How Do I Copy a Selection Area in Photoshop?

To copy a selection area in Photoshop, you first make a selection, and then you can use a keyboard shortcut or the menu command.

Once you have an area selected in Photoshop, you can easily copy it to your clipboard for pasting elsewhere, either within the same document, another Photoshop document, or another application.

Steps to Copy a Selection

The most common ways to copy a selected area are through a simple keyboard command or by accessing the software's menu. As demonstrated in the reference, the Copy command is found under the Edit menu.

Here's how you do it:

1. Make a Selection: Use any of Photoshop's selection tools (like the Marquee, Lasso, Magic Wand, or Quick Selection tool) to define the area you want to copy.
2. Use the Keyboard Shortcut:
   • On a Mac, press Command + C. This is the standard shortcut used for copying.
   • On a Windows PC, press Ctrl + C. This performs the same function as Command + C on a Mac.
3. Use the Menu Command:
   • Go to the Edit menu at the top of the Photoshop window.
   • Select Copy from the dropdown list.

Both methods achieve the same result, placing the content within your selected area onto the clipboard, ready to be pasted. The reference specifically notes using Command + C and confirms that Copy is located under the Edit menu, alongside Cut and Paste.

Using the keyboard shortcut is often the quickest way to copy your selection after it's made.