The fastest way depends on what you're copying and where

Copying an email means saving the message text, attachments, or the whole message to use elsewhere — in another folder, a document, or a different email account. The method changes based on what you're using: Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, or your phone. Most email services let you copy the message body by selecting and copying text the same way you would in any document, but moving the entire email usually requires forwarding or exporting.

What you're trying to do matters. If you only need the words from the message, a simple select-and-copy takes seconds. If you need the full email with subject line, sender, date, and attachments all together, forwarding or exporting preserves everything in one step and is usually faster than trying to copy pieces separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Copying just the message text works the same in every email service: select the text, press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac), then paste it where you need it.
  • To copy an entire email with attachments, forward it to yourself or use your email service's export or download feature instead of copying.
  • Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail each have a "forward" button that copies the full message, headers, and attachments in one step.
  • On your phone, the copy-and-paste method works for text, but forwarding is usually faster for moving the whole message.

Copying just the email text

If you only need the words in the message, select all the text inside the email body. On a computer, click at the start of the message, hold Shift, and click at the end — or use Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac) to select everything. Then press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C to copy.

Open the document, email, or text field where you want to paste it, click to place your cursor, and press Ctrl+V or Cmd+V. The text will appear without the sender's name, date, or subject line — just the message itself. This works the same way in Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and most other services.

On your phone, tap and hold on the message text until a menu appears, then tap "Copy" or "Select All" depending on your device. Then open where you want to paste it and hold until "Paste" shows up. The process is identical on iPhone and Android, though the exact wording of the menu buttons varies slightly.

Copying an entire email with attachments

Moving the whole email — including the subject, sender, date, and any files attached — usually works better through forwarding than through copying. Open the email, look for a "Forward" button (usually near the top or bottom), and click it. A new message window opens with the original email included as text. Send it to yourself or to wherever you need it.

If you need the email in a file format you can store or share, most services offer an export option. In Gmail, open the email, click the three-dot menu, and select "Download message" — this saves it as a .eml file that you can open later or import into another email account. In Outlook on the web, right-click the message and choose "Save as" or use the three-dot menu to find export options. On Apple Mail, drag the email to your desktop or use File > Export to save it.

Copying emails on your phone

On iPhone or Android, the copy-and-paste method works for text but is slower for full messages. To copy text, tap and hold the message body until the selection menu appears, then tap "Copy." Move to your destination and paste the same way. You can paste into Notes, Messages, email drafts, or any other app that accepts text.

For the whole email, use the forward button instead — it's faster and preserves formatting. Open the email, tap the reply or forward arrow (usually at the bottom), select "Forward," and send it to yourself or another location. Some phone email apps also let you share the email directly to other apps like Notes or Documents through a "Share" button, which is even quicker if those apps are installed.

Moving emails to a different folder in the same account

If you're copying an email within the same email service — moving it from your inbox to a folder, for example — you don't need to copy at all. Instead, select the email by clicking the checkbox next to it, then look for a "Move" button or drag it to the folder you want. In Gmail, click the folder icon. In Outlook, use the "Move" button in the toolbar. This is faster than copying because the email stays intact with all its details.

You can also create a label or flag to mark the email without moving it. In Gmail, click the label icon and choose or create a label. In Outlook, right-click and select "Flag" or "Categorize." This keeps the email in your inbox but marks it for later reference. An email can have multiple labels or categories, so it can appear in several places at once without being duplicated.

Copying emails between different email accounts

To move an email from one email account to another — say, from Gmail to Outlook — forwarding is the simplest method. Open the email in your first account, click Forward, and send it to your second email address. The message arrives in your new account with all text and attachments included.

If you have many emails to move, export them from the first service and import them into the second. Gmail lets you download emails as .eml files through the three-dot menu. Outlook has an import tool under Settings > Mail > Accounts > Import Email. Apple Mail can export to an archive file. Each service has slightly different steps, but the general process is: download from the old account, then import into the new one.

Copying email headers and metadata

Sometimes you need more than just the message text — you might need the sender's address, the exact date and time sent, or technical details like the email's routing information. Most email services hide this by default. In Gmail, open the email and click the three-dot menu, then select "Show original" to see the full headers. You can then select and copy everything you see.

In Outlook on the web, click the three-dot menu and choose "View message details" or "View message source." On Apple Mail, go to View > Message > All Headers to display the complete header information. Once visible, select the text you need and copy it the same way you would any other text. This information is useful if you're troubleshooting delivery problems or need to verify when an email actually arrived.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy an email to multiple folders at once?

Most email services don't let you copy a single email to multiple folders in one step, but you can move or label it in multiple places. In Gmail, add multiple labels to the same email — it will then appear in all those label folders. In Outlook, you can assign multiple categories to one message. Alternatively, forward the email to yourself and file the copies separately.

What happens to attachments when I copy an email?

If you copy only the message text, attachments are left behind. To copy attachments along with the email, use forward or export instead. You can also download attachments separately by opening the email, finding the attachment, and clicking the download arrow next to it.

Why does my copied email look different when I paste it?

Email formatting — bold text, colors, links, images — sometimes doesn't carry over when you paste into a plain-text document or field. If you paste into a word processor like Word or Google Docs, formatting usually stays. If you paste into a text-only field, it strips out colors and styles but keeps the words. Use forward or export if you need the email to look exactly the same.

Can I copy an email I received to send it to someone else?

Yes — use the forward button. This sends the original email to a new person while keeping all the original details visible. The recipient will see it came from the original sender, not from you. If you want to send just the text without showing it's a forward, copy the message body and paste it into a new email instead.

How do I copy an email from my phone to my computer?

Forward the email to yourself, then open it on your computer and save or download it from there. Alternatively, if your email service syncs across devices, the email already exists on your computer — just search for it in your desktop email app. You can also take a screenshot on your phone and save the image, though this won't preserve the text in a copyable format.