This wikiHow teaches you how to copy text or an image from one location and paste it elsewhere on your iPhone or iPad.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Copy and Paste Text
Step 1. Touch and hold the word
After that, a window that enlarges the view of the text you touched will be displayed and the cursor will blink.
If you want to place the cursor in a different place, drag your finger over the text until the cursor is in the desired location
Step 2. Lift your finger
The menu button will be displayed and the left and right blue control points will be placed on both sides of the marked text.
Step 3. Touch Select
After that, the word containing the blinking cursor will be displayed.
- Touch " Select All ” if you want to mark all the text on the page.
- Use the option " Look Up ” to search for the definition of the tagged word.
Step 4. Mark the selection
Drag the control points to mark the text you want to copy.
Step 5. Touch Copy
The button disappears and the marked text is copied to the device's clipboard.
Step 6. Touch the text field
Find the place where you want to paste the text, either in another part of the currently open document, a new document, or another application. After that, touch the text field with your finger.
Step 7. Touch Paste
This button is displayed above the point you previously touched. The copied text will be pasted.
- The " Paste " option will not be displayed unless there is content saved on the device clipboard from the " Copy " or " Cut " command.
- You cannot paste content into non-editable documents (eg web pages).
Method 2 of 4: Copy and Paste Content on the Messaging App
Step 1. Touch and hold the text bubble
After that, two menus will be displayed. The menu displayed at the bottom of the screen is the "Copy" menu.
-
The menu directly above the text bubble allows you to send a quick reaction to the message. The available reaction icons are:
- Heart (love).
- Thumbs pointing up.
- Thumbs pointing down.
- " Ha ha ".
-
" !!
".
-
" ?
".
- To copy text from the active text field (the column that is currently being used to type text), refer to method 1.
Step 2. Touch Copy
This option is in the menu at the bottom of the screen. All text displayed on the text bubble will be copied.
Step 3. Touch the text field
Find the place where you want to paste the text, either in another part of the currently open document, a new document, or another application. After that, touch the text field with your finger.
Step 4. Touch Paste
This button appears above the place you previously touched. The copied text will be pasted afterwards.
Method 3 of 4: Copy and Paste Images from Apps and Documents
Step 1. Touch and hold the desired image
You can use images from received messages, websites, or documents. Once held, a pop-up menu will be displayed.
Step 2. Touch Copy
If the image can be copied, the option “ Copy ” will be displayed as one of the menu options.
Images from various websites, documents, and social media applications can be copied (though not always)
Step 3. Touch and hold the location where you want to paste the image
Hold down the field in an app that allows you to paste an image, such as Messages, Mail, or Notes.
Step 4. Touch Paste
Now, the copied image is pasted at the location you specified.
Method 4 of 4: Copy and Paste Images from the Photos App
Step 1. Open Photos
This app is marked by a white icon with flowers made of a spectrum of colors.
If you don't see a grid of image preview icons on the screen, touch the “ Albums ” in the lower right corner of the screen and touch the desired album to select it.
Step 2. Touch the photo
Select the photo you want to copy and hold it until it fills the entire screen.
Step 3. Touch the “Share” button
This blue rectangular button has an arrow icon pointing up.
On iPhone, it's in the lower-left corner of the screen. On an iPad, it's in the upper-right corner of the screen
Step 4. Touch Copy
It's a gray icon in the lower-left corner of the screen and looks like two rectangles on top of each other.
Step 5. Touch and hold the desired location to paste the image
Hold down the field/location on the app that allows you to paste the image, such as Messages, Mail, or Notes.
Step 6. Touch Paste
Now, the copied image has been pasted to the selected location.
Tips
Some graphics applications will recognize an image copied to the clipboard and give you the option to paste the image when you create a new document
Warning
- Be careful when copying pictures and words. If you accidentally paste an image into a text field, you will paste the image code instead of the image itself. Use control points on the marked area/text so that the image is not selected too.
- Not all websites allow you to copy the displayed text or images.
