How to Copy and Paste Photos on Android

Let’s admit it, finding a photo from the gallery app is not an easy task, especially when all of the photos are in the same folder, uncategorized. So, is there a better way? Yes, there is. You can simply copy the photo you want from the gallery or any other compatible app and paste it wherever you want.

Copying and pasting photos is the most optimal solution to sharing them anywhere, whether it’s saved on your local storage or not. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how you can do exactly that on your Samsung, OnePlus, realme, OPPO, Xiaomi, POCO, Pixel, or any other Android phone. Let’s get started.

Install Gboard and Turn On Clipboard

The universal way to paste images anywhere is to use Gboard. Gboard allows you to save photos to the clipboard, so you can easily store multiple copied images and paste them as needed. Note that some apps might not support this kind of image insertion (for example, PicsArt, CapCut, and Google Docs).

If you already have Gboard installed on your phone, you can turn on the clipboard and skip to the next section. If not, follow the steps below.

1. Tap on this link to download Gboard on your phone.
2. Once downloaded, open the Gboard app and grant all the required permissions.
3. Replace your current keyboard with Gboard from the Settings app.

Turn On Clipboard

The clipboard enables you to copy and save images (and text) to paste later. Here’s how to turn it on:

1. Open Gboard. If you don’t find the app icon, simply tap on the cog icon on the keyboard.
2. Now, tap on Clipboard.
3. Turn on the toggle next to “Show recently copied text and images in the suggestions bar.”

Tip: Turn on the “Save recent screenshots in clipboard” toggle to automatically save recently taken screenshots to your clipboard.

Copy and Paste Images from the Gallery or Any Other App

Now, let’s talk about the real deal. Copying and pasting images from your gallery app to any compatible app is as simple as clicking a few buttons. Follow the steps below.

On Samsung

Samsung allows you to directly copy photos from the gallery. You can even copy multiple photos if you want to. These photos are copied to your keyboard’s clipboard as well as the Samsung sidebar clipboard.

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Tap on the image that you want to copy.
3. Now, tap on the ellipses (three dots) at the top right corner.
4. Select Copy to clipboard.
5. You can also copy multiple images if you want to—simply select the images that you want to copy, tap on the ellipses, and select Copy to Clipboard.
6. The image will appear on your keyboard’s clipboard.
7. Head over to the app where you want to drop the photo, tap on the Menu icon, followed by the Clipboard icon, and paste that photo right in.

On OnePlus/Realme/OPPO

While you can’t copy photos from the gallery on OnePlus, Realme, and OPPO phones, what you can do is save them to the File Dock.

What’s more? The File Dock can also copy text, videos, and other file types while syncing them to your OnePlus/realme/OPPO account. Here’s how you can use the File Dock to copy and paste photos.

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Tap and hold on to the photo or video that you want to copy. You can also select multiple items.
3. Now, drag and drop these to the sidebar of your phone on the File Dock.
4. Open the desired app on your phone.
5. Now, open the sidebar and tap on File Dock.
6. Drag and drop the desired photo or video.

On Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO

If you are a Xiaomi user, you can directly copy photos from the gallery app and save them to your clipboard. Here’s how.

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Tap on the image that you want to copy.
3. Now, tap on the More button at the bottom right corner.
4. Select Copy.
5. The image will appear on your keyboard’s clipboard.
6. Head over to the app where you want to drop the photo, tap on the Menu icon followed by the Clipboard icon, and paste that photo right in.

On Pixel/Nothing

If you are using a Pixel or a Nothing and can’t seem to find the option to copy photos, that’s because there is no such option (at least in the Photos app). There is a clever workaround, though. Just do the following:

1. Open the image that you want to copy.
2. Now, go to the recent menu (tap on the recent button or swipe up from the bottom and hold).
3. Tap and hold on to the image that you want to copy.
4. Select Copy.

Note that this might not give you the best results. The image might be cropped to your liking. So, if you’re not satisfied with the results, try the other workaround that I have mentioned below.

Your Phone’s Not on the List? Try this Workaround

If your phone, for some reason, did not make it to the list, here’s what you can do.

1. Go to Gboard settings.
2. Tap on Clipboard.
3. Now, turn on the toggle next to “Save recent screenshots in clipboard.”
4. Take a screenshot or a partial screenshot of the image that you want to copy to the clipboard.
5. This screenshot will automatically appear in the Gboard’s clipboard.

Copy and Paste Photos from Chrome

Copying and pasting photos from a web browser like Chrome is super convenient, especially when you want to snag an image quickly without the hassle of downloading.

1. Open the Chrome app or simply any browser.
2. Find an image that you want to copy.
3. Tap and hold the image, then select Copy image. The image will appear in your keyboard’s clipboard.
4. Head over to the app where you want to drop the photo, tap on the Menu icon followed by the Clipboard icon, and paste that photo right in.

No downloads needed; just a few taps and you’re good to go!

Bonus: Pin Copied Images to Clipboard

If you often use an image and would like to have it always on the clipboard, then, there’s good news for you. You can simply pin the images to your clipboard with no limit. Here’s how:

1. Open the Keyboard.
2. Tap on the Menu icon, followed by the Clipboard icon.
3. Tap and hold the image that you want to pin.
4. Select Pin.
5. To unpin an image, either swipe right or left on the image or tap and hold and select Unpin.

Summing Up

That’s how you copy and paste photos on Android. The universal way is to use Gboard’s clipboard, but there are better options available, like the Copy button in Samsung or Xiaomi’s gallery app or the File Dock in Realme, OPPO, and OnePlus devices.

Nonetheless, the method you choose depends on your phone model and personal preference. Hopefully, now you can better manage and share your photos across various apps and platforms. Happy copying!