How To Copy Paste in MacBook

If you are a person who is new to the world of MacBooks, you have to master the basics like copying and pasting files so that your life becomes a lot easier.

Whether you are sitting around and organizing your documents, sorting out your photos, or just moving your things around, learning to copy paste will save you a lot of time and effort. So, here we will help you to understand these basic functions efficiently.

Understanding the Basics

So, before we jump into how to do this, you need to distinguish between two key actions, one is CUT AND PASTE while the other is COPY AND PASTE.

●     Cut and Paste:

When you want to move a file or a folder from one location to another, you can use this. Think of it as picking up a document from your desk and dropping it in some other drawer. Now the document from your desk has disappeared because it has now been placed in a new location. Now, this option works just like this. Your file will be located in the new place where you put it.

●     Copy and Paste:

Now, this option is going to duplicate the folder or whatever you want duplicated. For this process, the original is going to stay where it is, but you can place the copied stuff into an entirely new location. In real life, you can compare it with taking out a photocopy of something and then placing it somewhere else.

Copying and Pasting in MacBook

Here, you can learn about performing this action easily and understandably. We have outlined some methods for you that can easily help you grasp the concept of performing this action in a seamless manner.

1. Using the File Menu

This is a great method if you’re comfortable with menus and prefer a more visual approach.

  • You can initiate this by opening up FINDER which is a gateway for all the files and folders. You can do this easily by choosing the Finder icon on your Dock.
  • You can navigate your way to the document that you need to move.
  • You can click on the stuff that you want to highlight and if you want to highlight more than one item, you can hold down the Command key while you are clicking each one.
  • You can select the FILE which is located on the top menu bar. You are going to see the options for this action there.
  • You can select the option named COPY here which is going to duplicate your stuff.
  • Now you can go to the location where you want this to be present. When you reach there, you can go back to the FILE menu and then select PASTE ITEM from there.
  • When you do this, your item is going to appear in the new location.

2. Using the Right-Click Menu

This method is going to be super handy if you prefer using right-click menus.

  • For this, you need to start by opening FINDER.
  • When you have opened it up, now you can look for the stuff that you want to work with.
  • Right-click or you can also Control-click on a one-button mouse by going on the specific thing. This is going to bring up a contextual menu.
  • Now here you are going to proceed to choose the option of COPY.
  • Now, go on and find the place where you want to place it.
  • You can Right-click on that place and choose the option that says PASTE ITEM from the menu.

3. Using Drag-and-Drop

If you are willing to go for a more hands-on approach, you can find the option of drag-and-drop quite intuitive.

  • You have to open the Finder window and then search for your file.
  • You can click on it and then drag it to the new location.
  • If you want to copy it, you can hold down the option key while you are dragging the file. You will be able to see a green plus sign that will indicate that you are copying the file.
  • To move it, you can drag it without holding down any additional keys.
  • To drop it off, you can release the mouse button once you are at your new destination.

4. Using Keyboard Shortcuts

For the people who love exploring shortcuts, here is a faster way to do this process.

  • You can click on the item that you are looking to work with and then use Shift or Command so that you can select multiple items.
  • You can press COMMAND + C which will copy the selected items.
  • To cut, you can use COMMAND + X within those apps.
  • Go to the location where you need the item to be present and press COMMAND + V. This will get your item there by pasting it up.

Helpful Tips for Efficient File Management

  • Use Finder Tabs:

You can open multiple of these tabs so that you can easily drag and drop the files between the different locations. This will make the process of organization super simple and efficient.

  • Leverage Stacks on Your Desktop:

If you notice that your desktop is cluttered up, you can consider using Stacks to organize your files into groups that are neat.

  • Utilize Finder Search:

You can also use the search bar in FINDER so that you can easily locate where your document is present. This will make it easier when you are copying or pasting it.

Final Thoughts

This is how you can carry out this simple task in an efficient and seamless manner, and that too without any hassle. Choose whichever way is working best for you so that you have no problems in carrying it out. You can try out all the methods to understand which one fits you the best. With so many methods to choose from, you can easily find your favorite one which is going to give you a good experience when you have to copy and paste.