To paste with your keyboard, copy the content, select its destination, then press Ctrl + V on Windows or Chromebook, or Command + V on Mac. The destination must accept the copied content, such as text in an editable field or files in a folder. The Windows steps below use Windows 11 menus.
The short version
- Windows and Chromebook: Copy with Ctrl + C, then paste with Ctrl + V.
- Mac: Copy with Command + C, then paste with Command + V.
- Files: Select and copy the file, open the destination folder, then use the paste shortcut.
- Formatting: Use the plain-text or style-matching shortcut your destination app supports.
| Task | Keys or action | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Paste copied text | Ctrl + V | Compatible Windows 11 and ChromeOS destinations |
| Paste copied text | Command + V | Compatible Mac and external-keyboard iPad apps |
| Copy files into a folder | Ctrl + C, then Ctrl + V | Windows File Explorer and GNOME Files |
| Move files into a folder | Ctrl + X, then Ctrl + V | Windows File Explorer |
| Copy files into a folder | Command + C, then Command + V | Mac Finder |
| Move files into a folder | Command + C, then Option + Command + V | Mac Finder |
| Paste plain text | Ctrl + Shift + V | Supporting Windows apps and ChromeOS |
| Paste plain text on Mac | Command + Shift + V | Google Docs in a desktop browser and current Word for Microsoft 365 |
| Match the destination style | Option + Shift + Command + V | Supporting Mac apps and Pages on iPhone or iPad with an external keyboard |
| Choose formatting after pasting | Ctrl + V, then Ctrl | Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on Windows |
| Open Windows clipboard history | Windows + V | Windows 11 with history enabled |
| Open Chromebook clipboard history | Search + V or Launcher + V | Current ChromeOS |
| Open Mac clipboard history | Command + Space, then Command + 4 | macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 |
| Paste a saved Gboard clip | Tap Clipboard, then the clip | Gboard on Android |
| Press paste keys separately | Ctrl, then V | Windows 11 with Sticky keys enabled |
| Open the onscreen keyboard | Windows + Ctrl + O | Windows 11 |
| Use alternate copy and paste keys | Ctrl + Insert, then Shift + Insert | Supporting Windows 11 apps |
| Open the destination’s shortcut menu | Shift + F10 | Windows 11 apps exposing Paste in that menu |
| Use the Mac menu command | Edit > Paste | Mac apps exposing that command |
Copy text and paste it into place
On Windows 11, select text by holding Shift while pressing the Arrow keys, or press Ctrl + A to select all text in the current editing area. Press Ctrl + C, then place the insertion point in the destination. Hold Ctrl and press V to paste.
On a Mac, select the content and press Command + C. Position the insertion point where you want the copied text, then press Command + V.
On a Chromebook, select your content and press Ctrl + C. Focus the destination, then press Ctrl + V. Google’s ChromeOS shortcuts use a US English QWERTY keyboard layout.
Paste files into another folder
In Windows File Explorer, select the file or folder and press Ctrl + C. Navigate to the destination folder and press Ctrl + V to copy it there. Pasting into a OneDrive or SharePoint folder with synchronization configured also uploads the item.
Moving a file takes it out of its original folder and places it in the destination. To move instead of copy in File Explorer, select the item and press Ctrl + X. Open the destination folder and press Ctrl + V.
In Finder on Mac, select your files and press Command + C. Open the destination folder and press Command + V to copy them there.
Moving files in Finder removes them from their original location and places them in the destination. To move them, select the files and press Command + C, open the destination folder, then press Option + Command + V.
In GNOME Files on Linux, select a file or folder, press Ctrl + C, navigate to the destination, and press Ctrl + V. Choose a writable destination folder. This copies the file itself; pasting its text or a link to it is a different operation.
Paste text without unwanted formatting
In supporting Windows 11 apps, copy the text and press Ctrl + Shift + V at the destination to paste plain text. Chromebook uses the same combination. If the Windows shortcut does not give you the expected result, use the instructions for your destination app below.
In Mac apps that provide Paste and Match Style, copy the text and position the insertion point. Press Option + Shift + Command + V, or choose Edit > Paste and Match Style.
