Copy and Paste on Facebook
Copying and pasting content to or from Facebook isn't especially complicated. On mobile devices, you can tap, hold and select the appropriate menu options. And on computers or notebooks, the process simply involves either using your mouse's right-click function or some quick keyboard shortcuts. This article covers your Facebook copying and pasting needs in detail. If you're looking to share content on Facebook or share Facebook content somewhere else, you're just a few short steps away.
Contents
Steps
Using Facebook on iPhone or iPad
- Find the content you want to copy. Like the Facebook website, you can copy and paste text, website URLs or images into the Facebook app on your iOS mobile device. You can also use these instructions to copy and paste text, links or images from Facebook and into other apps.
- When you copy and paste text into Facebook, you won't be able to keep the original formatting and font. Copying someone's Facebook post will not copy the Likes and comments—just the text.
- If you want to share an article on Facebook, copy the article's URL from your browser's address bar.
- Copy the content you want to paste into Facebook. The process for copying content on mobile devices depends on what you're copying.
- To copy text, press and hold the selected text to bring up the text selector. You'll see a blue box highlighting text with little, blue circles on the outlines of that box. Move those blue circles to adjust which text is highlighted. When satisfied, tap "Copy." Holding and selecting editable text (e.g. from your Notes) will show a magnification loupe allowing you to more easily select the text you desire. Upon releasing your finger, you'll see options to either "Select" or "Select All"—the former selecting highlighted text and the latter selecting all text. Once you indicate which text you wish to select, the "Copy" option will appear. Tap that.
- To copy a link, press and hold the selected link, then select "Copy link address" from the menu that appears. To copy an address from your address bar, tap it to highlight the whole thing and then select "Copy" from the menu.
- To copy an image, you'll need to copy the image's address instead of the image itself. Press and hold on an image and select "Open image" to open the image in a new tab. Copy the address for the direct address to the image.
- Tap where you want to paste the content in the Facebook app. You can paste anywhere you can type, including status updates, messages, and comments. Tap the text field to place your cursor. You may also paste content you've copied from Facebook in any editable text field.
- Tap your cursor to display the "Paste" option. Tapping "Paste" will paste the copied content to the text field.
Using Facebook on Android Phones and Tablets
- Find the content you want to copy. Like the Facebook website, you can copy and paste text, website URLs or images into the Facebook app on your Android mobile device. You can also use these instructions to copy and paste text, links or images from Facebook and into other apps.
- When you copy and paste text into Facebook, you won't be able to keep the original formatting and font. Copying someone's Facebook post will not copy the Likes and comments—just the text.
- If you want to share an article on Facebook, copy the article's URL from your browser's address bar.
- Some Android users have reported issues copying text from Facebook Messenger chat heads. You'll need to copy the text from within the Facebook Messenger or Facebook app.
- Copy the content you want to paste into Facebook. The process for copying content on mobile devices depends on what you're copying.
- To copy text, press and hold the selected text to bring up the text selector. You'll see two teardrop-shaped icons that can be moved to the beginning and end of the text you wish to select. You'll also see four options appear in a pop-up menu: "Select All," "Copy," "Share," and "Web Search." If you wish to select all of the text in a given screen, tap "Select All." If you wish to select only certain text, move those teardrop-shaped icons to the beginning and end of the text you wish to select. You'll see it highlighted accordingly. When satisfied, click "Copy" from the menu that still appears.
- To copy a link, press and hold the selected link, then select "Copy link URL" from the menu that appears. To copy an address from your address bar, tap and hold it. Then click "Select All" to highlight the whole thing and select "Copy" from the menu that appears.
- To copy an image, you'll need to copy the image's address instead of the image itself. Press and hold on an image and select "View Image" to open the image in a new tab. Copy the address bar (per the instructions listed above) for the direct address to the image.
- Tap where you want to paste the content in the Facebook app. You can paste anywhere you can type, including status updates, messages, and comments. Tap the text field to place your cursor. You may also paste content you've copied from Facebook in any editable text field.
- Tap your cursor to display the "Paste" option. Tapping "Paste" will paste the copied content to the text field
Using the Facebook Website
- Find the content you want to copy. You can copy and paste text, website addresses, or images into a Facebook post, message, or comment.
- If you want to share an article on Facebook, simply copy and paste the article's address from your browser's address bar.
- Copied text will not preserve the original formatting. Facebook does not support fonts other than the standard Facebook font.
- Copied images will appear in your posts and be uploaded to your Facebook photos. Copied image addresses will create a link to the photo.
- You can only copy the text from other Facebook posts, not the entire post itself. Copying and pasting posts will not copy Likes or comments from that post. You cannot combine posts by copying and pasting them together.
- Select the content you wish to copy. The process for copying what you want to paste will depend on what you're copying.
- To copy text, highlight the text you want to copy, right-click it, and select "Copy." Windows and Mac users may alternatively use their keyboards to copy after highlighting the desired content. The former need simply press ^ Control + C while the latter press ⌘ Command + C.
- To copy an image from a website, right-click the image and select "Copy Image."
- To copy a link to a website, copy the entire URL from the address bar by right-clicking the link and select "Copy address/URL." Windows and Mac users may alternatively use their keyboards to copy after highlighting the desired content. The former need simply press ^ Control + C while the latter press ⌘ Command + C.
- Point your cursor where you want to paste the content. You can paste your copied content into a new status update, a comment on another post or into a message with another Facebook user.
- Paste the copied content. You can right-click and select "Paste" or—using your keyboard—press ^ Control + V (for Windows users) or ⌘ Command + V (for Mac users). Different types of content will paste in different ways.
- Pasting text will just paste the raw text. You may wish to reformat it before posting. You can't change the font of pasted text.
- Pasting a website address will create a preview of the website. The preview will include a thumbnail, title, and a short description. After pasting an address and generating a shortcut, you can delete the written address.
- Pasting a picture into a status update will add it to your photo uploads. Pasting a photo into a message will send the image immediately to the recipient.
Tips
- Instead of copying and pasting content from another post into Facebook, you may alternatively wish to use the “Share” button in the bottom right corner of the link, text or picture. Facebook will ask you if you want to share it on your timeline. Confirm and it will paste the post onto your page.
