Outlook for Mac Copy and Paste

Hi, I'm a newbie to the Mac world and am using Outlook for Mac on my IMac. When in Windows, I used the "copy" function a lot to copy attachments from emails and paste to other emails by right clicking the mouse - I can't seem to do this on the Mac. Does anyone know if it is possible and, if so, how?

I don't think so - you can drag from e-mail to e-mail - but doesn't look like you can copy.

why can't i copy and paste attachments outlook mac

hi - the outlook for mac not have this function: copy/paste attachment and file into mail... You have to move your folders and mails around on your screen, - then grab and drag the file into the mail.. it is very time consuming and very ridicules procedure. (even if you use smart-cornes , it does not make it much faster) i wonder why outlook-mac not fix this...??!!!

Why not use "Forward" - the attachment will already be attached in that case.

"forward" do not solve the missing function copy/paste files, from a folder or an other mail-attachment into more other e-mails. - the copy/paste does.

Not sure what the problem is. I use Mac Mail and you can easily drag and drop from one email to another either selected text, or attachments, or images or just about anything. And I selected another attachment, use the top bar to Edit/Copy then opened a new email, Edit/Paste and it worked perfectly. To add a file that is not an attachment you click on the paperclip icon and select the file to add. Dead simple.

I'm using the latest version of Mail on Mavericks.

You are not sure what the problem is because you have never try the copy/paste function in windows. Yes, it is “deap simple” on mac-mail, to do the “drag” if you have one e-mail a day, and one folder with 2 pictures you want to attached, on your computer.
And you can copy/past into Mac-mail. (but is not real attached file. It paste into the mail, - very wired) But if paste to outlook-mac, it insert the path, -Not the file. Very wired.

But if you have 200 e-mails a day, and 500 folders, 10000’s files, on your computer, you will find the procedure suggestion by Mac, is very time-consuming (Moving and draging your windows around on screen. Drag files into e-mails. Either way, on Mac you have at lest 1, 2 or 3 more mouse click, than on windows when attached files. And further to that, when you drop a file, into the e-mail the mail-window is moving by it self, like shaking. I think this was supposed to be like a cool looking feature, but instead very confusing, and tired for your eyes)

The copy/paste is fast and good for multitasking. And totally missing on outlook-Mac. And Mac-Mail.

Further to multitasking, I can add the missing of the “TaskBar” in Mac, that makes you work on Mac more time-consuming, when multitasking. Because you cannot, with one mouse-click, open another window that you are working on….

We certainly welcome your participation here but...

This is the second thread that you've been complaining about Mac OS X. Before it was something else, now it's mail and Outlook. Why don't you just sell your Mac or stop using it and revert back to using your Windows PC since you think everything is easier on Windows?

Don't think this is an admonition because it isn't and I apologize in advance if you take it the wrong way. But it seems to me your computing life would be a lot less stressful going back to Windows.

@joeythemac, don't make assumptions! I used Windows from the original version, through 3.1, 95, XP and 7. I used PC-DOS before that and CP/M before that. I've also used Linux, Unix, HPUX, AIX, Solaris and now OSX. I even used OS/2 and Warp. I've written parts of operating systems. I was in the IT business for 35 years so don't make assumptions about my experience. I've worked on mainframes, mini and microcomputers, as well as supercomputers and massively parallel processors.

And as of today I have received 17,633 emails this year. I archive off the ones older than that, probably have 60,000 total emails stored in various places. I've got about 25,000 pictures, most of which I digitized from slides and negatives, and some which I took with the 5 digital cameras and four smartphones I have used. Last time I backed up it reported just over 800,000 files in the backup. Right now I have 8TB of storage online on this Mac, and another 2 TB on the iMac and MacMini also part of my home network.

Now for your so-called problem. Don't want to drag/drop? Then have you heard of CMD-C and CMD-V? One copies, the other pastes. If you are smart enough to hold down the CMD key, you can cut/paste with just one more finger. Easy enough for you?

Don't like the way stuff is pasted into Mail? Change it. Right click on the inline display of the attachment and chose "View as Icon" and you'll have that same crappy view that is the Windows default, a meaningless icon.

To get rid of the "shaking" open the mail window wider so that all of it shows. Then it won't wiggle in response to your twitchy mouse finger.

