How to Copy & Paste on a Chromebook

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Learn how to cop text, images, and videos on a Chromebook
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Copy and pasting text, images, or video URLs on a Chromebook is easy, and there are lots of different ways to do it! We chatted with IT professional Mitch Harris to show you every possible way. Let’s dive in!

Copy & Pasting on a Chromebook

Highlight or select the text, image, or video to copy and paste. Then, press Control + C to copy it. Click on where you’d like to paste it, and press Control + V to do so.

Method 1
Method 1 of 6:

Copy & Pasting with Keyboard Shortcuts

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  1. First, IT pro Mitch Harris says to use a mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to highlight the text or content you want to copy. [1]
    • With a mouse or touchpad, place your cursor at the start of the text, then click and drag it along the text until you’ve highlighted your entire selection.
    • Or, highlight the entire text by clicking the text, then pressing ctrl + A.
  2. Harris explains that this copies the content into the Chromebook's clipboard, where it’s ready to pasted elsewhere. [2]
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  3. Position the cursor where you want your content pasted, then click as though you were to start typing.
  4. Harris says that doing so inserts your content into the selected location.. [3]
    • Or, paste without formatting (italics, bold, etc.) by pressing ctrl + shift + v.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 6:

Copy & Pasting with a Mouse or Trackpad

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  1. Click on the beginning of the content you want to copy, then left-click and drag the cursor to the other end to highlight the text you want to copy.
  2. This launches the context menu, which appears next to your cursor.
    • To right-click on the touchpad, either hold the “Alt” button and then click on the touchpad (Alt + click) or tap the touchpad with two fingers at the same time.
  3. You’ll see this button near the top of the context menu. Click it with your cursor to store the copied text in your Chromebook’s clipboard, where it’s ready to be pasted.
  4. Navigate to the place or document where you want to insert the content. Right-click there to open another context menu.
    • Or, left-click the place where you want to paste the text to drop your cursor there and make sure it’s where you want it to be, then right-click to open the context menu, for more accuracy.
    • To right-click on the touchpad, either hold the Alt button and then click on the touchpad (Alt + click) or tap the touchpad with two fingers at the same time.
  5. It's a selection near the top of the context menu. Doing so inserts the copied content into your selected location.
    • You can also select “Paste without formatting” to only paste the raw text, without any formatting (bold, italics, etc) from its original location.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 6:

Copy & Pasting with a Touchscreen

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  1. On a touchscreen, select the content you want to copy by double-tapping it, then drag the highlighted handles to include the desired text.
  2. Once you highlight your text, a context menu will automatically appear next to it. Tap “Copy,” near the top of the menu.
  3. Navigate to the document or text box where you’d like to paste. Then, tap and hold there to make a context menu appear.
  4. You’ll see this button near the top of the context menu. Tap on it to paste your previously copied content into its new location.
    • You can also select “Paste without formatting” to only paste the raw text, without any formatting (bold, italics, etc) from its original location.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 6:

Copy & Pasting with Chrome Menus

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  1. Use the touchpad or a mouse to highlight the text or content you want to copy. To do this, click and drag your mouse across the text.
  2. Find this icon in the top-right corner of the window. It looks like 3 vertical dots stacked on top of each other.
  3. This appears as one of the options in the Chrome menu.
  4. This option is often near the bottom of the menu.
  5. Navigate to the document or text box where you’ll paste the content, and position the cursor in the location where you want your content pasted, then left-click
  6. Find this in the top-right corner of the window. As before, it appears as 3 consecutive dots. This button opens a menu.
  7. This appears as one of the options in the Chrome menu.
  8. Find it near the bottom of the menu.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 6:

Copy & Pasting Images

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  1. This launches a menu with several options.
    • Or, use two fingers while clicking with your trackpad, or hit ctrl + C.
    • If you have a mouse connected to your Chromebook, right-click the image instead.
  2. Find this option near the center of the menu.
  3. Navigate to the place where you want to paste the image. Position the cursor in the location where you want your content pasted. Hold “Alt” while clicking on the place, or use two fingers to click with your trackpad.
    • If you’re using a mouse, simply right-click instead.
    • Or, hit ctrl + v on your keyboard.
  4. Find this option near the top of the menu that appeared when you clicked.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 6:

Copy & Pasting Video Links

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  1. This launches a menu with several options.
    • Or, use two fingers while clicking with your trackpad.
    • If you have a mouse connected to your Chromebook, right-click the image instead.
  2. Selecting “Copy video URL” will copy the video’s web address to your clipboard. Selecting “Copy embed code” will copy a string of code that may be used to embed the video in other code, like on a custom webpage.
    • Note that it’s not possible to “copy” the content of the video itself—only the video address.
    • Or, play the video and navigate to the part you want to copy, then 2-finger click the video and select “copy video URL at current time.”
  3. Navigate to the place where you want to paste the video’s URL or embed code. Position the cursor in the location where you want your content pasted. Hold “Alt” while clicking on the place, or use two fingers to click with your trackpad.
    • If you’re using a mouse, simply right-click instead.
    • Or, hit ctrl + v on your keyboard.
  4. Find this option near the top of the menu that appeared when you clicked.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    I can copy and paste just fine to an email, but when I put it on a Facebook page, the image is too small. How do I correct this? I'm on an Acer Chromebook 15.
    Community Answer
    Right click and "save image," then insert this into the document/email/Facebook page.
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    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 3
  • Question
    How can I copy and paste a whole page on my Chromebook?
    Community Answer
    Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-A to select the whole page then just copy it by pressing Ctrl-C.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 2
  • Question
    How do I copy and paste a picture?
    Community Answer
    If you have a touch screen, you hold your finger on the picture and let go. If the computer is not a touch screen, you can hover your mouse over it and click it with 2 fingers or right click.
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      Tips

      • Press Ctrl + Alt + ? to access a list of all keyboard shortcuts on your Chromebook. If you are new to using a Chromebook, this guide can be helpful until you memorize the Chromebook’s keyboard shortcuts.
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      • You can also press Ctrl + X to cut text or images, deleting them from their original place.
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      References

      1. ↑ Mitch Harris. Consumer Technology Expert. Expert Interview. 31 August 31 2021.
      2. ↑ Mitch Harris. Consumer Technology Expert. Expert Interview. 31 August 31 2021.
      3. ↑ Mitch Harris. Consumer Technology Expert. Expert Interview. 31 August 31 2021.

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