One of the most apparent differences between Windows machines and Macs is the lack of a so-called “cut and paste” option on the Mac. On Windows machines, users are used to seeing cut, copy, and paste, but on Macs there is no command called cut. Actually, similar functionality exists on a Mac, it’s just a little less straightforward than it is on Windows (ironically).
Instead, Apple likes to call its version move, which honestly makes more sense than cut if you ask me. Although move isn’t an option when you right click, and there isn’t your typical Command + X command for moving, it’s still really easy to pull off. In the video that follows, I’ll show you three different ways to use cut and paste in your Mac’s Finder.
Cut and Paste on Mac
To use Cut functionality on the Finder, do the following:
Step 1: Right click on the item that you wish to cut and select Copy
Step 2: Locate the destination where you’d like to move the item, right click, and hold the Option (⌥) key on your keyboard, and the Paste Item Here option will change to Move Item here. Click Move Item Here.
You’ll notice the item is now moved and no longer appears in its original place.
You can also do the same thing with keyboard shortcuts. Just use Command + C to copy and then use Option + Command + V to paste the item to the new destination.
If you still finding yourself missing Windows’ contextual cut command, you can use a third-party utility to add it to the Finder. One such utility is called XtraFinder, and it’s available as a free download. It features an option to add Windows-like cut and paste functionality to the Finder’s menu.
To enable cut and paste with XtraFinder, install the package → click the menu bar icon → click Preferences → click Features → check the Cut & Paste box.
How do you handle cut and paste on Mac? Sound off down below in the comments section.