PasteBoard
A reference table for every clipboard-related shortcut on macOS, including a few that even longtime Mac users haven't discovered.
Basic copy, cut, paste
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd+C | Copy selection |
| Cmd+X | Cut selection |
| Cmd+V | Paste |
| Cmd+A | Select all |
| Cmd+Z | Undo (including undo a paste) |
Formatting-aware paste
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd+Option+Shift+V | Paste and match style (in apps like Pages, Mail, and most browsers) |
| Cmd+Shift+V | Paste without formatting (support varies by app) |
"Paste and match style" strips the source's font and color so pasted text inherits the destination document's formatting — useful when pasting from a webpage into an email or document.
Screenshot shortcuts (often confused with clipboard)
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd+Shift+3 | Screenshot the whole screen, saved to desktop |
| Cmd+Shift+4 | Screenshot a selected area, saved to desktop |
| Cmd+Shift+Ctrl+3 | Screenshot the whole screen, copied straight to clipboard |
| Cmd+Shift+Ctrl+4 | Screenshot a selected area, copied straight to clipboard |
Adding Ctrl to any screenshot shortcut sends the image directly to the clipboard instead of saving a file — see our full guide to screenshotting to clipboard on Mac for more detail.
Clipboard history shortcuts (need an app)
macOS has no built-in shortcut for clipboard history because it has no built-in history feature. Once you install a tool like Maccy, it adds its own shortcut — by default Cmd+Shift+V in Maccy's case, though that can collide with "paste without formatting" in some apps, so check and remap if needed.
Remapping a shortcut
Most clipboard manager apps let you change their shortcut from their own preferences window. For system-level shortcuts like screenshots, go to System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Screenshots to customize them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut to paste without formatting on Mac?
Cmd+Shift+V works in many apps, though support varies. Cmd+Option+Shift+V ("Paste and Match Style") is the more universally supported option across Apple apps and most browsers.
How do I copy a screenshot directly to the clipboard on Mac?
Add Ctrl to a screenshot shortcut: Cmd+Shift+Ctrl+4 captures a selected area straight to the clipboard instead of saving a file to the desktop.
