You can how to cut, copy and paste on Mac and external hard drive with simple steps. This article provides clear instructions for using your keyboard and managing external storage devices effectively.
For users who are switching from Windows to macOS, learning how to copy and paste on Mac may feel confusing at first. Although Macs can easily handle everyday tasks like writing documents, editing images, and browsing the web, the keyboard layout is different. The missing Windows key often makes new Mac users unsure how basic shortcuts work.
The good news is that copy and paste on Mac is very simple once you know the correct keys. macOS uses similar logic to Windows, just with the Command key instead. After a short time practicing these shortcuts, you will quickly understand how to copy and paste files and photos on a MacBook or an external hard drive and feel comfortable using macOS every day.
How to cut, copy, and paste to an external hard drive on Mac is a question many users ask, especially when file transfers work normally on the Mac but fail as soon as an external drive is involved. This situation is often confusing, as the drive appears in Finder and the files are visible, yet copying or moving files does not work. In many cases, this happens because the external hard drive is formatted as NTFS, which macOS can read but does not allow writing to by default.
When this limitation causes copy and paste to fail, using PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac is a practical solution. After installing the tool, the NTFS external hard drive can be mounted with full read and write access. This allows you to cut, copy, and paste files in Finder using normal shortcuts or drag-and-drop, just like with a Mac-compatible drive. The process is safe and does not require reformatting or deleting existing data.
Before applying any solution, it is still a good idea to confirm that the drive is properly connected. Checking the cable, trying another USB port, or testing the drive on a different computer can help rule out basic connection issues. You can also open Disk Utility to see whether the drive is detected and whether it is mounted as read-only file system. Once the NTFS write restriction is addressed, file transfers to an external hard drive on Mac usually work smoothly again without further issues.
Step 1. Open PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac and plug in your NTFS hard drive. The software will automatically detect, mount, and display all connected removable and external drives.
Step 2. Select the drive you want to operate. You can click the three dots to change the State to Read Only or Read & Write. To write files, please click "Open".
Step 3. Now you can right-click to copy files on your Mac and click "Paste Item" to copy the files to the drive.
Step 4. You can also copy, rename, move and delete files on the external hard drive.
Step 5. After all operations are complete, please click "Eject" to disconnect the external hard drive from your Mac.
This method is useful when you want to quickly copy an image from a webpage, document, or app and paste it elsewhere on your Mac.
Step 1. Locate the photo you want to copy and right-click on it. If your mouse or trackpad does not support right-click, hold down the Control key and click the image instead. This will open a menu.
Step 2. Choose the option that says “Copy Image” from the dropdown menu. The photo is now saved to the Mac clipboard.
Step 3. Move the cursor to the place where you want to paste the photo. This could be a document, email, chat window, or image editing app that supports images.
Step 4. Press Command (⌘) + V on your keyboard to paste the photo. The image will appear in the new location.
After pasting, you can resize or move the photo as needed. This copy-and-paste method works the same across MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and other Mac models, making it an easy way to manage photos on macOS.
Most Mac applications, including Finder, let you copy and paste items directly from the menu bar. This method is helpful if keyboard shortcuts or right-click menus are unavailable or not working.
Step 1. Select the image, file, or item you want to copy.
Step 2. Go to the Edit menu in the top menu bar and choose Copy (or Cut if you want to move the item).
Step 3. Navigate to the folder or location where you want to place the item.
Step 4. Click Edit again in the menu bar and select Paste Item.
This method ensures you can copy and paste files, images, or documents even when shortcuts or context menus are not available, keeping your workflow smooth on Mac.
This method applies to copying text in documents, emails, web pages, and most apps on macOS.
Step 1. Find the text you want to copy and select it by clicking and dragging your cursor across the words. If the text can be edited, you can also place the cursor at one end of the text, hold the Shift key, and use the arrow keys to highlight it.
Step 2. Press Command (⌘) + C on your keyboard to copy the selected text. You can also right-click the highlighted text, or hold Control and click, then choose Copy from the menu.
Step 3. Click on the place where you want to paste the text. Make sure the area allows text input, such as a document, text field, or address bar.
Step 4. Press Command (⌘) + V to paste the text into the new location.
