Copy and hard copy are both terms used to refer to physical reproductions of documents or files. The main difference between the two is that a copy can refer to any duplicate of a document, whether it is stored digitally or in print form, while a hard copy specifically refers to a physical printout of a document. Hard Copy vs. Soft Copy What's the Difference? Hard copy refers to a physical printout or document that can be held and touched. It is tangible and can be stored in a physical form, such as paper or a book. On the other hand, soft copy refers to a digital or electronic version of a document that can be viewed on a screen or stored on a computer or other electronic device. Soft copies are intangible and can be easily shared, edited, and stored electronically. While hard copies provide a sense ... A hard copy is a physical form of data, like printed documents or photos, while a soft copy is digital, stored on a computer or drive. A hard copy is a physical copy of a document, image, or other digital data. It generally refers to a printed copy of a text file or photograph. Since hard copies of documents are no longer editable, they can be considered permanent versions. There are many reasons why a hard copy of a document is needed. First, printing a hard copy creates a physical backup of the document at that time. It can be stored separately and referenced later. It can be delivered physically and be viewed by anyone ...