Solved Teach Me to Copy and Paste

New user of Win11 due to purchasing new computer. Hope the below explains the issue, if not please ask.

My need for c&p is not for File Explorer, but simply to c&p text from documents. When I highlight the text I want to copy and then right click, the highlight disappears and there is no context menu to select.

Yesterday I did a Reset because restore points were not being created though procedures were properly implemented. Also, intermittent freezing occurred occasionally.
System is current with all updates. sfc/scannow is negative. Dell Inspiron 1500, 3511, Intel i5, 8gb.

Should note that I have searched Tutorials, Google, etc. Saw the info on using Clipboard, but don't think that is for my needs.

Highlight some text, press CTRL and C to copy then put your cursor somewhere else in the document or other document and press CTRL and V to paste, does that work?

Use the keyboard instead. It's easy when you are used to it: -

1. Highlight the text to be copied.
2. Press Ctrl and C together on the keyboard. This copies to clipboard.
3. Go to the place where you want to paste the text into.
4. Press and hold down the Ctrl key and tap the V key sharply once. This will paste the text.

Note: Do not hold the C key down or you will paste the text multiple times. This is why I say 'tap the V key sharply once'.

After highlighting text, you must keep the cursor within the highlighted area. Then right-click or CTRL+C.

And in some rare cases... the text can NOT be copied at all.

wiganken said:

Use the keyboard instead. It's easy when you are used to it: -

1. Highlight the text to be copied.
2. Press Ctrl and C together on the keyboard. This copies to clipboard.
3. Go to the place where you want to paste the text into.
4. Press and hold down the Ctrl key and tap the V key sharply once. This will paste the text.

Note: Do not hold the C key down or you will paste the text multiple times. This is why I say 'tap the V key sharply once'.

Click to expand...

Only option ? With the risk of being stubborn, that is a pain.

I once saw a Tutorial on returning to the right click context like in Win 10 but now can't find it. Anyone have a link ?

csun said:

Only option ? With the risk of being stubborn, that is a pain.

I once saw a Tutorial on returning to the right click context like in Win 10 but now can't find it. Anyone have a link ?

Click to expand...

if you highlight part of the text and then hold the shift key down, you can use the cursor keys to enlarge or reduce the selection.

csun said:

simply to c&p text from documents

Click to expand...

What type of document does the normal procedure not work for you?

Edwin said:

What type of document does the normal procedure not work for you?

Click to expand...

I was unable to c&p any document.

I am going to mark this thread as Solved. Thanks to all for the prompt, informative replies.

Left click and drag to highlight text, right click copy, left click cursor on the location want the text, right click paste.

You should be able to copy and paste using just the mouse. Click on the Start menu icon and type command, from the popup select run as Administrator and then type sfc /scannow and see if any problems are found.

I have seen it too. Sometimes I highlight a text but when I right-click the selection is gone and of course there is no option to copy as there is no selection. This usually happens if I do it too fast that I accidentally click outside the selected text and I cancel the selection. To make sure this doesn't happen I first select the text and then quickly (but carefully to avoid clicking) move the mouse anywhere on the highlighted text and right click to select copy. Of course if you get used to the keyboard shortcuts it is faster to just press CTRL+C to copy and CTRL+V to paste and avoids any accidental click that would cancel the selection. I usually do it with the keyboard, unless I don't have access to a physical keyboard (such as when using my laptop connected to the TV and only a wireless mouse) so I am forced to do it with the mouse.
Tips for novices: To select some text click on the beginning, hold the mouse button and go to the end. If you are at File Explorer, to select all in between files (as they appear in sequence) from one file to another click on the first, hold SHIFT on the keyboard and click the last. Of course you can also click, hold the mouse button and draw a square surrounding the desired files, but the above method is easier. To select individual files together, independently of the order they appear, click the first, hold the CTRL key on the keyboard and click the others one by one. You can use the CTRL key to also exclude individual files from a selection. Just click on the ones you want to exclude. Finally you can combine the two methods for multiple selections. So you first select some files in sequence using the SHIFT key, then you hold the CTRL key and draw a square to add some more sequential files separate from the first selection. While holding the CTRL key you can also click some individual files to include or exclude them. Practice makes perfect.