In order to enhance the electrical erosion and corrosion resistance and hence the lifespan of copper for applying as the electrical contacts, surface modification employing various metals such as Cr, W, Ni, Al and Ti on copper was attempted using laser surface alloying with a 2.5 kW continuous wave (CW) Nd : YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser. The microstructure, hardness, electrical erosion and corrosion resistance and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) of the laser-alloyed copper were compared with those of cold-drawn pure copper. Among all specimens, the laser-alloyed copper with Ti shows the most significant improvement in electrical erosion while the electrical conductivity can be preserved.