Copying and pasting on Facebook is the same two-step idea everywhere, select the text, then choose copy, then place your cursor and choose paste, but the exact taps and clicks change between desktop and phones. Below is the quick version for every device, plus how to copy a post, a link, or a comment, and what to do when paste refuses to work.
The quick answer
On a computer, highlight the text with your mouse, press Ctrl + C (Windows) or Cmd + C (Mac) to copy, click where you want it, and press Ctrl + V / Cmd + V to paste. On a phone, press and hold the text until the selection handles appear, drag them to cover what you want, tap Copy, then long-press the box where you want it and tap Paste.
Copy and paste on Facebook (desktop)
The browser version of Facebook gives you the most control because you have a real cursor.
Copying text from a post or comment
- Click and drag your mouse across the words you want to select.
- Press Ctrl + C (Windows) or Cmd + C (Mac). You can also right-click the highlighted text and choose Copy.
- Click into the status box, comment field, or Messenger window where you want the text.
- Press Ctrl + V / Cmd + V, or right-click and choose Paste.
Copying a link to a post
Every public post has its own URL. Click the timestamp (the date under the author's name), then copy the address from your browser's address bar. Or click the three-dot menu in the top-right of the post and choose Copy link, which puts the URL straight on your clipboard.
Copy and paste on Facebook (iPhone)
- Press and hold a word in the post or comment until it highlights and the blue selection handles appear.
- Drag the handles to cover everything you want.
- Tap Copy in the small pop-up menu.
- Go to the field where you want the text, press and hold, and tap Paste.
To copy a link to a post on iPhone, tap the three dots at the top-right of the post and choose Copy link. iOS may show a one-time "Facebook pasted from…" banner the first time you paste, that is just Apple's clipboard-privacy notice and is safe to ignore.
Copy and paste on Facebook (Android)
- Long-press the text until selection handles appear.
- Drag the handles over the words you want.
- Tap Copy.
- Open the destination field, long-press, and tap Paste (or Paste as plain text if you want to strip formatting).
Some Android keyboards (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard) keep a clipboard history, tap the clipboard icon on the keyboard toolbar to paste something you copied earlier.
Pasting into Messenger and Stories
Messenger uses the same clipboard as the rest of your phone, so anything you copy in the Facebook app can be pasted into a chat. For Stories, add a text layer first, then long-press inside it to paste. Note that Facebook posts don't support rich formatting, bold, italics, or colored text pasted from a document will arrive as plain text.
When copy and paste won't work
- The menu won't appear: tap directly on the words, not on an image or link, and hold for a full second.
- Paste is greyed out: your clipboard is empty, copy something again.
- Formatting looks wrong: use Paste as plain text on Android, or paste into Notes first to clean it, then re-copy.
- App is glitchy: force-close and reopen Facebook, or update to the latest version, clipboard bugs are common in outdated builds.
Related reads
Once you're comfortable moving text around, put it to work: see our Facebook caption ideas for posts that actually get engagement, our complete Facebook marketing guide, and how to grow a Facebook Page organically.
The bottom line
Copy and paste is identical in spirit on every device, select, copy, place, paste, the only thing that changes is whether you're using keyboard shortcuts or press-and-hold. Bookmark the device section you need and you'll never fumble a Facebook link or caption again.
