Click button copy to clipboard using jQuery

Question

How do I copy the text inside a div to the clipboard? I have a div and need to add a link which will add the text to the clipboard. Is there a solution for this?

Answer 1

Most of the proposed answers create an extra temporary hidden input element(s). Because most browsers nowadays support div content edit, I propose a solution that does not create hidden element(s), preserve text formatting and use pure JavaScript or jQuery library.

Here is a minimalist skeleton implementation using the fewest lines of codes I could think of:

//Pure javascript implementation:
document.getElementById("copyUsingPureJS").addEventListener("click", function() {
  copyUsingPureJS(document.getElementById("copyTarget"));
  alert("Text Copied to Clipboard Using Pure Javascript");
});

function copyUsingPureJS(element_id) {
  element_id.setAttribute("contentEditable", true);
  element_id.setAttribute("onfocus", "document.execCommand('selectAll',false,null)");
  element_id.focus();
  document.execCommand("copy");
  element_id.removeAttribute("contentEditable");
  
}

//Jquery:
$(document).ready(function() {
  $("#copyUsingJquery").click(function() {
    copyUsingJquery("#copyTarget");
  });
 

  function copyUsingJquery(element_id) {
    $(element_id).attr("contenteditable", true)
      .select()
      .on("focus", function() {
        document.execCommand('selectAll', false, null)
      })
      .focus()
    document.execCommand("Copy");
    $(element_id).removeAttr("contenteditable");
     alert("Text Copied to Clipboard Using jQuery");
  }
});

#copyTarget {
  width: 400px;
  height: 400px;
  border: 1px groove gray;
  color: navy;
  text-align: center;
  box-shadow: 0 4px 8px 0 gray;
}

#copyTarget h1 {
  color: blue;
}

#copyTarget h2 {
  color: red;
}

#copyTarget h3 {
  color: green;
}

#copyTarget h4 {
  color: cyan;
}

#copyTarget h5 {
  color: brown;
}

#copyTarget h6 {
  color: teal;
}

#pasteTarget {
  width: 400px;
  height: 400px;
  border: 1px inset skyblue;
}

  
Heading 1
  
Heading 2
  
Heading 3
  
Heading 4
  
Heading 5
  
Heading 6
  Preserve formatting
  



Copy Using Pure JavaScript
Copy Using jQuery


 Paste Here to See Result