In Google Docs in a desktop browser, press Ctrl + Shift + V on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + Shift + V on Mac, to paste without formatting. Current Word for Microsoft 365 uses those same Windows and Mac combinations for text-only paste. Older Word editions can assign the shortcuts differently.
In Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2024 on Windows, you can also choose formatting after a normal paste. Press Ctrl + V, then press Ctrl to expose Paste Options and use the Arrow keys to inspect the choices. Select Keep Source Formatting, Merge Formatting, or Keep Text Only; the available choices depend on the copied content.
Paste something you copied earlier
On Windows 11, press Windows + V and select Turn on if prompted on first use. Return to your destination, press Windows + V again, and select a saved item to paste.
Windows clipboard history holds up to 25 entries, with a 4 MB limit per item, and supports text, HTML, and bitmap content. It is not a file-transfer history. To copy a file into another folder, use File Explorer and the standard copy-and-paste sequence.
On a Chromebook, press Search + V or Launcher + V to open the five-item clipboard menu. Navigate with Tab or the Arrow keys, then press Enter to paste. With an external Windows or Mac keyboard, substitute its Windows or Command key for Search or Launcher.
On macOS Tahoe 26 or macOS 27, press Command + Space, then Command + 4 to access clipboard history in Spotlight. If prompted on first use, click Enable on macOS Tahoe 26 or Allow on macOS 27. Then search for an item, select it, and press Command + C. Focus the destination and press Command + V.
On macOS 27, you can enable clipboard results through Apple menu > System Settings > Spotlight. Turn on Results from Clipboard, then return to Spotlight’s clipboard history.
Paste with a tablet or phone keyboard
Connect a compatible external keyboard to your iPad, select content, and press Command + C. Focus the destination in a supporting app and press Command + V. In Pages for iPhone or iPad with an external keyboard, press Option + Shift + Command + V to match the destination text style.
With Gboard on Android, copy text and open the destination text field. Tap Clipboard at the top of Gboard, then tap the saved text to insert it. Unpinned history expires, so touch and hold a clip and tap Pin to retain it.
Make the paste keys easier to press
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on Sticky keys if holding two keys together is difficult. With the destination focused, press Ctrl and then V instead of holding them simultaneously.
To open the Windows 11 onscreen keyboard, press Windows + Ctrl + O. Focus the destination and use its onscreen Ctrl and V keys. You can operate it with a mouse, another pointing device, or switch-based input.
Fix paste when nothing happens
Select the content and copy it again, then focus an editable destination that accepts it. For Word for the web, open the document for editing before pressing Ctrl + V on Windows or Command + V on Mac.
In Windows 11 apps that support the alternate shortcuts, copy selected text with Ctrl + Insert, then focus the destination and press Shift + Insert. You can also press Shift + F10 at the destination to open its shortcut menu. If the menu includes Paste, navigate to it and press Enter.
On Mac, check Edit > Paste in apps that expose that command. A dimmed command means the app cannot paste at that location. Position the insertion point in a compatible editable destination before trying again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you paste into a terminal?
In GNOME Terminal, copy selected text with Ctrl + Shift + C, then focus the destination terminal and press Ctrl + Shift + V. In Windows Terminal, the default paste bindings include Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Shift + V, and Shift + Insert. Your Windows Terminal bindings may differ if they have been customized.
How do you paste spreadsheet values without formulas?
In Google Sheets in a desktop browser on Windows or ChromeOS, copy the cells, select the destination, and press Ctrl + Shift + V. In Excel desktop versions supporting the Paste Special dialog, copy the cells, select the destination, press Ctrl + Alt + V, then choose Values.
What happens if you use the plain-text paste shortcut in Google Drive?
In Google Drive on the web in Chrome, select a file and press Ctrl + C, then open another folder and press Ctrl + Shift + V to create a shortcut there. You get a reference to the original file rather than a duplicate.
Can you paste on an iPad without a physical keyboard?
You can select text and tap Copy, then position the insertion point and tap Paste. You can also pinch open with three fingers to paste in an iPad text field.