How to Copy, Cut and Paste in Vim / Vi

Vim is a terminal-based text editor that comes preinstalled on macOS and almost all Linux distributions. Unlike typical editors that use Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v, Vim has its own set of commands for copying, cutting, and pasting text.

This guide explains how to copy, cut, and paste in Vim using normal mode commands, visual mode selections, and registers.

Vim Terminology #

Vim uses different names for copy, cut, and paste operations:

• Yank (y) - Copy text
• Delete (d) - Cut text (removes it and stores it in a register)
• Put (p) - Paste text from a register

All commands in this guide are run from normal mode. If you are in insert mode, press Esc to switch back to normal mode first.

Copying (Yanking) #

To copy text, place the cursor at the desired position and press y followed by a motion command. The yanked text is stored in the default register.

Here are the most common yank commands:

• yy - Yank the entire current line (including the newline character)
• 3yy - Yank three lines starting from the current line
• y$ - Yank from the cursor to the end of the line
• y^ - Yank from the cursor to the start of the line
• yw - Yank from the cursor to the start of the next word
• yiw - Yank the current word (without surrounding spaces)
• yaw - Yank the current word (with surrounding spaces)
• yi( - Yank the text inside parentheses
• yi{ - Yank the text inside curly braces
• y% - Yank to the matching bracket. Works with (), {}, and []

To duplicate the current line, use yyp: yank the line with yy, then paste it below with p.

Cutting (Deleting) #

The d key cuts (deletes) text. Like yank, it takes a motion command. The deleted text is stored in the default register, so you can paste it elsewhere.

Here are the most common delete commands:

• dd - Delete the entire current line
• 3dd - Delete three lines starting from the current line
• d$ or D - Delete from the cursor to the end of the line
• d0 - Delete from the cursor to the beginning of the line
• dw - Delete from the cursor to the start of the next word
• diw - Delete the current word
• x - Delete the character under the cursor

The motion commands that work with y also work with d. For example, di( deletes the text inside parentheses, and d% deletes to the matching bracket.

For more delete commands and pattern-based deletion, see How to Delete Lines in Vim .

Pasting (Putting) #

To paste the contents of the default register, move the cursor to the desired location and use one of the following commands:

• p - Paste after the cursor (or below the current line for full-line yanks)
• P - Paste before the cursor (or above the current line for full-line yanks)

When you yank or delete a full line with yy or dd, the put command pastes the text as a new line. When you yank or delete part of a line (such as with yw), it pastes the text inline at the cursor position.

Using Visual Mode #

Visual mode lets you select text visually before copying or cutting it. Vim has three visual sub-modes:

• v - Character-wise visual mode (select individual characters)
• V - Line-wise visual mode (select entire lines)
• Ctrl+v - Block visual mode (select a rectangular block of text)

To copy or cut text using visual mode:

1. Press v, V, or Ctrl+v to enter the visual mode you need.

2. Use motion keys (h, j, k, l, or arrow keys) to extend the selection.

   

3. Press y to yank (copy) or d to delete (cut) the selected text.

4. Move the cursor to the target location.

5. Press p or P to paste.

Copy to and Paste from the System Clipboard #

By default, Vim uses its own internal registers, which are separate from the system clipboard. To copy to the system clipboard in Vim, use the "+ register. To paste from the system clipboard, use the same register with the put command.

Common clipboard commands include:

• "+y - Yank the selected text to the system clipboard
• "+yy - Yank the current line to the system clipboard
• "+p - Paste from the system clipboard after the cursor
• "+P - Paste from the system clipboard before the cursor
• "+d - Delete text and store it in the system clipboard

For example, to copy text from Vim to another application, select the text in visual mode and press "+y. You can then paste it into your browser, terminal, or editor with the normal paste shortcut for your desktop environment.

To paste text from another application into Vim, switch to normal mode and press "+p. If you are pasting into a terminal and clipboard support is not available, terminal paste shortcuts such as Ctrl+Shift+V may still work, depending on your terminal emulator.

Select All and Copy #

To select all text in Vim, press ggVG in normal mode. This command sequence moves to the first line, starts line-wise visual mode, and extends the selection to the last line.

Once the whole file is selected, you can copy it, cut it, or send it to the system clipboard:

• ggVG - Select all text in the file
• ggVGy - Select all and yank to Vim’s default register
• ggVG"+y - Select all and copy to the system clipboard
• ggVGd - Select all and delete the selected text

Use ggVG"+y when you want to copy the entire file from Vim to another application. Use ggVGy when you only need to copy all text inside Vim and paste it elsewhere in the same editing session.

Registers #

Every time you yank or delete text, Vim stores it in a register. Understanding registers gives you much more control over copy and paste operations.

The Default Register #

When you run yy, dd, dw, or any other yank/delete command without specifying a register, Vim stores the text in the default register ("). The p command pastes from this register.

Named Registers #

Vim provides 26 named registers (a through z). You can store text in a specific register by typing " followed by the register letter before the command.

For example, to yank the current line into register a:

"ayy

To paste from register a:

"ap

Named registers are useful when you need to store multiple pieces of text at the same time. You can yank one line into register a, another into register b, and paste each one independently.

Using an uppercase letter (e.g., "Ayy) appends to the register instead of overwriting it.

Viewing Register Contents #

To see the contents of all registers, use the :registers command (or :reg for short):

:reg

To view the contents of a specific register:

:reg a

Pasting from Insert Mode #

You can paste the contents of a register without leaving insert mode by pressing Ctrl+r followed by the register name. For example, Ctrl+r " pastes from the default register, and Ctrl+r a pastes from register a.

Quick Reference #

FAQ #

What is the difference between p and P?
Lowercase p pastes after the cursor (or below the current line for full-line yanks). Uppercase P pastes before the cursor (or above the current line). The content is identical; only the position changes.

How do I copy text from Vim to another application?
Use the system clipboard register "+y to yank text, then paste with Ctrl+v in the other application. Your Vim build must have +clipboard support. Check with vim --version | grep clipboard.

How do I select all text in Vim?
Press ggVG in normal mode. To copy the selection, press y. To copy the entire file to the system clipboard, press "+y after selecting all text.

Does deleting text in Vim also copy it?
Yes. Every delete command (dd, dw, x, etc.) stores the deleted text in the default register. You can paste it with p. To delete without saving to a register, use the black hole register: "_dd.

How do I paste the same text multiple times?
The register contents are not cleared after pasting. You can press p as many times as you need to paste the same text repeatedly.

Can I undo a paste?
Yes. Press u in normal mode to undo the last change, including a paste operation.

Conclusion #

Vim uses yank (y), delete (d), and put (p) commands for copying, cutting, and pasting text. Named registers let you store multiple pieces of text, and the "+ register integrates with the system clipboard.

For day-to-day editing, start with yy, dd, p, and visual mode selections. When you need to move text between Vim and other applications, use the "+ register or a Vim build with clipboard support.

About the authors

Dejan Panovski

Dejan Panovski is the founder of Linuxize, an RHCSA-certified Linux system administrator and DevOps engineer based in Skopje, Macedonia. Author of 800+ Linux tutorials with 20+ years of experience turning complex Linux tasks into clear, reliable guides.

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