On a Mac the copy key is ⌘C and paste is ⌘V. The ⌘ key (Command) is the wide key right next to the space bar, where Alt sits on a PC keyboard, and it takes over every job Ctrl had: ⌘Z undoes, ⌘S saves, ⌘A selects all, ⌘F finds.

Ctrl still exists on a Mac keyboard, at the far left, but it is a different key, used for a few system shortcuts and in Terminal, where ⌃C cancels a running command. Pressing Ctrl+C in a document does nothing at all, which is the first thing every Windows user notices.

Two habits worth taking on:

  • ⌥⇧⌘V pastes without formatting, "Paste and Match Style" in the Edit menu.
  • Files: ⌘C copies a file in Finder, and ⌥⌘V moves it. There is no ⌘X for files.