The basic method: tap, hold, and drag to select

To copy and paste on a Samsung device, you select the text you want by tapping and holding your finger on a word, then dragging to expand the selection. Once the text is highlighted in blue, a menu appears with a Copy button. Tap it, then open the app or field where you want the text to go, tap and hold in that location, and tap Paste.

This works the same way on Samsung phones and tablets running Android. The exact appearance of the menu and buttons varies slightly depending on which Samsung model you have and which version of Android it runs, but the steps remain consistent.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap and hold on any word to start selecting text, then drag your finger to the end of what you want to copy.
  • The blue highlight shows what will be copied; tap Copy from the menu that appears.
  • Move to where you want to paste, tap and hold, then select Paste from the menu.
  • You can copy text from web pages, emails, messages, documents, and most other apps on your Samsung device.
  • Samsung devices keep your last few copied items in a clipboard history that you can access by tapping the clipboard icon in the keyboard.

Selecting text: the tap-and-hold method

Start by opening the app or webpage that contains the text you want to copy. Tap and hold your finger on the first word of the text you need. After about half a second, you will see that word highlighted in blue, and small handles (circles or lines) will appear at the beginning and end of the selection.

Drag one or both handles to expand the selection to include all the text you want. Drag the left handle backward to include text before the original word, or drag the right handle forward to include text after it. You can also drag from the word itself to select a larger block at once. Once the selection covers exactly what you need, release your finger.

Copying the selected text

After you release your finger, a menu will pop up above or below the highlighted text. This menu usually shows Copy, Cut, and sometimes Share or Search. Tap Copy to place the text on your device's clipboard.

The text stays on your clipboard until you copy something else or restart your device. You can copy text from emails, text messages, web pages, notes, documents, and most other places where text appears on your screen.

Pasting text into a new location

Open the app or field where you want the text to appear—this could be a text message, an email, a note, a search box, or any other place that accepts text input. Tap once in the location where you want to paste, then tap and hold your finger in that same spot.

A menu will appear with a Paste button. Tap it, and the copied text will appear at your cursor. If you do not see a Paste button, the app may not support pasting, or there may be nothing on your clipboard to paste.

Using clipboard history on Samsung devices

Samsung devices include a clipboard history feature that stores multiple items you have copied. To access it, open any text field and tap and hold. Look for a Clipboard button or icon (it often looks like a clipboard) in the menu or at the top of the keyboard. Tap it to see your recent copied items.

From the clipboard history, you can tap any previous item to paste it, or tap the pin icon next to an item to save it permanently so it does not get deleted when you copy something new. This is useful if you need to paste the same text multiple times or switch between a few different copied items.

Copying and pasting between different apps

You can copy text from one app and paste it into another without any extra steps. For example, you can copy a sentence from a web browser and paste it into an email, or copy an address from a text message and paste it into a maps app. The process is identical: copy from the source app, then paste into the destination app.

Some apps have restrictions on what you can copy from them for security reasons—for instance, banking apps may prevent you from copying account numbers. If you try to copy from a restricted app and nothing happens, that app is likely blocking the action intentionally.

Troubleshooting copy and paste problems

If the Copy or Paste buttons do not appear, try closing the app completely and reopening it. Sometimes the menu system gets stuck. You can also try restarting your device if the problem persists across multiple apps.

If you can copy but cannot paste, check that you are tapping and holding in a location that accepts text input. Some fields, like search boxes in certain apps, may not support pasting. If pasting works in some apps but not others, those specific apps may have restrictions built in. Try copying and pasting in a different app to confirm the feature itself is working.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy and paste images on a Samsung device?

Yes, the process is similar to text. Tap and hold on an image until a menu appears, then tap Copy. Move to where you want to paste it—usually a messaging app, email, or notes app—tap and hold, and select Paste. Not all apps support image pasting, so you may need to try a different destination if it does not work.

What is the difference between Copy and Cut?

Copy leaves the original text where it is and puts a duplicate on your clipboard. Cut removes the text from its original location and puts it on your clipboard. Use Cut when you want to move text from one place to another, and Copy when you want to keep the original and make a duplicate elsewhere.

Why does my clipboard history disappear?

Clipboard history is temporary and clears when you restart your device or after a certain amount of time passes. If you need to keep something permanently, use the pin icon in the clipboard history menu to save it. Pinned items stay until you manually delete them.

Can I copy and paste between my Samsung phone and computer?

Not directly through the standard copy-and-paste method. You would need to use a third-party app or service like Samsung's own SmartThings or a cloud service like Google Drive or OneDrive to transfer text between devices. Some apps also offer their own cross-device clipboard features.

What if the text I want to copy is in an image or screenshot?

Samsung devices have a text recognition feature in some apps. Open the image or screenshot, look for an option like Extract text or Text recognition, and the device will pull the text out so you can copy it. This feature is available in the Gallery app and some Samsung-specific apps, though not all images will work with it.