How to Automatically Copy Selected Text in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox
Many users need to copy and paste URLs, email addresses, script code, and other details on webpages now and then while web browsing. The usual way to copy text is to select it and pressCtrl+C. No browsers include options for enabling automatic copying of text.
However, some Chrome, Edge, and Firefox extensions enable users to automatically copy text by simply selecting it without pressingCtrl+C. This is how you can automatically copy text in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox with two different extensions.
How to Automatically Copy Selected Text With Auto Copy
Auto Copy is an extension you can add to Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge (and possiblyother Chromium-based browsers). It eliminates the need to pressCtrl+Cand includes additional features for copying and pasting text. You can install Auto Copy by clicking theAdd to ChromeorGetbuttons on the Chrome/Edge pages linked below.
To automatically copy the text on a page after installing the extension, open a new webpage in your browser. Select a passage of text on the page by dragging the cursor over it as you would usually. Then you’ll notice a smallAuto Copiednotification box at the bottom right of your browser, which confirms the copying of the text.
Now open Notepad, or a word processor, to paste in the content. Pressing theCtrl+Vhotkey will paste in whatever text you selected to automatically copy in Chrome or Edge.
If you have enabled clipboard history in Windows 11/10, you can also view copied items there by pressing theWindows+Vkey combo. Our guide forusing the Clipboard Manager in Windowsincludes further info for enabling that feature.
To explore Auto Copy’s other features, check out that extension’s settings tab. You can view that tab in Chrome by pressing theExtensions(jigsaw piece) button and clicking Auto Copy’sMore actionsmenu. Then selectOptionsto view theAuto Copy: Optionstab.
SelectingCopy without formattingenables one of Auto Copy’s most useful features. It’s a feature tostrip text formatting for copying and pastingfrom your browser. That feature will save you from having to manually remove text formatting after pasting in word processors.
You can also select for your copied text to include additional source info, which is another interesting feature. Click theInclude an informational commentcheckbox to enable that feature. The pasted text will then include extra “Copied from…” info that cites the website and URL from which you copied the content.
ThePasteon middle clickoption enables middle-click paste functionality for copied content. Pressing the middle mouse button (scroll wheel) will paste copied content into website text boxes open in your browser. However, that feature won’t work for software outside the browser you added Auto Copy.
Selecting the PressCtrlkey while selecting to disableAuto Copyoption activates a hotkey for temporarily disabling the extension’s automatic copying. By default, that key is set toCtrl. HoldingCtrlwhile selecting text will disable automatic copying with that setting selected. However, it’s possible to choose alternativeShiftandAltkey combinations on that setting’s drop-down menu.
Download: Auto Copy forGoogle Chrome|Edge(Free)
How to Automatically Copy Selected Text With Copy on Select
Auto Copy isn’t available for Firefox, but Copy on Select is a similar, albeit more basic, extension you can add to Mozilla’s flagship browser. However, this add-on has zero additional options and features. Select theAdd to Firefoxoption on the Copy to Select download page to try out this extension.
Copy on Select works much the same as Auto Copy. Open a webpage, and select some text to copy on it with your mouse’s cursor. Unlike Auto Copy, this add-on doesn’t have any alert on copy notifications.
Then open some software to paste in the content. You can select thePasteoptions within many software packages, or press the universalCtrl+Vhotkey to insert the text from the clipboard.
Download: Copy on Select forFirefox(Free)
Copy Text in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox Without Pressing Ctrl + C
Now you could instantly copy the text on webpages with the Auto Copy and Copy to Select browser extensions. Those extensions provide a more convenient, automatic way to copy to the clipboard. Auto Copy’s options for copying plain text, adding source info, and middle-mouse button pasting are also useful extra features.
We explain how to copy and paste on all your devices, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iPhone.
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