How to Enable Automatically Copy Selection to Clipboard in Terminal

Learn how to enable automatic copying of selected text to the clipboard in your terminal. Follow our step-by-step guide for a more efficient workflow.

The Terminal app is a powerful tool for any Mac user, allowing for quick and efficient command line access to your computer. Whether you're a developer, system administrator, or just someone who enjoys tinkering with their computer, the Terminal is a valuable resource. One feature that can greatly improve your productivity when using the Terminal is the ability to automatically copy selected text to the clipboard. This means that any text you select while working in the Terminal will be automatically copied to your clipboard, eliminating the need to manually copy and paste.

Enabling this feature is simple, and can greatly improve your workflow in the Terminal. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to enable or disable Automatically Copy Selection to Clipboard in Terminal.

Step 1: Open the Terminal app

To begin, open the Terminal app on your Mac. You can find it by going to your Applications folder, then clicking on the Utilities folder and selecting Terminal.

Step 2: Open Terminal Preferences

In the top menu bar, click on 'Terminal' and then click on 'Preferences' or use the shortcut 'Command + ,' to open the Terminal Preferences.

Step 3: Navigate to the 'Profiles' tab

Once in the Terminal Preferences, click on the 'Profiles' tab.

Step 4: Click on the 'Advanced' tab

In the Profiles tab, click on the 'Advanced' tab.

Step 5: Enable Automatically Copy Selection to Clipboard

Under the 'Copy to clipboard on selection' section, you will see a toggle switch beside 'Automatically copy selection to clipboard.' Click on the toggle to enable this feature. When the toggle is turned on, it will appear green.

Step 6: Disable Automatically Copy Selection to Clipboard

If you want to disable this feature, simply click on the toggle again to turn it off. When the toggle is turned off, it will appear gray.

Step 7: Test the feature

To test the feature, simply select some text in the Terminal, and it should automatically be copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it into any other application or document.

Shortcuts for copy-pasting

In addition to enabling this feature, there are also some handy shortcuts you can use in the Terminal for copy-pasting. To copy selected text, use the shortcut 'Command + C.' To paste the copied text, use the shortcut 'Command + V.'

Using the Clip function

In addition to copying text, you can also use the Terminal's Clip function to copy files to your clipboard. Simply use the command 'cat' followed by the file name, and then use the 'pbcopy' command to copy the output to your clipboard. For example:

cat document.txt | pbcopy

This will copy the contents of the document.txt file to your clipboard.

Enabling Automatically Copy Selection to Clipboard in Terminal can greatly improve your productivity and save you time when working in the Terminal. It eliminates the need to manually copy and paste selected text, making your workflow more efficient. By following these simple steps, you can easily enable or disable this feature, and also make use of shortcuts and the Clip function for copy-pasting in the Terminal.