How to Copy and Paste on Phone (Android and iPhone)

Copy and paste is one of those things that we do several times in a day on computers, yet most people don't know the basics on mobile phones. Your phone can do a lot more, from copying text out of photos to grabbing text from apps that block text extraction. So, in this guide, I have explained how to copy and paste on phone with separate steps for Android and iPhone. On that note, let's begin.

How to Copy and Paste on Android Phone

The steps below work on all Android phones. Note that some menu names may be different depending on your phone's skin, but the process remains the same.

Copy and Paste Text on Android

This is the universal method to copy and paste text on any Android phone including all stock Android phones. Here is how it works.

1. Open the app with the text you want to copy.
2. Now, press and hold on a word to activate the selection tool.
3. A selection handle will appear around the word. Drag the handles to select the text you want to copy.
4. Tap on Copy from the pop-up menu. The text is now saved to your clipboard.
5. Next, open the app where you want to paste the text and long-press on the text field.
6. Finally, tap on Paste and the copied text will appear right away.

Copy and Paste Links on Android

Sharing a web page is even easier since you do not have to select anything manually. Here is how to copy a link on your Android phone.

1. Open the web page in your Android browser and tap on the address bar at the top.
2. Now, tap on the dedicated Copy icon next to the URL.
3. Next, open your app where you want to paste and long-press on the text field.
4. Finally, tap on Paste and you are done.

Copy and Paste Images on Android

You can copy and paste images on Android as well and it works best with images from the web. Here is how to do it.

1. Open Chrome or any web browser and find the image you want to copy.
2. Now, long-press the image and tap on Copy image from the pop-up menu.
3. Next, open the app where you want to paste the image and long-press on the text field.
4. Finally, tap on Paste and the image will be inserted right away.

Copy On-Screen Text with Circle to Search

Circle to Search is Google's AI-powered on-screen tool on Android and it's not just for looking things up. It can also copy any text on your screen including text inside images and it works on most modern Android phones. Here is how to use it.

1. Open the app or screen with the text you want to copy.
2. Now, long-press the navigation pill at the bottom to launch Circle to Search.
3. Tap on a word or drag the handle across the text you want to copy.
4. Next, tap on Copy and you can paste it in any app on your Android phone.

Do note that Circle to Search will not work in apps that block screen capture, such as most banking apps.

Copy Text from the Recents Screen

This is my favourite copy and paste trick on Android if you own a Google Pixel phone. You can copy text directly from an app's preview in the Recents screen and it works even in apps that block text selection. It can even pick up text from inside images. As for One UI users, you can scan and grab text on Samsung phones.

1. Open the app on your Pixel phone with the text you want to copy.
2. Now, swipe up from the bottom and hold to open the Recents screen.
3. Long-press on the text on the app's preview screen and drag the text handle to select the text.
4. Finally, tap on Copy and paste the text wherever you want.

This trick has been part of Pixel for years and it keeps getting better with each release. While we are at it, you can also check out the best Android 17 features that are rolling out right now.

Use the Clipboard to Store Multiple Items

By default, your phone remembers only the last item you copied. However, Gboard comes with a built-in clipboard manager that stores everything you copy including text, links and images. Some brands push this even further like Nothing phones can automatically capture clipboard contents inside Essential Space. That said, follow the steps below to use Gboard clipboard on your Android phone.

1. Open any app where you can type to bring up the Gboard keyboard.
2. Tap on the Clipboard icon in the Gboard toolbar.
3. Now, everything you copy will show up here. Simply tap on an item to paste it.
4. To keep something permanently, long-press the item and tap on Pin.
5. By the way, unpinned items are cleared automatically after an hour.

Apart from the clipboard, Gboard packs many handy features. For example, you can change the keyboard language in Android and type in multiple languages on the fly.

How to Copy and Paste on iPhone

Now, coming to the iPhone, the basic method feels familiar, but Apple has added faster ways to select text along with some helpful gestures. These steps work on all recent iPhones including those running the latest iOS 27 build.

Copy and Paste Text on iPhone

Here is the standard method to copy and paste text on your iPhone.

1. Open the app with the text you want to copy.
2. Double-tap on a word to select it. You can also triple-tap to select an entire paragraph.
3. Now, drag the text selection handle and tap on Copy from the pop-up menu.
4. Next, go to the app where you want to paste the text and press and hold on the text field.
5. Finally, tap on Paste and you are done.

Use Three-Finger Gestures to Copy and Paste on iPhone

Apple offers system-wide gestures for copy, cut and paste and they are much faster once you get used to them. Here is how to use them, but remember that sometimes, it doesn't work properly.

1. Select the text in any app on your iPhone.
2. Now, pinch in with three fingers to copy. You will see a "Copy" confirmation at the top of the screen.
3. To cut the text instead, pinch in with three fingers twice quickly.
4. Next, go to where you want to paste the text and tap on the text field.
5. Finally, pinch out with three fingers and the text will be inserted instantly.

Copy Text from Photos with Live Text

Your iPhone can extract text straight out of photos, screenshots and even the camera viewfinder using Live Text. It's incredibly handy for grabbing Wi-Fi passwords and phone numbers from a paper. Here is how it works.

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone and select an image with text.
2. Tap on the Live Text icon at the bottom right corner.
3. Now, tap and hold the highlighted text and drag the handle to select what you need.
4. Tap on Copy, open any app and paste the text.

By the way, Live Text is getting smarter with Apple Intelligence. You can check out the best iOS 27 features to see what else your iPhone can do.

And that wraps up our guide on how to copy and paste on phone. My recommendation would be to enable the Gboard clipboard on Android and learn the 3-finger gestures on iPhone, as both will save you time every day. If the Paste option doesn't show up in an app, it's the app blocking it and this is common in banking apps. In that case, you can always take a screenshot on your phone and grab the text later.