Implementations provide an improved drag-and-drop operation on a mobile device. For example, a method includes identifying a drag area in a user interface of a first mobile application in response to a drag command and receiving a drop location in a second mobile application that differs from the first mobile application. The method may also include determining that a drop location is a text input control and the drag area is not text-based, performing a search for a text description of the drag area, and pasting the text description into the text input control. The method may also include determining that a drop location is an image input control and that the drag area is text based, performing a search using the drag area for a responsive image, and pasting the responsive image into the image input control.