What is the difference between “Cut” and “Copy” and when is it best to use each?

It is one of the questions that many people ask themselves after spending a few months or even years using PCs and writing with them. “Cut” and “Copy” are two of the most common commands when writing in a text editor, regardless of the format it is in. It may be one of the most common questions among more casual users.What is the difference between Cut and Copy on the keyboard or the right mouse click? Which is better to use? Who wins the keyboard Copy vs Cut action match?«

Both commands are very similar, because in the end they end up making a piece of information, be it a text or an image, or a URL or WordPress paragraph commands, are stored in the memory space reserved by the operating system for saving files to be deployed with the copy command. This is the clipboard. But in the small details is where the Pdifference is found.

Cutting is perfect for eliminating from a to-do list and more cases

In Windows, if we highlight a text and press the keys «Ctrl" Y "X» On the keyboard, we will be using the Cut command. If we see it, we will immediately see that the highlighted item is deleted, and it goes to the clipboard of our operating system, be it a mobile phone, a Windows computer or a Mac computer. Cut it is the ideal tool when we are moving elements from a text editor to which we have access to edit. That is, in which we have writing permissions and not only reading. This is because the Cut action deletes only if it can be edited, after which the data is copied to the clipboard and we can paste it as many times as we want.

This makes the tool ideal when we are restructuring sections of a piece of writing. It can also be useful when we have been given a draft with a list of data and codes to enter in a database and we want to make sure that when we get one, we won't forget to delete it from the list in order to minimize the risk of duplicate information.

You will wonder why there is the Cut action if we can copy and hit the delete key later. The reason is that the human being is not perfect and we all make mistakes. When we are moving data from an editable text, or onto an editable image canvas in an image editing program like Adobe Photoshop, we can with a single button make sure that the information that we are moving is deleted and it stays on our clipboard. Since the cut function does not work on non-editable text or equivalent, we are making sure, when we are moving data, that it does not stay in the original place.

The Copy command in Windows and other operating systems

The copy command is slightly different from the cut command in Windows. Its keyboard shortcut is «Ctrl" Y "V«, and makes that any data highlighted in a text editor, operating system, or program is copied to the clipboard.

What makes it different from the command "Cut«? First of all, it doesn't have to be in a text, image or any information editor where we have write permissions. The Cut command only copies the information to the clipboard if it manages to modify and delete it. The command "Copy» copies it equally, but it doesn't remove it, with which it can take information from other people's emails and PDF files, among others.

In the case that we have commented on a list of elements, we can copy them even if it is in a write-protected format. But it will not be deleted. So if we are copying many codes to put on Steam or to redeem gems in Genshin Impact, to say two widely used examples, we will have to keep track of the information that we have not entered yet and what we have entered.

With the Copy command, either from the keyboard or by right clicking and selecting, the information goes yes or yes to the clipboard, and then we can copy it as many times as we want. It helps us a lot when they send us an alphanumeric code with special characters to confirm the login of an account and we have to enter it. This prevents unwanted human error and ensures that we do not enter wrong information.

What the “Paste” action does

When we enter the paste command, in this case by pressing the "Ctrl" and "V" keys, we are telling the operating system that you have to put the information you have stored in the reserved space to the clipboard in the information field that is active. It is important to know what kind of information we are putting and where to avoid problems.

One of the most basic information is the text, pure and simple. A string of characters with their Unicode codes is stored and copied into the active program, be it a text editor, a web form field, or an image editor. The program can interpret it in different ways, usually like you want to enter text and it will write from where the active marker is, or it will generate a text layer on the image or video project, all depending on the program you are using.

With image it's a bit more complicated, because you're copying all the pixels with their RGB values ​​and transparency. Transparency is something to keep in mind when copying and pasting images, as some programs don't transfer them well, like Paint, which does not support or save image transparency.

With the animated gifs that we see on the internet the same, because the clipboard does not save the huge row of different and incomplete frames that make up the gif in motion, but the active image, so if we want to copy and paste an animated gif, it will be imperative to save it .

The clipboard is made for the simplest elements, such as strings, HTML commands and instructions for WordPress blocks, and an image. but it's not much use for more complex things. For example, if we cut and paste a file, it does not save the file itself, but rather a marker that the file has been pre-cut and is ready to be moved to a new folder and then removed from the original folder. It should be noted that in some contact forms, they can prohibit using the Paste action, either from the keyboard or from the right click, to avoid bots and spam.

How to open the clipboard history in Windows and check what we have copied to recover it

The Windows operating system, whether Windows 10 or Windows 11, has a small history of the data that the clipboard has collected and that we have used. To access it, press the key combination "Windows and "V«. A small window will open with the most recent data that we have copied. There we can pin items that we do not want to lose from the history, ideal if we have to copy the same items several times during a session and several days.

A small drawback of the default Windows clipboard is that if we use a lot of data and we have to reuse it, it can fall short. There are 25 information storage spaces that it has. For someone who may need more throughout the day due to the amount of information that moves, luckily there are free apps to extend it, like Clipboard Fusion. In this case, the free program allows you to save dozens of slots for free that can be quickly selected with a number, pinned to a dedicated tab, and modified as needed.

With all this, we can manage a large amount of data that we reuse numerous times. The program has a paid version that allows you to share in the cloud. This is especially useful for professionals who have to write numerous default messages and responses on numerous systems. In the end, it is how we use these tools that indicates their usefulness.

With all this, you already know the difference between Copy, Cut and Paste actions dWindows. This also works on Android, iOS, Mac, Linux. On virtually any operating system. Now it is a matter of applying what you have known and knowing the different one: cut vs. copy.