The basic steps for copying and pasting a link
Copying a link means taking the web address from your browser and storing it temporarily so you can paste it elsewhere — into an email, a document, a chat message, or another browser tab. On any device, the process is the same: find the link, copy it, then paste it where you need it.
On a computer, right-click the link and select "Copy link" or "Copy link address" from the menu that appears. On a phone or tablet, press and hold the link until a menu pops up, then tap "Copy link" or "Copy URL". After that, go to where you want to paste it — an email draft, a text message, a document — and right-click (or long-press on a phone) and select "Paste". The link will appear as text.
If you want to copy the link from your address bar instead of from a link on the page, click or tap the address bar at the top of your browser, select all the text (usually Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac), copy it (Ctrl+C or Command+C), then paste it where you need it.
Key Takeaways
- Right-click a link on a computer or long-press on a phone to see the copy option in the menu that appears.
- You can also copy the address directly from your browser's address bar by clicking it, selecting all, and copying.
- After copying, paste the link by right-clicking (or long-pressing) in the destination and selecting paste.
- A copied link stays in your clipboard until you copy something else, so you can paste it multiple times in different places.
- Some links may not copy cleanly if they contain special characters or tracking codes — pasting into a plain text field usually fixes this.
Copying a link from your browser's address bar
The address bar is the field at the top of your browser that shows the web address of the page you are on. It is the most reliable place to copy a link from because it always shows the exact address of the current page.
On Windows, click the address bar once to select it, then press Ctrl+A to select all the text, then Ctrl+C to copy. On Mac, click the address bar, press Command+A, then Command+C. On an iPhone or iPad, tap the address bar at the top, then tap "Copy" when it appears. On Android, long-press the address bar and select "Copy".
This method is useful when a right-click menu is not working, when you want the full address of the page you are currently viewing, or when you need to copy a link that is not clickable text on the page.
Copying a link from text or an image on a webpage
Links are not always blue underlined text. They can be hidden inside images, buttons, or other elements on a page. To copy a link from any of these, right-click directly on the link or image and look for an option that says "Copy link", "Copy link address", or "Copy URL".
On a phone or tablet, press and hold your finger on the link or image for one to two seconds until a menu appears. The menu will show options like "Copy link" or "Copy URL". Tap the one that says "link" or "address" — not "Copy text", which would copy the visible words instead of the underlying link.
If you accidentally copy the text instead of the link, you will see words pasted instead of a web address. If this happens, go back to the page, right-click again, and choose the option that specifically says "link" or "address".
Pasting a link into different places
Once you have copied a link, you can paste it almost anywhere: into an email, a text message, a document, a social media post, or another browser tab. The steps are the same everywhere.
On a computer, right-click in the place where you want the link to go and select "Paste". On a phone or tablet, long-press in the text field and tap "Paste". If you are pasting into a browser's address bar to visit the page, click the address bar, paste, and press Enter.
A link stays in your clipboard (your device's temporary storage) until you copy something else. This means you can paste the same link multiple times in different places without copying it again.
Why a pasted link might look different than expected
Sometimes when you paste a link, it appears as a long string of characters with symbols like %20 or & in it. This is normal — these characters are how web addresses encode spaces and special symbols. The link will still work correctly when you click it or visit it in a browser.
Other times, a link might include tracking codes added by the website you copied it from. These codes let the website know where the link was shared. If you want to share a link without the tracking information, you can manually delete everything after the main address, but this is only necessary if you have a specific reason to do so.
If a pasted link does not work, the most common reason is that only part of the link was copied. This can happen if the link is very long or if it was cut off. Try copying it again, or copy the address from the browser's address bar instead.
Copying links on different browsers
The steps are the same in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and most other browsers: right-click the link and select the copy option. The exact wording of the menu changes slightly between browsers — Chrome says "Copy link", Firefox says "Copy link address", Safari says "Copy link" — but the result is identical.
On mobile browsers, the process is also the same across iPhone and Android: long-press the link and tap the copy option. The only difference is that some browsers may word the menu slightly differently, but you are always looking for an option that mentions "link" or "address".
If you are using an older browser or a less common one, the right-click menu might look different, but the copy option should still be there. If you cannot find it, try copying from the address bar instead.
Troubleshooting when copy and paste is not working
If right-clicking does not show a menu, your browser or website may have disabled right-click menus for security or design reasons. In this case, copy the link from the address bar instead: click the address bar, select all, copy, and paste where you need it.
If pasting is not working, check that you actually copied something first — copy the link again to make sure it is in your clipboard. If pasting still does not work, try using the keyboard shortcut instead: Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac. On a phone, try long-pressing in the text field again.
If a link you pasted does not work when you click it, the link itself may be broken or outdated. Try visiting the original page and copying the link again. If the original page no longer exists, the link cannot be fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy a link without right-clicking?
Yes. Click the address bar at the top of your browser, press Ctrl+A (or Command+A on Mac) to select all, then Ctrl+C (or Command+C) to copy. This works on any browser and any website, even if right-click menus are disabled.
What is the difference between copying a link and copying the page address?
Copying a link from a right-click menu gives you the exact address of that specific link. Copying from the address bar gives you the address of the page you are currently on. Both are web addresses and both work the same way when pasted, but they may be different if the page contains multiple links.
Why does my pasted link have weird characters like %20 in it?
Those characters are how web addresses encode spaces and special symbols. %20 means a space. The link will work correctly even with these characters in it — your browser will understand them automatically when you click the link or visit it.
Can I copy a link on my phone the same way as on a computer?
The concept is the same, but the gesture is different. On a computer you right-click; on a phone you long-press (hold your finger down for one to two seconds). After that, tap the copy option, then long-press where you want to paste it and tap paste.
What if I copy a link but forget where I wanted to paste it?
The link stays in your clipboard until you copy something else, so you can paste it later. Just go to where you want it, right-click (or long-press), and select paste. If you copy something else in the meantime, the link will be replaced and you will need to copy it again.