How to Copy & Paste Anything on Your Android Device

By Shivangi Agarwal • Updated On 21 Sept 2023

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Copying and pasting is one of the most basic tasks that we performed on PCs and now exercise on smartphones and tablets. Copying and Pasting text, images, URLs, contacts, etc. is very simple on Android devices. You can copy and paste anything from the web to your personal notes or from the contact library to WhatsApp messages. Just follow the steps below to copy anything you need to.

Copying & Pasting Text on Your Android Device

Copying and Pasting text is one of the simplest tasks on an Android device.

To do this, simply select the text you want to copy, go to the target location, press and hold the text field, and select Paste. If you want to understand the method in detail, here is the guide-

Access the text you want to copy. For example, if you want to copy some text from one of your Notes that has to be forwarded, open it on the Notes app.
Press and hold any word of the message to activate the selection tool. Drag the set of bounding handles to highlight the text you want to copy.

Tap Copy from the menu that appears. If you want to copy the entire text, double-tap on any word and choose Select All from the menu that appears.
Go to the location where you want to paste the copied text.
Press and hold the area where the text can be entered and tap Paste from the pop-up menu.

You have successfully copied and pasted text on your Android device.

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Copying and Pasting Web URLs on Your Android Device

When you browse the internet, you come across some websites that you want to share with family or friends. To do this, you just have to copy and paste the website’s address into your friend’s inbox and then send it. The steps are-

Go to the website you want to share.
Press and hold the URL in the address bar of your browser and choose Copy from the pop-up menu.
Then, open the inbox in the messaging app you want to use to share the URL. Press and hold the text field and select Paste.
Finally, tap the Send button to send the URL.

Copying and Pasting Images on Your Android Device

Copying and pasting images is not as simple as copying text and URLs. This feature is only available in a few apps. It works best in web browsers like Google Chrome.

Open your browser and find the image you want to copy.
Long-press the image and select Copy Image from the menu.
Now, go to the app where you want to paste the image, long-press the text field, and select Paste.

It works fine in messaging apps like Instagram. Copying and pasting images on Android is still a developing feature so if it doesn’t work for you, you can download the image and share it instead.

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Shivangi Agarwal

Shivangi is a tech writer at Smartprix, where she covers consumer technology news with a focus on smartphones, wearables, laptops, and the evolving world of OTT streaming. Since joining the team in August 2021, she has written over 120 in-depth reviews, comparisons, and buying guides aimed at helping readers navigate the ever-changing tech landscape.

With a strong foundation in English literature and education, Shivangi brings clarity, insight, and a reader-first approach to every story. Her expertise lies in breaking down complex features into accessible, practical insights—whether she’s reviewing the latest smartphone or exploring trends in infotainment.

Shivangi holds a B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. in English, along with a B.Ed in English and Social Studies. She is based in Faridabad, India. You can follow her work on Smartprix or connect with her for tech-related queries.

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