Never heard of the Dock? It's that line of icons at the bottom of the screen. Stolen by MS from OSX and renamed TaskBar. Yeah, that Dock. Right click on the icon and you can open recent files, switch between files, open and close the application. And if you drag/drop a file on an application, it will open the file with that application automatically, even attachments from emails.

So before you go shooting off your mouth about how much better Windows is, learn the facts. And sell the Mac to someone who appreciates it better than you do. It shouldn't have to live with you.

Of cause I know “cmd-c and cmd-v” ,- and the Dock.… It still cannot replace the speed, and easy to use, of copy/paste (Note this is click from mouse). - and Dock is not as good as The one click Task-Bar in windows. You cannot see the what files is open by looking at the Dock.

Attachment as an “icon + filename”, make more sense if you have a lot of different files attached. Otherwise you need scroll down all the email too see all the attached and get youself a overview.

You said: “get rid of the “shaking” open the mail window wider so that all of it shows” BUT that is not possible because then I cannot see the other folders that I need Drag files from into the e-mail.


It is very typical in a discussing about Mac and Windows, that the Mac-fans, always end up write: Why did you buy a Mac at first place.? Why don’t you just sell your Mac.? Why don’t you just keep use your cheap windows PC… It’s like Mac-fans get angry if you write something bad about Mac… … Love makes blind, I guess…

But I think it is nescesary to get some other views in this forum, rather than only have positive, because there are some bad sides too.

Back to the questions:

Why did you buy a Mac at first place.?
First of all, before I buy the mac, about 8 mounts ago, I actually study this Mac-forum at lot, among other forums, and all you guys here, only say the Mac is sooo nice, sooo good and are sooo happy to use. (Almost like this mac-forum is sponsored by Appel…)

Why don’t you just sell your Mac.?
And no, - I am not selling my Mac, because it is very interesting to study an other system and compare them. And I really hope the Mac systems can get as good as windows (and Office for Windows). So far I seen many lacks… as horrible as windows, if may say so. Like missing functions, crash, connect to internet and so on. Even I still have to use my PC for run Excel, because Office for Mac, Excel-Mac, do not have MACROS.


Why don’t you just keep use your cheap windows PC?
It is not about the price. Its about find the best system for do my work…So far, my comparison windows-mac, is very interesting. Accept that the Mac-fans denied that there are some lacks of functions in the Mac-software and specially “Office for Mac”. -But a fan is always fan of a team, even if the team is losing a game

@Woodsy222, one more suggestion: There is copy/paste in OSX. Go where the file you want to copy is located, right-click on it, choose "Copy <filename>", navigate to where you want to paste it, right-click, choose "Paste." You can even choose multiple files to copy at one time by holding down combinations of shift and control keys.

If you have a screen size problem, that's one reason to use the multiple desktops. Put your mail on one desktop, swipe to another to find the files you want to copy, use either CMD <key> or right click to copy them, swipe back to the mail desktop and paste. Or use a multi-touch up swipe to open Mission Control, select the window you want with a click, then copy, swipe up again, click on mail, paste. There are lots of ways to accomplish what you want to do easily.

@Joeythemac, Your last complaint was about Office for Mac. It's not an Apple product. Shortcomings in Office for Mac are the fault of Microsoft. I don't use it, so I can't address the shortcomings. But I still think you'd be more productive with a Windows machine. MS is not likely to ever support Office for Mac as well as they do Office for Windows, it's not in their business interest to do that. So if you must have Excel Macro functions, use Windows and be happy.

@Jake:

Woodsy222's original post was dated back in March of 2012. But it's OK, perhaps he's still monitoring this thread.

As for MS Office 2011, it fully supports Macros in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Most macros will have to be re-complied when porting from the Windows version, otherwise they they should work. VB is included with Office 2011.

Not sure which version of Office joeythemac is using but the only version of Mac Office that did not support macros was 2008. Macros were restored with version 2011.

Ah, yes, I didn't note that. As for joeythemac, I'm done here...

Joeythemac: here is something quite deep. Windows is Windows and OS X is OS X. Deeper yet, OS X is not Windows. If you want Windows functionality, either run Bootcamp or buy a Windows PC/notebook of some sort. Stop expecting something to be what it's not.