on mobile, tap and hold the text until a menu appears with options like Copy, Share, or Translate. Tap Copy, then navigate to where you want to paste it. Tap and hold in the text field where you want the text to go, and select Paste from the menu that appears.

Some Facebook features work differently on mobile. For example, copying a link from a post on your phone may give you a shortened Facebook link rather than the original URL. If you need the full original link, try opening the post in a browser instead of the Facebook app, then copying the link from there. The browser version sometimes gives you more control over what gets copied.

What happens when you copy and paste between Facebook and other apps

Text you copy from Facebook can be pasted into email, Word documents, text messages, or any other app that accepts text input. The text itself transfers fine, but formatting is usually lost. If you copy a Facebook post that contains an image or video, pasting the text alone won't include the media — you'll only get the words.

If you want to share a Facebook post with someone outside of Facebook, copying and pasting the text is one option, but sharing the link to the post is usually better. The link lets the other person see the original post with any images, videos, or comments attached. You can copy the link to a post by right-clicking it and selecting Copy Link, or by using the Share button and copying the URL from the share dialog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I copy a post I'm trying to share?

Facebook blocks copying on some posts to prevent spam and unauthorized reposting. If you can't copy a post, try using the Share button instead — that's the intended way to share other people's content. If the post is from a private account or has privacy restrictions, you may not be able to copy it at all.

Does copying and pasting a Facebook post show who originally wrote it?

No. When you copy and paste someone's words into your own post or comment, it appears as if you wrote it. If you want to credit the original author, you should use the Share button or manually add their name and a link to the original post.

Can I copy a Facebook message from Messenger?

Yes. In Messenger, tap and hold a message until the menu appears, then select Copy. You can then paste it anywhere. This works for text messages, but copying a message that contains only an image or video will copy the image or video itself, not text.

What's the difference between copying a link from a post and copying the Facebook page URL?

The link in a post points to the website or article the post is about. The Facebook page URL is the address of the Facebook page itself. If you copy from the browser's address bar, you get the Facebook URL. If you right-click the link in the post, you get the destination URL. Use the destination URL if you want to share the actual article or website.

Will pasted text keep its formatting if I paste it into a Facebook comment?

No. Facebook comments don't support bold, italic, or underlined text. Any formatting you paste will be removed, and the text will appear as plain text only.