How to Cut, Copy, and Paste in Word for Mac

This tutorial shows three ways to cut, copy, and paste in Word for Mac. First, we’ll use keyboard shortcuts. Second, we’ll use the tools in the ribbon. Third, we’ll use the shortcut menu.

Plus, the bonus section shows how to choose a pasting option after pasting text. Lastly, we’ll troubleshoot what to do if your Paste Options button is missing.

Are you on a PC? Please see “How to Cut, Copy, and Paste in Microsoft Word.” That tutorial also explains what it means to cut, copy, and paste.

Table of Contents

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Cut, Copy, and Paste
How to Use the Ribbon to Cut, Copy, and Paste
How to Use the Shortcut Menu to Cut, Copy, and Paste
Bonus: How to Choose a Pasting Option after Pasting Text
Troubleshooting: What to Do If Your Paste Options Button Is Missing

This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 150 other videos about Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. These steps also apply to most older versions of Word for Mac; however, your interface may look slightly different than the images shown here.

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Cut, Copy, and Paste

The following keyboard shortcuts work in the MacOS across all Microsoft Office apps, Adobe Acrobat, Google Docs, and most other locations where text or images can be inserted.

To Cut or Copy

Select the text or image you want to cut or copy.
Press the keyboard shortcut:

Cut: Command + X

Copy: Command + C

Your text or image should now be cut or copied.

To Paste

Place your cursor where you want to insert the text or image.
Press the keyboard shortcut:

Paste: Command + V

How to Use the Ribbon to Cut, Copy, and Paste

The ribbon method requires more steps than the keyboard shortcuts. However, it offers the most customization options for pasting.

To Cut or Copy

Select the text or image you want to cut or copy.
Select the Home tab in the ribbon.

Home tab in Word for Mac — Figure 1. Home tab

Select the Cut (scissors) or Copy (pages) button.

Cut and Copy buttons in the Home tab of Word for Mac — Figure 2. Cut and Copy buttons

Your text or image should now be cut or copied.

To Paste

Place your cursor where you want to insert the text or image.
Select the Home tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
Select the Paste button to paste the text or image without additional options.

Paste button in the Home tab in Word for Mac — Figure 3. Paste button

(Optional) Select the Paste menu arrow for additional options.

Paste menu arrow in the Home tab in Word for Mac — Figure 4. Paste menu arrow

(Optional) Choose an option from the drop-down menu:

- Keep Source Formatting maintains the formatting (e.g., font, size, color, etc.) of the pasted text.
- Match Formatting changes the formatting of the pasted text to match the formatting of the new location. (This option is called Merge Formatting on a PC.)
- Paste as Picture pastes the text or other content as an image (only available in Microsoft 365).
- Keep Text Only removes the formatting of the pasted text and adds the formatting of the new location.

Paste menu in the Home tab in Word for Mac — Figure 5. Paste menu

What Is the Difference Between Match Formatting and Keep Text Only?

Match Formatting and Keep Text Only provide similar—but not identical—functions, so let’s take a closer look at their differences.

Match Formatting matches the formatting of the pasted text to the formatting of the new location. However, it doesn’t remove existing emphasis formatting (boldness, italics, or underlining) from the pasted text.

For example, if you paste a paragraph with black font and several bold words into a location with red font, the entire paragraph will turn red. But, the bold words will maintain the bold format.

Keep Text Only removes all formatting from the pasted text, including emphasis formatting, and then adds the formatting of the next location to the pasted text.

Therefore, if you use Keep Text Only to paste that same paragraph with black font and several bold words into a location with red font, the entire paragraph will turn red and the bold words will lose the bold format.

(Optional) Select Paste Special (see figure 5) to open the Paste Special dialog box with additional options including pasting as HTML format and unformatted Unicode text.

Your text or image should now be pasted into the new location in your document.

The in-text shortcut menu lets you cut, copy, and paste from inside the document.

To Cut or Copy

Select the text or image you want to cut or copy.
Right-click or Control-click the selected text or image, and then select Cut or Copy from the shortcut menu.

Cut and Copy in the shortcut menu in Word for Mac — Figure 6. Cut and Copy options

Your text or image should be cut or copied.

To Paste

Right-click or Control-click the location where you want to insert the text or image, and then select Paste or Paste Special from the shortcut menu.

- The Paste option is the same as the Keep Source Formatting option in the ribbon, which pastes the text or image with its current formatting. The shortcut menu does not offer an option to match formatting, paste as a picture, or keep text only.
- The Paste Special option opens the Paste Special dialog box with additional options including pasting as HTML format and unformatted Unicode text.

Paste and Paste Special shortcut menu options in Word for Mac — Figure 7. Paste and Paste Special options

Your text or image should now be pasted into the new location in your document.

Bonus: How to Choose a Pasting Option after Pasting Text

Word lets you choose a pasting option immediately after you have pasted text into its new location.

Select the Paste Options button that appears after pasting your text into its new location.

Paste Options button in Word for Mac — Figure 8. Paste Options button

Select an option from the shortcut menu:

- Keep Source Formatting
- Match Destination Formatting (This option is the same as Match Formatting in the ribbon.)
- Keep Text Only

Paste Options menu in Word for Mac — Figure 8. Paste Options menu

Your pasted text should change formatting according to your selection.

Important Note: The Paste Options button will disappear once you perform another function such as typing or pressing the Return key. So, you must use this button immediately after pasting your text.