How to Copy and Paste in PuTTY

Many PuTTY users complain about not being able to copy and paste shell commands to and from the app’s interface. PuTTY supports both these functions. However, the problem lies in the fact that the copy/paste process itself is different from other apps. Here’s how to use copy and paste in PuTTY.

How to Copy Text Within PuTTY

If you want to copy text within PuTTY, here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Place the cursor near the text you want to copy and left-click.
   
2. Hold the left mouse button, drag the cursor across the text, and then release the mouse button to copy.
   

If you are using a text editor like Vi or Nano to work on a document, you can also use those programs’ cutting and pasting functionality to achieve the same end.

How to Copy Text from Windows to PuTTY

To copy text from Windows to PuTTY, follow these steps:

1. Highlight the text in Windows.
   
2. Press Ctrl+C or right-click the highlighted text and then left-click on Copy in the context menu.
   
3. Position the cursor in PuTTY where you want to paste the copied text from Windows, then right-click to paste it or press Shift + Insert.
   

How to Copy Text from PuTTY to Windows

To copy text from Putty to your Windows clipboard or program, here’s what to do.

1. Left-click inside the PuTTY terminal window near the text you want to copy.
   
2. Holding down the left mouse button, drag your cursor across the text to select it, then release the button to copy it.
   
3. Left-click on the destination Windows application where the pasting will occur.
   
4. Right-click and select Paste or press Ctrl+V.
   
5. The text copied from PuTTY now appears in Windows.
   

Setting PuTTY to Copy in Rich Text Format

By default, PuTTY doesn’t copy the formatting information included with the Rich Text Format as it can be inconvenient for its users. To enable this feature, do the following:

1. Open the PuTTY application to access the initial configuration options. Click on Selection > Copy.
   
2. Check the Copy to Clipboard in RTF as well as plain text box.
   

It’s that easy, text is now copied in RTF.

Useful Shortcuts When Copying from PuTTY

To copy a whole word or sequence of words, double-click the left mouse button before dragging the cursor to highlight what to copy.

To copy entire lines or sequences of lines, left-click three times before dragging the cursor.

FAQs

What Is PuTTY?

PuTTY is a popular client-side program available for Windows, macOS, Unix, and Unix-like systems such as Linux that is designed for use with the SSH, Rlogin, and Telnet network protocols. These protocols get used to securely run remote sessions between computers over an unsecured network, essentially allowing one computer to control another.

PuTTY was written by, and for the most part, is mostly still curated by British programmer, Simon Tatham, and is published under the MIT licensing scheme. The program’s first iteration was released to the public in January 1999, and for the last 20 years, it has been one of the go-to utilities for Windows admins looking for open-source software.

How Does PuTTY Work?

PuTTY is an interface for the client side of remote sessions. It only operates in the session where the information gets displayed, not on the machine that is running the session. It acts as if you are sitting at the computer you are communicating with, and typing directly into its command-line console.

It provides a visual interface through which you can issue commands and receive responses to another machine on your network, across different operating systems.

What Operating Systems can use PuTTY?

PuTTY was originally designed for use in Windows and Unix platforms, but it has been ported to macOS and Linux operating systems. Note that Linux is NOT Unix but derived from it, which is why it wasn’t mentioned as an originally compatible OS. PuTTY also works in xterm emulators.

Does PuTTY Support Windows Copy/Paste Functionality (Ctrl + C/Ctrl + V)?

While this client-side terminal can be beneficial, it can also lead to confusion, as your usual Windows copy/paste keyboard commands will not have the function you expect. Ctrl+C, for example, would not serve the purpose of copying something to your clipboard. In fact, in many situations, it will end whatever command is currently getting processed, which is hardly ideal.

Do you know of any other ways to copy and paste using Putty? Leave a comment below to share your knowledge.