If you want the pasted text to match the font and style of the destination, press Option + Shift + Command + V instead. If your goal is to move text rather than duplicate it, use Command (⌘) + X to cut the text before pasting it.
Using keyboard shortcuts on a Mac can save you time and make navigation much smoother. Unlike Windows, where you use the Control (Ctrl) key, macOS relies on the Command (⌘) key, found on either side of the space bar. Once you learn these shortcuts, you can manage files, text, images, and system tasks efficiently without reaching for the mouse.
Here are the most common and useful shortcuts for everyday Mac use:
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| ⌘ + C | Copy the selected text, image, or file to the clipboard without removing it from its original location. |
| ⌘ + X | Cut the selected text, file, or image, removing it from its current location so you can move it elsewhere. |
| ⌘ + V | Paste the copied or cut item into the current location or document. Make sure the cursor or folder is active first. |
| ⌘ + A | Select all items in a document, text field, or Finder window. Great for quickly copying or deleting multiple items. |
| ⌘ + Z | Undo the last action, whether it’s text editing, moving a file, or other tasks. |
| ⌘ + Shift + Z | Redo an action that was just undone. |
| ⌘ + Option + V | Move a file from one location to another, keeping the copied item from the original location temporarily. Useful for “cut and paste” with Finder files. |
| ⌘ + F | Open the search function to quickly find text in documents, web pages, or Finder. |
| ⌘ + Tab | Switch between open applications quickly without using the mouse. |
| ⌘ + Space | Open Spotlight search to launch apps, find files, or perform quick calculations. |
| ⌘ + Shift + 3 | Take a screenshot of the entire screen. |
| ⌘ + Shift + 4 | Take a screenshot of a selected portion of the screen. |
Mastering these shortcuts will make your Mac workflow faster and more efficient. For example, copying and pasting files, moving text between documents, or managing multiple tasks becomes nearly instantaneous. Once you get used to the Command key, you’ll find most operations feel much more natural compared to Windows.
Learning how to copy and paste on Mac is easier than many users expect. Whether you are wondering, how do you do copy and paste on a Mac or how can I copy paste on Mac, mastering the Command key shortcuts makes the process quick and efficient. Knowing how to copy and paste for MacBook allows you to handle text, images, and files with ease. For external drives, using tools like PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac makes it simple to copy and paste to external hard drive Mac without errors, ensuring smooth file transfers and better workflow.
🗨️How do you copy and paste on a Mac keyboard?
To copy on a Mac, select the text, image, or file you want, then press Command (⌘) + C. To cut an item (move it), press Command (⌘) + X. To paste, go to the location where you want the item and press Command (⌘) + V. These shortcuts work across Mac apps, Finder, and text fields. For moving files in Finder specifically, use Command (⌘) + Option + V to “paste and move” instead of just copying.
🗨️How to copy and paste on a Mac with no mouse?
Even without a mouse, you can use keyboard shortcuts entirely. Use the arrow keys to navigate and highlight text or items, hold Shift while pressing the arrow keys to select multiple lines or files, then press Command (⌘) + C to copy, Command (⌘) + X to cut, and Command (⌘) + V to paste. In Finder, you can select files with the arrow keys and use Command (⌘) + Option + V to move them to a new location.
🗨️Why can't I copy and paste to external drives on my Mac?
This usually happens when the external drive is formatted as NTFS, which macOS can read but cannot write to by default. If you try to copy or move files, the operation fails even though the drive is visible in Finder. The solution is to use a third-party tool like PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac to enable full read and write access, allowing you to copy, cut, and paste files safely to the drive.
🗨️Why is copy and paste not working between Mac and iPhone?
Copy and paste between Mac and iPhone rely on Universal Clipboard, which requires that both devices are signed in with the same Apple ID, connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and have Bluetooth enabled. Handoff must also be turned on. If any of these conditions are not met, copy and paste will not work between devices. Restarting both devices or toggling Handoff off and on can often fix the issue.
🗨️How to copy and paste using a right-click?
Locate the item you want to copy, then right-click it or hold Control and click. From the menu, select Copy or Cut. Move to the location where you want to paste the item, right-click again, and choose Paste. This works for text, images, and files across Finder and most Mac apps.