In 1973, Larry Tessler, computer scientist specializing in human-machine interaction, invented cut, copy and paste interaction tools. This happened while working with Xerox PARC Company as a researcher in the United States of America. Cut, copy and paste has become an essential and standard tool in human-machine interaction.
The copy creates a duplicate of the original data, which means that the original data will always appear in its original place. Cut is a command that removes the selected data; texts, files, images, etc. from their initial position. In either case, the data is temporarily held on the clipboard until it is corrected somewhere on your screen where the paste command is issued.
How to copy and paste from Android device to Windows machine
Not many people know that it is possible to copy something to an Android device and then paste it to a the Windows machine. Below are the simple steps to copy and paste on multiple devices:
- On your PC, click the Windows key.
- Go to Settings and click on the Your Phone app.
- Go to Settings, then copy and paste across multiple devices.
- Turn on the toggle to Allow this app to access and transfer the content that I copy and paste between my phone and my PC.
- Open the phone screen in the Your Phone app.
- Using your computer mouse, select My Files and browse to the folder you want to copy to your PC.
- Long press the file you want to copy until a check mark appears, then release it.
- If you need to select additional files, do so by tapping on them.
- Using your mouse, long press the selected file (s) until a thumbnail appears.
- Drag the files to the location of your choice on the PC.
- A cursor will change to copy an indication that you can now drop the file.
To drag from the Gallery app, follow the steps below:
- in the Your phone app, open your Phone screen.
- Go to your albums and select one with your mouse.
- Long press a photo and release it as soon as a check mark appears.
- Select additional photos by tapping on them.
- Again, long-press the selected photos until a thumbnail appears, using your mouse.
- Drag the photos to the desired location on your PC.
- The cursor changes to copy, allowing you to let go.
How to copy and paste from Windows machine to Android device
You might have a file on your laptop, which you would like to have on your phone for convenience. Here are the procedures to achieve this in the easiest possible way:
- Open the Phone screen in the Your phone app.
- Using your mouse, choose the file (s) you want to copy and paste.
- Drag them to the Your Phone application window, the cursor changes to copy, signaling you to let go.
- Release the mouse and immediately your files will start copying to your Android device. A progress indicator is displayed.
- To check the transferred file (s), tap the notification that appears on your Android device. You can also visit your Internal storage then Download folder to display the file (s).
Cross-device copy-paste using Alt-C
Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives for copying and pasting between devices, and Alt-C is one of them. Alt-C is a computer application that works in parallel on the PC and the Android device (smartphone).
For Android, it can be downloaded from Google Play Store. For Windows, it is available on the Alt-C website for download. Run the exe.dmg file to install before configuring it.
How to configure Alt-C
- First of all, you need to retrieve the activation code on the smartphone side. This will allow Alt-C servers to combine the two terminals.
- Open Alt-C on both platforms (Windows and Android).
- Access the computer and enter the information about the smartphone.
- Give it an identity before entering the eight-digit code given by the application.
- The terminals are now fully connected.
- Now configure the keyboard shortcuts by navigating to the “Keyboard shortcuts” category to select your copy and paste shortcuts. The keys are Ctrl + Alt + VS to copy and Alt + V to paste.
How to use Alt-C
Copy from a Windows machine to an Android device:
- Highlight the text you want to copy.
- Configure the keyboard shortcut saved in Alt-C, i.e. Ctrl + Alt + VS.
You will see a small window appear, confirming that the text or file has been successfully copied and saved to your device. You will receive a notification confirming that a text or file has been received on your Android device.
- Continue to paste the text or file to the desired location.
Copy from Android device to Windows machine:
- Select the text or file you want to copy to your Android device.
- On your Windows computer, hold Alt then press V while maintaining the Alt key.
- The text or file will appear on your desktop.
Note:
In Alt-C, both devices are enabled to keep a list of copied items for up to fifty entries. This gives you the option to recover these items whenever you want. If all you need is to just copy and paste items between your Android and Windows devices, then Alt-C is the best option.
Benefits of copy and paste
The Copy Paste command is an easy way to move data and other items to wherever you want. It helps to reduce the energy spent to create or recreate texts, thus saving effort and time, greatly increasing efficiency.
Copy and paste is easy to use. It does not modify the information in any way. Even those who don’t have extensive computer skills will find it easy and efficient.
Differences between copy and move
Copy means to duplicate data from one location to another, and it remains intact at its original site while moving simply means a change of location. The data will not be returned to its original place after the move.
Conclusion
Copy and paste is one of the simplest computer tools. It is efficient and easy to use, even for people who are new to technology. This is even improved by the use of software such as the Your Phone app, Easy Copy and Alt-C, which have made it possible to copy and paste data from Windows to Android devices.