Copying an image address might sound trivial, but if you’re working in web development, content publishing, or email design, it’s a key skill you’ll use constantly.
Here’s how to do it, why it matters, and how platforms like Cloudinary make it even easier and more powerful.
When you “copy image address,” you’re copying the URL (web address) of the image itself, not the image file, to your clipboard. This allows you to reference or share the location of that image on the web without downloading it.
An image URL is a unique path that points to where the image is hosted online. When you right-click and choose “Copy image address,” the browser saves that URL to your clipboard, a temporary storage area on your device. You can then paste the URL into an HTML file, email, CMS, or chat message.
Copying an image address is different from copying the image. When you copy the image, you’re grabbing the actual image data (which may be pasted into apps like Photoshop or Word). When you copy the address, you’re only grabbing the location of that image, typically ending in .jpg, .png, .webp
, or similar.
Grabbing the image URL is incredibly handy in many real-world scenarios:
- To share an image without downloading or uploading it again.
- To paste directly into CMS platforms like WordPress, Notion, Ghost, etc.
- To apply transformations if using image services like Cloudinary.
- To study optimization techniques used on other sites (CDNs, file formats, dimensions).
- Right-click on the image.
- Click “Copy image address” (sometimes called “Copy image link”).
- That’s it, you now have the URL on your clipboard.
Safari doesn’t always show a direct “Copy image address” option.
Instead:
- Right-click the image.
- Select “Open Image in New Tab”.
- Copy the URL from the address bar.
- Tap and hold the image.
- Look for “Copy image address” or “Copy link” (depends on browser).
⚠️ Note: Some apps and mobile browsers may limit this functionality.
Every image uploaded to Cloudinary gets a unique, public, and reliable URL:
https://res.cloudinary.com/your-cloud/image/upload/v1680000000/logo.png
Ways to copy it:
- Right-click the preview in the Media Library.
- Click the “Copy URL” button in the dashboard.
- Paste it into your email, code editor, CMS, or design tools.
You can change image size, format, and more directly from the URL:
https://res.cloudinary.com/your-cloud/image/upload/w_600,h_400,c_fill/logo.png
This resizes the image to 600×400 pixels, crops it to fit, and serves it fast.
HTML:
<img src="https://.../sample.jpg" alt="Sample Image">
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)
Markdown:

CSS Background:
.hero {
background-image: url('https://.../hero-bg.jpg');
}
Code language: CSS (css)
Problem | Fix |
Image link expires | Use Cloudinary or a reliable CDN |
Image won’t load | Ensure it ends with .jpg, .png, .webp, etc. |
No option to copy address | Open image in new tab, then copy from address bar |
Image loads slowly | Apply transformations (resize, compress via Cloudinary) |
Want to let clients or teammates easily copy image URLs? With Cloudinary, you can:
- Use named transformations for friendly URLs.
- Share media library folders with ready-to-copy links.
- Build your own tools with a variety of SDKs:
function copyToClipboard(url) {
navigator.clipboard.writeText(url);
alert("Copied image URL!");
}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)
Platform | How-To |
Chrome/Firefox | Right-click → “Copy image address” |
Safari (Mac) | Right-click → “Open in new tab” → Copy from address bar |
Mobile | Long press → “Copy image address” or “Copy link” |
Cloudinary | Use Media Library copy buttons or right-click preview |
Copying image addresses is more than just a browser trick; it’s a foundational skill in modern web workflows. Whether you’re building websites, creating emails, embedding Markdown, or managing content at scale, Cloudinary:
- Helps you keep assets light and fast
- Integrates seamlessly with the rest of your tech stack
- Empowers developers and creators with flexibility and control
With Cloudinary, you get more than a static URL. You get built-in optimization, transformations, sharing tools, and performance best practices in one place.
Need help building an efficient, scalable image system? Explore Cloudinary or connect with our team, we’re happy to help.