Text clippings are a hidden but very useful macOS feature that allows you to quickly save and reuse text. With a simple drag and drop, you can quickly and easily transfer any text to your Mac's desktop for later use without having to select, copy, and paste it into the appropriate application. Learn how to use this feature effectively.
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Did you know that you can easily save sections of text as separate files on your Mac and quickly paste them into other documents later? The text clipping feature in macOS has been around since Mac OS 9, but many users are still unfamiliar with it. Simply drag and drop text into Finderor on the desktop it will be saved as a .textclipping file that can be reused at any time.
How to create a text snippet?
- Highlight the desired text in any application (for example, in Safari, Mail or Pages).
- Click and hold the left mouse button or trackpadu.
- Drag text to the desktop or window Finderu.
- The saved clipping will be named after the first few words of the selected text, but it can be renamed.
To use a clipping in another document:
Open the application where you want to paste the text (for example, Pages, Mail or text editor).
Drag the .textclipping file into the application window.
The text is automatically inserted at the cursor position, including the original formatting.
Other useful features:
- To quickly view the contents of a clipping, select the file and press the spacebar (Quick Look).
- Double-clicking on the file will open it in a separate window, from where the text can be copied (Cmd + C) and pasted elsewhere.
- For better organization, you can create a special folder for your clippings so they don't clutter your desktop.
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Text clippings in macOS can save you a lot of time, especially if you frequently reuse certain phrases, email templates, or code snippets. If this feature becomes part of your workflow, we recommend organizing your clippings in a separate folder. Note that the .textclipping format is not compatible with other platforms, so you may want to convert the text to a common format like .txt or .rtf when sharing.
