How do I copy and paste content, including between files?
For pixels in the artwork, use canvas Copy / Paste. To copy cels, frames, or whole layers, use the corresponding timeline commands.
Copy pixels on the canvas
- Select the source drawing layer and frame. Make a selection if you only need part of the cel.
- Choose Copy in the selection tool options or Menu → Edit.
- Select the destination layer and frame, return to the canvas, and choose Paste. For one destination, make sure only that timeline cell is selected.
- Position the pasted pixels and confirm the transform. The pixels are placed in the target drawing layer. If you want a separate layer, create it before pasting.
When the canvas has no active selection, Copy takes the current cel's content. It does not combine all visible layers or copy the whole animation.
With explicit timeline multi-selection, iOS R60+ and desktop / Android v1.32.1+ can paste the same pixel content into multiple editable cells. See batch editing in the timeline for that workflow.
Copy between files
Copy the content in the source project, switch to the destination project, then select the target layer and frame before pasting. Normal canvas paste does not automatically create a new layer, even when the source is another file.
If pasting is unavailable, check that the target is an unlocked, editable drawing layer and that you copied the intended kind of content. For external clipboard images on iPhone or iPad, including Insert image → As new layer, see iOS image and reference pasting.
Copy cels, frames, or layers
Open the matching timeline menu: double-tap the cell or header on mobile, or right-click it on desktop. Desktop double-click behavior depends on the Double Tap to Open Menu setting and may open properties instead.
| What to reuse | Commands and destination |
|---|---|
| One or more cels | Use Copy Cell / Paste Cell at the source and destination cells. Multi-selection uses the plural commands. |
| One or more frames | Use Copy Frame / Paste Frame from frame headers. Frame paste inserts frames after the target frame. |
| Whole layers | Use the layer menu's copy and paste commands when you need layer content and structure. |
These operations also work between projects, but they preserve different information. Frame paste can carry frame properties; animation clip boundaries are kept only for complete copied clips. Cel paste is not the same as copying all frame properties, and frame paste does not clone the source layer structure. Check the destination project's FPS and the result after a cross-file paste.
Inherited cells share source artwork; inheritance is not an independent copy. See the cell, frame, and layer guides for the corresponding operations.