The basic steps for copying and pasting a link

To copy a link, right-click on it and select Copy link or Copy link address — the exact wording depends on your browser. On a Mac, you can also hold Control and click instead of right-clicking. Once copied, the link sits in your clipboard until you paste it somewhere else.

To paste the link, right-click in the place where you want it — an email, a document, a text message, a social media post — and select Paste. On most keyboards, you can also use Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac instead of right-clicking. The link appears exactly as it was copied.

If you are copying a link from the address bar at the top of your browser instead of from a link on the page, click once in the address bar to select it, then right-click and choose Copy. The full web address copies to your clipboard the same way.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any link and select Copy link to place it in your clipboard without opening the page.
  • You can also copy the address from your browser's address bar by clicking it, right-clicking, and choosing Copy.
  • Paste the link anywhere by right-clicking and selecting Paste, or by pressing Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac).
  • The clipboard holds only one copied item at a time, so copying something new replaces the previous link.

Copying links from different places

Links appear in many places online, and the copy method is the same for all of them. In an email, right-click the link and select Copy link. On a social media post, right-click the link in the caption or comments and copy it. In a search result, right-click the blue headline or the URL shown below it.

If you want to copy a link that is not clickable — for example, a plain web address typed as text in a document — you cannot right-click it to copy. Instead, click and drag to select the entire address, then right-click the selected text and choose Copy. This works the same way as copying any other text.

Where to paste links

Once a link is in your clipboard, you can paste it almost anywhere. Common places include email messages, text messages, social media posts and comments, word documents, spreadsheets, and chat applications. Right-click in the text field where you want the link to appear and select Paste.

Some applications paste links as clickable blue text automatically. Others paste them as plain text — just the web address with no color or underline. Either way, the link works the same. If you want to change how the link looks after pasting, most applications let you highlight it and format it, but the underlying web address stays the same.

Using keyboard shortcuts instead of right-clicking

If right-clicking feels slow or your mouse is not working well, keyboard shortcuts do the same job. After right-clicking a link to copy it, you can press Ctrl+C on Windows or Command+C on Mac to copy it to your clipboard. To paste, press Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac.

These shortcuts work in almost every application on your computer — browsers, email, documents, messaging apps. If you use them regularly, they are often faster than right-clicking, especially if your hands are already on the keyboard.

What happens when you copy a link

When you copy a link, your computer stores it in a temporary holding area called the clipboard. The link stays there until you paste it somewhere, or until you copy something else. Once you copy a new item — a different link, a photo, some text — the old link is replaced and you cannot get it back by pasting.

This is why it is a good idea to paste a link right away if you know you will need it. If you copy something else by accident, you can undo the last action in most applications by pressing Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, which may restore the previous clipboard contents.

Copying links on phones and tablets

On an iPhone or iPad, press and hold a link until a menu appears, then tap Copy. On an Android phone, press and hold a link and select Copy link or Copy link address. The link goes into your clipboard just as it does on a computer.

To paste on a phone or tablet, tap in a text field — an email, a message, a social media post — and hold your finger there until a menu appears. Tap Paste and the link appears. On some phones, you can also tap and hold to see a Paste button without opening a menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy a link without opening the page?

Yes. Right-click the link and select Copy link or Copy link address. The page does not open — only the link address is copied to your clipboard. This is the standard way to copy links without visiting them.

What if I copy something else by accident and lose my link?

The link is gone from your clipboard once you copy something new. If you need it back, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) to undo the last action in your current application. If that does not work, you can go back to the original page and copy the link again.

Does the link change when I paste it?

No. The link you paste is exactly the same as the one you copied. It does not matter where you paste it — email, document, chat — the web address stays identical. Some applications may format it differently (blue text instead of plain text), but the link itself never changes.

Can I copy a link from the address bar?

Yes. Click once in the address bar at the top of your browser to select the full web address, right-click, and choose Copy. You can then paste it anywhere. This is useful when you want to share the exact page you are viewing.