Copy and Paste on Chromebook (Updated July 2022)
First, we have mentioned how to copy, cut, and paste using traditional keyboard shortcuts on Chrome OS. After that, we have explained the instructions to copy and paste Linux commands into the Terminal app. If you are well aware of these keyboard shortcuts, you can check out the Clipboard History section for some awesome tools. Now, let’s go through the basics.
1. Copy Text, Images, Links, Files, and Folders on a Chromebook
Copying is similar to how we do it on Windows systems. You just have to press Ctrl and C keys together on the keyboard and the item will be copied. You can also right-click on any item and select “Copy”. If you want to learn how to copy and paste on a Chromebook without a mouse, the below shortcuts will let you do it.
Copy Shortcut: Ctrl + C
2. Paste Text, Images, Links, Files, and Folders on a Chromebook
Pasting items on a Chromebook is again identical to the Windows system. You just have to press Ctrl and V keys at once. Alternatively, you can also right-click and select “Paste” from the context menu. This is how you can copy and paste on a Chromebook.
Paste Shortcut: Ctrl + V
3. Paste Text on Chromebook without Formatting
Sometimes while researching and writing from various sources, we don’t want to carry the text with their inherent formatting. In that case, you can use this nifty shortcut to paste texts without formatting on a Chromebook. It’s a very useful shortcut and I am sure you are going to love it.
Paste as Plain Text Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + V
4. Cut Text, Images, Links, Files, and Folders on Chromebook
You can also cut or move texts and files from one place to another by pressing Ctrl and X keys simultaneously. Besides that, you can also right-click on any item and select “Cut”.
Cut Shortcut: Ctrl + X
5. Copy and Paste Images on Your Chromebook
If you want to learn how to copy and paste images on a Chromebook, you need to follow the same keyboard shortcut that we use for texts and files. Press “Ctrl +C” to copy an image and press “Ctrl +V” to paste the image into any folder.
Alternatively, you can right-click on the image and click on “Copy”. And to paste it, right-click on an empty space in any folder and click on “Paste”.
6. Paste Images & Screenshots Directly In a Media Field on a Chromebook
This is one of my favorite copy-paste shortcuts on Chromebook. For instance, if you want to take a screenshot, you can directly paste the snapshot into an image editor on Chromebook, Gmail Compose Box, or any other media field. It’s a hassle-free solution that saves a lot of clicks and time.
Basically, when you take a screenshot on your Chromebook, the system automatically copies the image in its clipboard. And that allows you to paste the screenshot anywhere.
Paste Screenshot Shortcut: Ctrl + V
7. Copy and Paste Commands on the Linux Terminal in Chromebook
If you use the Linux Terminal regularly on your Chromebook, you must know these handy shortcuts to copy and paste commands. The best way to copy a line of command in Chrome OS is to just select it using the touchpad or mouse. Just select the command, and it will be copied automatically. No need to perform any shortcuts.
Similarly, to paste the copied command, simply right-click on the Terminal, and it will be added to the Terminal instantly. That’s how easy the process is. Of course, you can use keyboard shortcuts as well. Just press the traditional copy or paste shortcut on your Chromebook Terminal.
Copy Linux Command on Chromebook: Ctrl + CPaste Linux Command on Chromebook: Ctrl + V
You can customize the copy and paste behavior on Linux Terminal by right-clicking on the Terminal and opening “Settings”. Move to “Keyboard and mouse” and scroll to the bottom.
8. Clipboard History: A New Way to Copy and Paste on Chromebook
Having talked about the traditional ways to copy and paste items on your Chromebook, let me introduce you to a powerful new tool called “Clipboard History” on Chrome OS. With this tool, you can easily copy multiple texts, images, links, or screenshots, and Clipboard History will keep a record of the last five copied items.
Whenever you want to paste something, you can select the appropriate item from the list and paste it directly in the input field. It’s similar to what we have on Windows 10 or Windows 11, which is also called Clipboard History. If you don’t like the limitation of merely five copied items, you can take a look at the third-party clipboard managers that I have mentioned below.
1. Native Clipboard History Tool on Chromebook
As mentioned above, Chrome OS has received its own Clipboard History tool. If you are on Chrome OS 86 or above (most likely you are), you can just press the “Search + V” keyboard shortcut to open the tool. For detailed instructions, you can head over to our article on how to enable Clipboard History on a Chromebook.
The Clipboard History tool keeps a record of the last five copied items which includes both texts and images which is awesome. Now on any text or media field, press the keyboard shortcut, select the right item, and hit enter to paste it instantly. This way, you will save a lot of time as you will not have to go through a score of pages to find the last copied time. This is ingenious, right? By the way, you can also right-click and click on “Clipboard” to open the Clipboard History tool on your Chromebook.
2. Clipboard History Pro
Clipboard History Pro is one of the best copying and pasting tools available on Chromebooks. You can copy multiple texts and paste a particular item from the right-click context menu. It integrates pretty well with Chrome OS and works in most environments in the OS. However, this Chrome extension is not entirely free, and you will have to pay for page widgets and floating mode features. Also, unlike the native Clipboard History too, this one does not support images, which is a bummer.
Install (Free, Starts at $1)
Learn How to Copy and Paste on Chromebook Like a Pro
So that was our deep dive into Chromebook and how to copy and paste items using all the possible ways. We have included both keyboard shortcuts and manual steps so you can understand how the operations are done inside out. Apart from that, we have also mentioned copy-paste shortcuts for Linux Terminal. And if you want to copy-paste on Chromebook like a pro, go through our explanation about the native Clipboard History tool and the third-party Chrome extension. Anyway, that is all from us. If you want to learn more tips and tricks about Chrome OS, head over to our linked article. And if you want to access the newly-released system-wide noise cancellation feature on Chromebook, find the instructions inside the linked article. Finally, if you have any questions, let us know in the comment section below.
