How do I select text to copy?

[pvdiamon]

I am a Blackberry convert.....I am used to highlighting text (in SMS, email, internet, etc.) for copy and pasting. I can't figure out how to do that in Android Jellybean. I get that blue arrow when I tap, but it doesn't select. I thought maybe I tap for two of those, but haven't seen that happen. It's not in menu.....where is it? thanks.

I saw that it is device dependent? I am using Motorola Electrify M.

 

[matt190191]

I am a Blackberry convert.....I am used to highlighting text (in SMS, email, internet, etc.) for copy and pasting. I can't figure out how to do that in Android Jellybean. I get that blue arrow when I tap, but it doesn't select. I thought maybe I tap for two of those, but haven't seen that happen. It's not in menu.....where is it? thanks.

Once the blue arrow appears over the text you want to copy just double tab the text and it should give you options to cut & paste.

 

[pvdiamon]

Can you do that within SMS? I can't even get one blue arrow on old parts of a texting thread. Like if I wanted to cut part of a text and insert it into one to someone else.

 

[lunatic59]

It's actually app independent with android. Typically you simply long press the text any then expand or contract the selection by moving the blue arrows. Copy in gmail is at the bottom. Urge aid it could be elsewhere.

 

[pvdiamon]

I find in my SMS, I either highlight the whole box (not text) like to delete, or nothing happens. Is copy perhaps not possible for text messages?

 

[lunatic59]

In the stock messaging app, if i tap, i get the message details. If i long-press, i get the option to copy the whole message. If I just want to copy a portion of it, I have to long press the text, select forward and then as soon as the editing window places the copied text there i can select the appropriate portion. Then you have to back out and go paste it where you want it. Yep, it's a pain.

 

[pvdiamon]

Copy in email works....but my SMS seems different. I will see if anyone in the Motorola Electrify M forum has a way to do it.

 

[pbf98]

also depends on keyboard with sms, i know if you are using swype for a keyboard you can press the number key at the bottom, and then long press the same button that turns to abc.. it then brings up the text selection keyboard, with that you can select all or one letter.. cut, copy, and paste.. you can go from "home" to "end".. there is also page up and page down.

Something that is useful to know if you use swype

 

[jefboyardee]

I couldn’t select text in its opening display, so I tapped ‘Forward’ from the menu it gave me, with text I could select and copy as Lunatic described.

 

[pvdiamon]

Wow, the method suggested by pbf98 is what does it! How would one ever know that? THANKS!

 

[pbf98]

glad I could help it took me quite a while to figure out that little bit of info myself. And I did not intentionally find it either!

One thing I have noticed since I have upgraded to JB is that the android "clipboard" doesn't always copy to the swype "clipboard" where it always use to for me.