Copy and Paste in Apple Files app

The Files app on iPhones and iPads is great because it can access so many methods of file sharing. I mostly use mine for accessing network drives, iCloud Drive, and little USB drives I plug in to my phone using a lightning to USB adapter. Lots of other services work as well.

My problem was that I could browse and open the files, or share them to another app, but simply copying and pasting a file in a different location seemed impossible. I knew it wasn't. I could manage it when I had a keyboard connected, but not using VoiceOver with only the touchscreen.

File Management with VoiceOver

Open the Files app.

Find any file or folder you want to copy.

Swipe down with one finger to move through the file management options.

You should hear things like delete, compress, get info, quick look, rename, copy, move, share, Etc.

Keep swiping down with one finger until you find the option you want. Double tap when you hear it.

For example, swipe down with one finger until you hear "copy" then double tap.

Now that file or folder should be in the Files app clipboard. Note that it is not the clipboard or method used for copying and pasting text.

You'll probably want to use the back button to get out of the current folder and find a different one to paste into.

When you locate the folder you want to paste the file or folder into, double tap to open it.

Now tap the bottom of the screen once with 4 fingers. VoiceOver should say, "Tab bar..."

Now swipe left several times until you hear Voiceover say: number items. It could be any number followed by the word "items" because there can be any number of items in that folder.

Double tap and hold your finger on the screen in that spot until you hear a little series of sounds followed by New Folder button.

Swipe right to find all the options available.

Double tap when you hear paste button.

If you changed your mind, then keep swiping right until you find the dismiss button and double tap that instead.

These same basic steps also work for moving a file from one folder to another on the same device or service. Note that it often decides to copy instead of moving a file if you try to move it to another device or service.

Shame on Apple for making this procedure so unintuitive that even an iOS Voiceover expert is unlikely to figure it out.

Using a keyboard with the Files app

Whether or not you use VoiceOver with your iPhone or iPad you can manage and move around the Files app using a keyboard. Full keyboard access does not need to be enabled.

If VoiceOver is on you will need to know how to manage Quick-Nav. Pressing the left and right arrow simultaneously will toggle it on and off. When Quick-Nav is on the arrow keys will act just like swipes in the same direction. Pressing the up and down arrows at the same time will activate an item just like double tapping.

When Quick-Nav is off and full keyboard access is also off, which it is by default, the arrows won't do anything.

Instead, turn off Single letter Quick-nav by pressing Control+Option+Q. Now when you press a letter or several letters quickly, you will hear VoiceOver say the name of the first file or folder starting with what you typed.

At this point you can use the file management commands that work on Mac computers to manipulate the file/folder selected.

Command+C will copy.

When you find the place you want to paste the file/folder press Command+V.

If you have a Windows style keyboard replace any directions using the Option key with the Alt key. The Command key is the Windows key.