ClipTen Copy and paste shortcut keys

Copy and paste shortcut keys for Windows 11 and 10

Q: What are the copy and paste shortcut keys on a Mac?

Command + C copies, Command + X cuts and Command + V pastes. Option + Shift + Command + V pastes as plain text. With ClipTen for Mac, Command + C + a number saves a copy to that number and Command + V + the number pastes it.

The ones everybody knows, the ones almost nobody does, and the one Windows forgot.

Quick answer

Checked September 2026 by the founder

The copy and paste shortcut keys on every Windows PC:

Copy: Ctrl+C
Cut: Ctrl+X
Paste: Ctrl+V
Clipboard history: Win+V
Paste as plain text: Ctrl+Shift+V
Paste a saved copy with ClipTen: Ctrl+V+1

The last one is the key Windows is missing: a shortcut for one particular earlier copy. ClipTen adds it. Ctrl+C+1 saves to key 1, Ctrl+V+1 pastes it back, for ten keys from 1 to 0.

The everyday ones

Press	What it does
`Ctrl`+`C`	Copy what is selected
`Ctrl`+`X`	Cut: copy it and remove it
`Ctrl`+`V`	Paste the last thing you copied
`Ctrl`+`A`	Select everything, usually right before a copy
`Ctrl`+`Z`	Undo a paste that went wrong
`Ctrl`+`Y`	Redo it

The clipboard holds one thing. Every copy replaces the last, which is why the next two sections exist. There is more on that in how to copy multiple things at once.

Clipboard history: Win + V

Press	What it does
`Win`+`V`	Open clipboard history. The first time, click Turn on
`↑` / `↓` then `Enter`	Move through the list and paste the one you chose
`Win`+`.`	Opens the emoji panel, which also has a clipboard tab

It keeps your last 25 copies, up to 4 MB each, and empties when the PC restarts apart from items you pin. Everything about Win + V, and what to do when it will not open.

Pasting without the formatting

Press	What it does
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V`	Paste as plain text in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Slack, Teams and many other apps
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`V`	Paste Special in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Choose Unformatted Text or Values
`Ctrl` after pasting, in Office	Opens the paste options for what you just pasted

The older keys that still work

Press	What it does
`Ctrl`+`Insert`	Copy
`Shift`+`Insert`	Paste. Handy where Ctrl + V is taken, such as some terminals
`Shift`+`Delete`	Cut in text. In File Explorer it deletes a file permanently, so be careful
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C` / `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V`	Copy and paste in Windows Terminal, where Ctrl + C stops a running command

Copy and paste shortcut keys on a Mac

The same moves, with ⌘ (Command) where Windows uses Ctrl:

Press	What it does
`⌘`+`C`	Copy
`⌘`+`X`	Cut
`⌘`+`V`	Paste
`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`V`	Paste and match style (plain text)
`⌘`+`Space` then `⌘`+`4`	Clipboard history in Spotlight, on macOS Tahoe 26 and later
`⌘`+`V`+`1`	Paste the copy you saved on key 1, with ClipTen for Mac (available now)

Screenshots straight to the clipboard

Press	What it does
`Win`+`Shift`+`S`	Drag out any part of the screen; it is copied, ready for Ctrl + V
`Alt`+`PrtScn`	Copy just the window in front
`PrtScn`	The whole screen. On Windows 11 it may open Snipping Tool instead, depending on your settings

The shortcut Windows is missing

Every shortcut above works on the clipboard: one item, or a list you open and read. None of them lets you say “paste the address I copied ten minutes ago” without opening something and looking for it.

That is the gap ClipTen fills. It is the same Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V, with a number on the end:

Press	What it does
`Ctrl`+`C`+`1` … `Ctrl`+`C`+`0`	Save what is selected to slot 1 to 0. Keep Ctrl held through the number
`Ctrl`+`V`+`1` … `Ctrl`+`V`+`0`	Paste slot 1 to 0, in any app, with no window opening
`Ctrl`+`C` and `Ctrl`+`V`	Unchanged. Plain copy and paste work exactly as before

Slots hold formatted text, links, images and several files at once, and stay put after a restart. ClipTen is available now for Mac. See it working.

Last checked September 2026, on Windows 11 24H2 and Windows 10 22H2.

Questions

What is the shortcut to copy and paste on Windows?

Ctrl + C copies what you have selected, Ctrl + X cuts it, and Ctrl + V pastes it. The older Ctrl + Insert (copy) and Shift + Insert (paste) still work in most apps.

What is the shortcut to see everything I copied on Windows?

Win + V opens clipboard history on Windows 10 and 11. The first time, click Turn on. It keeps your last 25 copies until the PC restarts; pinned items stay.

How do I paste without formatting on Windows?

Ctrl + Shift + V pastes as plain text in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and many other apps. In Word and Excel use Ctrl + Alt + V for Paste Special and choose Unformatted Text, or right-click and choose Keep Text Only.

Is there a shortcut to paste several different things without copying each again?

Not built into Windows. Win + V lets you pick each item from a list. ClipTen adds fixed keys: Ctrl + C + a number from 1 to 0 saves a copy to that number, and Ctrl + V + the same number pastes it, so ten things are each one shortcut away.

How do I copy a screenshot to the clipboard?

Win + Shift + S lets you drag out an area and copies it to the clipboard. Alt + Print Screen copies just the active window. Paste it with Ctrl + V.

What are the copy and paste shortcut keys on a Mac?

⌘+C copies, ⌘+X cuts and ⌘+V pastes. ⌥+⇧+⌘+V pastes as plain text. With ClipTen for Mac, ⌘+C+1 saves a copy to key 1 and ⌘+V+1 pastes it.

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