This tutorial will show you different ways to Cut, Copy, Paste, and Move items in File Explorer in Windows 11.
Windows 11 makes it easy to Cut, Copy, and Paste items in File Explorer and on your Desktop.
When you Cut or Copy an item, it is temporarily saved to the Clipboard.
When you Paste and item you cut, the contents of the Clipboard is used to move the item where you want.
When you Paste and item you copied, the contents of the Clipboard is used to duplicate the item where you want.
Contents
- Option One: Cut, Copy, and Paste Item(s) using Keyboard Shortcut
- Option Two: Cut, Copy, and Paste Item(s) using Drag and Drop
- Option Three: Copy or Move Item(s) using Right Click Drag and Drop
- Option Four: Cut, Copy, and Paste Item(s) using File Explorer Command Bar
- Option Five: Cut, Copy, and Paste Item(s) using Context Menu Toolbar
- Option Six: Cut, Copy, and Paste Item(s) using Context Menu
- Option Seven: Copy and Paste Shortcut Item(s) using Context Menu
- Option Eight: Copy using "xcopy" command
- Option Nine: Move using "move" command
- Option Ten: Move File using Drop Tray
1 Select the item(s) you want to Cut or Copy.
2 Press the Ctrl + X (Cut) or Ctrl + C (Copy) keys to cut (move) or copy (duplicate) the selected item(s).
3 Navigate to the location where you want to Paste the selected item(s).
4 Press the Ctrl + V keys to Paste the selected item(s) at this location.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22631.3672, you can now use your mouse to drag and drop files between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer Address Bar. A breadcrumb shows the path to your current file location in the address bar.
1 Select the item(s) you want to Cut or Copy.
2 When you drag and drop items, they will get moved (cut) or copied based on the source and destination locations.
- If you drag and drop a file/folder from a location on one drive to another drive, then the default action will be to copy the file/folder to the drop location.
- If you drag and drop a file/folder from a local location to a network location, then the default action will be to copy the file/folder to the drop location.
- If you drag and drop a file/folder from or to a CD/DVD or Blu-ray, then the default action will always be to copy the file/folder to the drop location.
- If you drag and drop a file/folder from a location to another on the same drive, then the default action will be to move the file/folder to the drop location.
- If you drag and drop a file/folder to the Recycle Bin, then the default action will always be to move the file/folder to the drop location.
1 Select the item(s) you want to Copy or Move.
2 Right click on the selected items while you drag and drop them to the location you want to copy or move them, then release right click.
3 Click/tap on Copy here or Move here for what you want. (see screenshot below)
1 Open File Explorer (Win+E).
2 Select the item(s) you want to Cut or Copy. (see screenshot below step 3)
3 Click/tap on the Cut or Copy icon on the File Explorer command bar for what you want. (see screenshot below)
4 Navigate to the location in File Explorer where you want to Paste the selected item(s).
5 Click/tap on the Paste icon on the File Explorer command bar. (see screenshot below)
1 Select the item(s) you want to Cut or Copy. (see screenshot below step 2)
2 Right click on the selected item(s), and click/tap on the Cut or Copy icon on the context menu toolbar at the top for what you want. (see screenshot below)
3 Navigate to the location in File Explorer where you want to Paste the selected item(s).
4 Right click on an empty area at this location, and click/tap on the Paste icon on the context menu toolbar at the top. (see screenshot below)
1 Select the item(s) you want to Cut or Copy. (see screenshots below step 2)
2 Perform the following actions: (see screenshots below)
- Right click on the selected item(s).
- Click/tap on Show more options (Shift+F10)
- Click/tap on Cut or Copy for what you want.
3 Navigate to the location in File Explorer where you want to Paste the selected item(s).
4 Perform the following actions: (see screenshots below)
- Right click on an empty area at this location.
- Click/tap on Show more options (Shift+F10)
- Click/tap on Paste.
1 Select the item(s) you want to Copy.
2 Copy the selected items.
3 Right click on the location you want to paste shortcuts of the copied selected items, and click/tap on Paste shortcut. (see screenshot below)
The xcopy command copies files and directories, including subdirectories.
1 For usage, see:
xcopy
Reference article for xcopy, which copies files and directories, including subdirectories.
learn.microsoft.com
The move command moves one or more files from one directory to another directory.
1 For usage, see:
move
Reference article for the move command, which moves one or more files from one directory to another directory.
learn.microsoft.com
Starting with Windows 11 build 26100.8328 (24H2) and build 26200.8328 (25H2), Drag Tray has been now renamed to Drop Tray. Microsoft is also moving the corresponding settings for Drop Tray from Nearby Sharing to now be under System > Multitasking.
1 Drag one or more selected files you want to move to have the Drop Tray "Drop here to share, move, or do more" appear at the top of the screen, and continue to drag the file on the Drop Tray. (see screenshot below)
2 When the Drop Tray opens, drop the file on Move to folder. (see screenshot below)
3 Navigate to and select the folder or drive where you want to move the file, and click/tap on Select Folder. (see screenshot below)
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Undo and Redo in File Explorer in Windows 11
- Select Items in File Explorer in Windows 11
- Add "Copy Contents to Clipboard" Context Menu in Windows 11
- Change Default Drag and Drop Action in Windows 11
- Add or Remove "Copy To folder" and "Move To folder" Context Menu in Windows 11
- Clear Clipboard History Data in Windows 11
- Replace, Skip, or Keep Both Files in File Name Conflict Dialog in Windows 11
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