How to Cut and Paste Files on Mac (The Hidden Shortcut)

If you've ever tried to move a file on your Mac and ended up with duplicates everywhere, you know the frustration. You copy a file, paste it somewhere else, and now you've got two copies. Then you have to go back and delete the original. It's maddening.

What if I told you there's been a solution hiding in plain sight this whole time? What if you could cut and paste files on Mac just like you do on Windows—moving files instead of copying them? After 15 years of dealing with this annoyance, I finally figured it out.

Here's the thing: Mac actually does have a "cut and paste" function for files. Apple just made it incredibly unintuitive to find. But once you know the trick—and set up a simple keyboard shortcut—you'll never deal with duplicate files again.

The Problem Every Mac User Faces

Here's what normally happens. You've got a file in one folder that you want to move to another folder. You hit Command + C to copy it, navigate to the destination folder, and hit Command + V to paste. Now you have two copies of the same file—one in the original location and one in the new spot.

Nobody wants that. Most of the time, you want to move the file, not copy it. But Mac doesn't give you an obvious cut option like Windows does with Ctrl + X.

The Hidden "Move Item Here" Feature

Mac actually has a move function built in—it's just buried. After you copy a file with Command + C, go to your destination folder, right-click, and look under the Edit menu. You'll find an option called Move Item Here.

There's even a keyboard shortcut for it: Command + Option + V. This moves the file instead of copying it—exactly what we want.

But here's the problem: Command + Option + V is awkward to remember and even more awkward to press. Nobody wants to memorize that three-key combo when it should just be simple.

The Simple Fix: Create Your Own Shortcut

Here's how to make cut and paste as easy as Command + C, Command + U. You're going to create a custom keyboard shortcut that's actually intuitive.

Step 1: Open Keyboard Settings

Go to your Mac's System Settings and click on Keyboard.

Step 2: Access Keyboard Shortcuts

Click on Keyboard Shortcuts to open the shortcut customization panel.

Step 3: Go to App Shortcuts

In the left sidebar, select App Shortcuts. This is where you can create custom shortcuts for specific applications.

Step 4: Add a New Shortcut

Click the plus button (+) to create a new shortcut.

Step 5: Configure the Shortcut

Set the following options:

• Application: Finder
• Menu Title: Move Item Here (type this exactly)
• Keyboard Shortcut: Command + U

Click Done to save your new shortcut.

Your New Workflow

That's it. Now moving files on your Mac is as simple as:

1. Command + C to copy the file
2. Command + U to move it to the new location

No more duplicates. No more going back to delete the original. Just clean, simple file moving the way it should have been all along.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why doesn't Mac have a normal cut function for files?

Apple designed macOS differently than Windows. Instead of a destructive "cut" that removes the file before pasting, Mac uses a "copy then move" approach. The functionality exists—it's just accessed differently through the Move Item Here command.

Q: Does this work with multiple files?

Yes. Select multiple files, copy them with Command + C, navigate to your destination, and use your new Command + U shortcut to move them all at once.

Q: Will this shortcut work in all apps or just Finder?

This specific shortcut is configured for Finder only, which is where you manage files. Other apps handle cut/copy/paste differently based on their own functionality.

Next Steps

Ready to finally fix this Mac annoyance? Set up your shortcut now—it takes less than a minute. Command + C, Command + U. That's all you need to remember.

See Also

• Mac Operating System — More Mac tips including screenshots, multiple monitors, and essential shortcuts
• ClickUp — For managing tasks and projects once your files are organized
• Chrome — Browser tips for the other app you probably live in