Mac copy and paste keyboard shortcuts
On a Mac, Command-C copies, Command-X cuts and Command-V pastes. Apple’s keyboard shortcuts article lists these and several more clipboard shortcuts, checked on 4 November 2026. They use the Command key, not Control as on Windows.
The basic three
| Shortcut | What Apple says it does |
|---|---|
Command-X | Cut the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard |
Command-C | Copy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the Finder |
Command-V | Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app |
Command-Z | Undo the previous command. Press Shift-Command-Z to redo |
Formatting shortcuts
| Shortcut | What Apple says it does |
|---|---|
Option-Shift-Command-V | Paste and Match Style: apply the style of the surrounding content to the pasted item |
Option-Command-C | Copy Style: copy the formatting settings of the selected item |
Option-Command-V | Paste Style: apply the copied style to the selected item |
Read how to paste without formatting for the first one in detail.
Files in Finder
Copy files in Finder with Command-C and paste them with Command-V in another folder to make copies. Apple adds that Option-Command-V in Finder moves the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the current location. This is how you move instead of copy.
A separate text clipboard
Control-K cuts text to a clipboard that Apple says “is available only to the app from which it was cut”. Control-Y pastes it back into the same app. It does not replace the normal clipboard.
Screenshots to the clipboard
Adding Control to a screenshot shortcut puts the image on the clipboard, so Command-V pastes it. See screenshot to the clipboard on a Mac.
Mouse and trackpad
Apple’s shortcuts article does not cover the right click menu. Most apps also offer Cut, Copy and Paste in their Edit menu, which you can use when you do not remember the keys.
Between devices
Copy on one device and paste on another nearby device works with Universal Clipboard. See copy and paste between Macs.
NotchStar’s Clipboard keeps the 50 most recent copies in memory, so you can click an earlier one to copy it again. Clicking a row copies that item again, ready to paste with Command-V.
