How to Copy and Paste Parts of a Document

You can copy part or all of a document and then paste it into another section of the same document, or into another document entirely. This allows you to quickly reuse text, images, charts or any other information without retyping.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computers
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Word

1. Open the document and select the section that you want to copy.

2. While the section is selected, open the Edit menu and click Copy. This copies the selected material into a special area of the computer's memory, called the Clipboard. (Note that the selection also remains where it was in the document; it doesn't disappear.)

3. Move your cursor to the place or document where you want to paste the material that is now in the Clipboard. Click when your cursor is in the correct spot. A flashing line will appear where you clicked.

4. Open the Edit menu and click Paste.

5. Voila! The material that you copied into the Clipboard now appears at the spot you indicated.

Tips & Warnings

• To select a section, first place your cursor at the beginning of the material that you intend to copy, then drag your cursor over the area to be copied. When you reach the end of the part you want to copy, release the mouse button. The selected material will be highlighted.
• If you choose the Cut command from the Edit menu, instead of Copy, it will delete the selection from your document instead of simply copying it. You can still paste the selection elsewhere, since it was copied to the Clipboard, but it disappears from its original position.