Copy, cut and paste
| Action | Windows | Mac | Chromebook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy | Ctrl + C | Cmd + C | Ctrl + C |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | Cmd + X | Ctrl + X |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | Cmd + V | Ctrl + V |
| Paste as plain text | Ctrl + Shift + V (Chrome, many apps) | Cmd + Option + Shift + V | Ctrl + Shift + V |
| Select all | Ctrl + A | Cmd + A | Ctrl + A |
| Undo a paste | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z | Ctrl + Z |
On older Windows keyboards, Ctrl + Insert copies, Shift + Insert pastes and Shift + Delete cuts.
Open the clipboard history
| System | Shortcut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 / 11 | Win + V | Turn on the first time; 25 items |
| macOS Tahoe (26) | Cmd + Space, then Cmd + 4 | Turn on the first time |
| ChromeOS | Search (Launcher) + V | 5 items |
Details for each system: how to see clipboard history.
Screenshots straight to the clipboard
| System | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Windows | Win + Shift + S, then select an area |
| Mac | Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + 4, then select an area |
| Chromebook | Ctrl + Shift + Show windows, then select an area |
Set a shortcut for a clipboard manager in Chrome
Chrome lets you assign a key combination to any extension:
- Open
chrome://extensions/shortcuts. - Find Clipboard Tool (or another extension).
- Click the pencil icon and press the combination you want, for example Alt + Shift + V.
Now the clipboard history opens from the keyboard. For text you type often, a text shortcut saves even more keystrokes.