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Cut and paste moves selected content: cut removes it from its current location and places it on the clipboard; paste inserts it at a new destination. Copy and paste instead leaves the original in place and inserts a duplicate.
What cut and paste means
Cut and paste is a way to move supported content—such as text or an image—from one place to another. You select the content, choose Cut, place the insertion point or choose a destination, then choose Paste. The clipboard temporarily holds the cut content between those actions.
Cutting prepares the selected content to be moved; it is removed from its original location as part of that move. The paste action inserts it where you designate. Microsoft’s style guide describes cut as moving selected text to the clipboard: Microsoft Style Guide: cut, cut-and-paste.
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Cut and paste vs. copy and paste
| Action | What happens to the original | What paste does |
|---|---|---|
| Cut and paste | The selected content is removed from its original location as part of moving it. | Inserts that content at the destination. |
| Copy and paste | The original stays where it is. | Inserts a duplicate at the destination. |
Google’s help describes these commands as ways to move or duplicate text and images between files: Google Docs Editors Help: Copy and paste text and images.
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How to cut and paste
- Select the text, image, or other supported item you want to move.
- Choose Cut from the app’s Edit menu or context menu, or use the appropriate keyboard shortcut.
- Open or select the destination and place the cursor or insertion point where the content should go.
- Choose Paste or use the appropriate shortcut. The content is inserted at that destination.
Apple’s Mac instructions likewise say to select the item, cut it, click to place the insertion point, and paste: Apple Support: How to copy and paste on Mac.
Keyboard shortcuts for cut and paste
In Google Docs on a computer, the standard shortcuts listed by Google differ by operating system:
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| Action | PC in Google Docs | Mac in Google Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Cut | Ctrl+X | Command+X |
| Copy | Ctrl+C | Command+C |
| Paste | Ctrl+V | Command+V |
These are Google Docs shortcuts, not a guarantee that every app or context behaves identically. Google notes that keyboard and language settings can affect shortcuts; see its Google Docs keyboard shortcuts reference. Apple documents Command+X and Command+V for Mac in its copy-and-paste instructions.
Why Cut may not be available
Cut is not offered for every kind of content or in every situation. The app determines which items can be cut, copied, or pasted and where those commands are available. For files or folders on a Mac, Apple notes that you may need to move them another way, such as by dragging and dropping, rather than cutting and pasting them.
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