---
title: "How to cut and paste files on a Mac - PaneStack"
description: "How to cut and paste (move) files on a Mac: the ⌥⌘V shortcut, moving files between two folders side by side, and undoing a move you didn't mean."
canonical: https://panestack.app/cut-and-paste-files-mac.html
---

# How to cut and paste files on a Mac

There's no Cut for files on a Mac. Instead you copy, then choose to move when you paste: press **⌘C**, go to the new folder, and press **⌥⌘V**. The files move instead of being copied.

That works in Finder and in PaneStack. PaneStack adds the parts that make moving files fast and safe: two folders side by side, one key to move, and an undo that still works tomorrow.

## In Finder

1. Select the files and press **⌘C**.
2. Open the folder you want them in.
3. Press **⌥⌘V** (Edit › Move Item Here). Holding Option turns Paste into Move.

## Faster in PaneStack

1. Press **⌃⌘P** for dual pane: the folder you're in on one side, the destination on the other.
2. Select the files and press **F6**. They move to the folder in the other pane. **F5** copies instead.
3. Changed your mind? Press **⌘Z**. PaneStack undoes the move, even after you've quit and reopened it.

⌘C then ⌥⌘V works in PaneStack exactly as in Finder, and so does dragging. Coming from Windows? Settings › General › Keyboard can switch to Windows Explorer keys, or to Total Commander keys (F5 copy, F6 move, F7 new folder, Tab switches panes).

## Why moves are safe in PaneStack

- **Verified.** Copies and moves are checked as they go. If one is interrupted, by a full disk or an unplugged drive, the half-written files are cleared away the next time PaneStack opens.
- **Undoable.** Every move goes into the undo history (⌥⌘Z). The last 20 operations of the past day can be undone, even after a restart.
- **In the background.** Long copies and moves show their progress and can be paused and resumed.

## Common questions

### What's the keyboard shortcut to cut a file on Mac?

There's no Cut for files. Copy with ⌘C, then paste with ⌥⌘V to move them. In PaneStack, F6 moves the selection straight to the other pane.

### Can I undo moving files on a Mac?

Yes. Press ⌘Z straight away. In PaneStack you can also undo a move later, from Edit › Show Undo History (⌥⌘Z), even after quitting.

## Try PaneStack

PaneStack is a Finder alternative for Mac with up to 16 panes and undo for everything. One purchase, from $4.99, with every future version included. [See pricing](https://panestack.app/#pricing) or read [more tips](https://panestack.app/tips.html).