Google Drive Gains Support for Cut, Copy, and Paste Shortcuts Across Multiple Chrome Tabs

Google has announced long-omitted support for using keyboard shortcuts to cut, copy, and paste files in Google Drive on the web – but only if you're accessing the service through its Chrome browser.

Google Drive
In what may come as a surprise to some, Google Drive on the web has never offered access to clipboard functions, despite providing keyboard shortcuts to perform several actions on selected items.

The new support for ⌘ + C (or Ctrl + C on PC), ⌘ + X, and ⌘ + V to copy, cut and paste Google Drive files should save users time by allowing them to copy one or more files and move them to new locations in Drive – and across multiple Chrome tabs – with fewer clicks.

Google says a link to the file and its title is now captured when copying a file, which allows users to paste them into a document or an email. In addition, copying a file and pressing ⌘ + Shift + V key creates shortcuts for organizing files in multiple locations without necessarily creating duplicate files.

copy paste google drive
Lastly, Chrome users can now open files or folders in a new tab using ⌘ + Enter, which should make it easier to view multiple files at once, or use different tabs to more easily organize files between two different folder locations.

Earlier this month, Google Docs gained an additional new feature that allows users to select multiple sections of text and apply actions such as delete, copy, paste, or format to all selections at the same time.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...

Top Rated Comments

Unggoy Murderer Avatar
43 months ago
As a web dev, this isn't quite as trivial as you think. I suspect this is a "work around" to tab sandboxing.

Each tab has its own process and memory, and they won't be able to access and / or modify each others content. So when you did cmd+c on one tab, the other wouldn't be "aware" of the content that has been "copied". Google have probably added a feature to Chrome that will listen for this behaviour, then pass it between the sandboxed processes safely.

I suppose they could pass the information back to the server and then have it retrieved on a polling basis, but that would be extra load on infrastructure, and wouldn't work offline.

Just even more evidence that Google Chrome is the new IE 6.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeoStructural Avatar
43 months ago

It's 2022 and you're only providing this functionality now? Sorry I'm scratching my head and feeling very perplexed!
Which means iCloud will gain the functionality in 2035.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nimrad Avatar
43 months ago
cmd + c to copy, but ctrl + v to paste?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Leon Ze Professional Avatar
43 months ago
It's 2022 and you're only providing this functionality now? Sorry I'm scratching my head and feeling very perplexed!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
manofthematch Avatar
43 months ago
Wow. Incredible.

No, I won't put any files into Google Drive. And I won't use Chrome.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DHagan4755 Avatar
43 months ago
So weird this is now a feature…in 2022.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)