How to Copy & Paste a URL

Copy and Paste

The copy and paste feature alleviates the need to type out entire web addresses, also called URLs. If you want to share a news story in a blog post or email copying and pasting will save you a lot of time. It can be tricky to learn for the beginning web user. After a little practice, it will come naturally and you won't even have to think about it. There are several different ways to easily use this feature in most web browsers.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Find the correct URL. When copying from a blog it can be easy to get the URLs confused. The URL for the main site will look like http://www.thesite.com. Each blog post also has a specific URL. The webmaster may have formatted the URLs to include the post title, date or number. To find the specific blog post URL, click on the title. You should just see one post instead of all of the posts that were on the homepage.

2. Highlight the URL. Click at the beginning of the address bar to highlight the URL. You can also highlight any URL by placing your cursor at the beginning of the text. Click the left mouse button as you drag the mouse over the text. With a little practice this will become an easy and handy maneuver. In most browsers, you can also click on the address in the address bar to select it.

3. Use the "Edit" menu. This is on the top of your web browser next to the "File" menu. Scroll down to the "Copy" option and click on it. Then move to the notepad or window where you'd like to paste the URL. Go back to the "Edit" menu and select "Paste."

4. Copy and paste with keyboard shortcuts. Shortcuts allow you to easily copy and paste the URL with little to no mouse movement. Highlight the URL as before. The keyboard shortcut for copy is "Ctrl+C." Hold the "Ctrl" key down, then press the "C" key briefly, then let go of the "Ctrl" key. To paste use "Ctrl+V."

5. Copy and paste a URL with a simple mouse click. When you see a URL you want to copy, right-click on it. A pop up window will appear. Click on the "Copy Link Location" option. You can also right click on photos if you'd like to find or share the location of the picture. Paste using a keyboard shortcut or the "Edit" menu. You can sometimes paste by right-clicking on the mouse, and selecting "paste," depending on where you're trying to paste.

6. Paste the URL. You can paste the URL as text. For easier use, paste it so that other users can click on the URL on your blog, web page or email. This is called a hyperlink. Select and copy the URL as usual. Go to your blog post or email. Highlight the word that you want to contain the link. Find and click on the link icon in your software. This usually looks like a chain link. Use keyboard shortcuts to paste your link.

References

• WebmasterNow: Copy and Paste
• Radio Docs: Copy and Paste URLs