Paste is the world's favorite clipboard manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad. It stores everything you copy and keeps your clipboard organized across all your devices without skipping a beat. Try for Free for up to 14 days. The smart way to copy and paste. Oct 10, 2018  If you distribute derived work, especially in the Mac App Store, I ask you to follow two rules: Don't use Clipy and ClipMenu as your product name. Follow the MIT license terms. Thank you for your cooperation. Support us with a monthly donation and help us continue our activities. Become a backer Sponsors.

1. Mac Clipboard History App
2. Clipboard History Mac
3. Clipboard App Mac Os X
4. Clipboard Manager For Mac
5. Mac Clipboard Tool

Make your Mac invincible

Copy and paste has been revolutionary for productivity. That may sound bizarre, considering how commonplace it is. Everyone copy–pastes, all the time. But without such functionality, we’d have to start from scratch on whatever we are working on every time.

Instead of starting over, copy and paste gives us control and time. Control to know that once we’ve created something once — whether it’s a passage of text, an entire document, images, videos, music, code — we can replicate it, instantly and easily. And wherever we have an internet connection, we can share those creations or links with anyone else in the world.

When you stop and think about it, copy and paste is remarkable (on a Mac: Command/⌘+C to copy, then Command/⌘+V to paste). The problem is, we are so used to it, so used to skipping back and forth between tasks that once we’ve copied something, if we don't paste it, we can quickly lose it and need to start again. Such a pain! Unfortunately, even the most expensive Macs only have one clipboard.

Avoid clipboard limitations

Get an upgrade for your macOS clipboard with Setapp. Quick fixes, no limitations, simplified history recovery.

How to view and manage clipboard history on macOS

Once you’ve copied something else, what you originally copied is lost. A Mac clipboard is a transient memory function, only designed to hold one item at a time. Once it's gone, it's gone. Clearly, this is a problem, and one that developers have been working on with numerous solutions, known as clipboard managers, appearing over the years. Thankfully, we have a solution we highly recommend to this particular problem with copy and paste history.

Where do you find the clipboard on your Mac?

A Mac clipboard is one of those macOS programs that runs in the background. You can find it and view clipboard through the Finder menu, in the top toolbar. Find and select Show Clipboard to see the last item you copied.

How does the macOS clipboard work?

As a native program, macOS clipboard runs the same way as other macOS operating functions. Clipboard is a basic program, which is why it takes up almost no processing power or space, except for the item it currently holds. Unfortunately, this comes with limitations. You can’t see anything else, apart from the latest item you copied. Once you copy something else, the first copied item disappears.

Gladly, now we have a solution for viewing the little-known secondary clipboard, where you can find your clipboard history.

The Mac’s hidden secondary clipboard

Not many people know that macOS has a hidden secondary clipboard. It’s a very well-kept secret. Select any text and press Control + K to cut it. To paste it in its new location, press Control + Y. Note that this cuts, rather than copies, the text. As this feature uses a different functionality, it won’t remove what is currently on the “main” clipboard.

Universal Clipboard

Universal Clipboard is a feature that was introduced in macOS Sierra and iOS 10, and allows you to copy and paste between Apple devices, as long as they’re signed into the same iCloud account and connected to the same WiFi network, with Bluetooth switched on. They also need to be physically close to each other.

To use Universal Clipboard, all you have to do is copy on one device and paste on the other.

How to view clipboard history

The main way to view your clipboard history is to paste (Command/⌘+V). That will show you the most recent item you copied. But did you know you can copy and paste in the Finder too? If you want to copy a file from one folder to another, for example, you can select it, press Command/⌘+C, then click in the folder you want to copy to and press Command/⌘+V.

You can even access clipboard history on a different device than the one you copied from, thanks to Universal Clipboard in macOS Sierra and iOS 10. To use it, your devices must be running at least iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, have both Bluetooth and WiFi turned on and be close to each other. They’ll also need to be signed into iCloud, since Universal Clipboard uses iCloud to sync data. Then all you have to do is copy on one device and paste on the other, using the usual copy and paste method on each device.

How to avoid clipboard limitations

If you have problems using Universal Clipboard, try logging out of iCloud on each device and logging back in again.

There are a couple of alternatives to copying and pasting.

• One is to use text clippings. These are snippets of text that look like files, but can’t be edited and behave differently. To create a text clipping, select text in any document and drag it to the desktop. You can then drag it onto any document in any application that accepts text and drop it at the point where you want to paste it. You can also drag and drop the snippet directly from one application window onto the window of another — missing outboard stores multiple items.

• Paste is quite straightforward. Think of it as a clipboard manager for your Mac, which automatically keeps everything you’ve copied regardless of the format. You can record all clipboard types, from plain text to images, screenshots, links, and more. Anytime you need, you can smart search through the clipboard history manager, share anything through AirDrop or sync to iCloud, and even access clipboard history on other devices using the Universal Clipboard.

• Rocket Typist is another great app that approached solving clipboard limitations from a different angle. This app allows you to create multiple text snippets for passages you use frequently, from email greetings to PHP scripts. Assign trigger combinations for saved snippets and call on them in any app or environment. Alternatively, you can then paste directly into the document you’re working on by selecting the snippet in Rocket Typist to move it to the clipboard and pasting it the regular way.
• One more tool to help solve the clipboard problem is Unclutter. Designed as an app for storing notes and files neatly on your Desktop, Unclutter features a clipboard manager that retains the contents of your Mac’s clipboard, even after you copy something else. An organized interface makes your clipboard history easily accessible, allowing to find any old item you need to paste again.

How do you paste from the clipboard on a Mac?

To paste something from the standard macOS clipboard, use Command/⌘+V. However, when you are using a clipboard manager like Paste, you’ve got several options for pasting items from the clipboard.

• Drag and drop items from the Paste interface directly to any Mac app
• Select and paste multiple items at once
• Paste items as plain text, no matter the format of the original
• Access and paste files from multiple devices using iCloud sync
• Paste using customized shortcuts for most recent as well as old items
• Allow others to paste your snippets by sharing over AirDrop.

How to fix it a non-working clipboard

The first step when you discover that copy and paste don’t work is to check that it’s macOS that’s at fault and not your keyboard. Select some text in any application, then go to the Edit menu and choose Copy. Then go back to the Edit menu and choose Paste or Unclutter. If that works, the problem is with your keyboard.

If that doesn’t work, trying fixing the issue with Activity Monitor.

1. Go to Applications > Utilities and double-click on Activity Monitor to launch it
2. In its search box, type: pboard
3. When it shows the pboard process, select it and press the X in the toolbar
4. Click Force Quit and then close Activity Monitor

Go to an app where copy and paste wasn’t working and try again. If it still doesn’t work, try using Terminal to fix it.

1. Go to Applications > Utilities and double-click on Terminal to launch it
2. Type: killall pboard
3. Hit Return
4. Close Terminal

Try and copy and paste again in the same app as before. If neither Activity Monitor nor Terminal solves the problem, the next step is to restart your Mac.

How to recover clipboard history on a Mac

The fact that the macOS clipboard only retains the most recently copied thing means that there’s no way to easily view or recover clipboard history. You can, however, use Command/⌘+Z to undo the most recent action and then press it repeatedly to step back through everything you’ve done. Eventually, assuming the application you’re using supports unlimited undos, you’ll get to the point where you pasted the item you want to recover.

A much easier way to recover clipboard history is to use apps like Paste or Unclutter. They retain multiple items and allow you to view them easily in the app, selecting the one you need.

Snippets manager for Mac

Check out the top three best clipboard managers for handling snippets. Grab the handiest one for the job.

How to clear the clipboard

Clearing your clipboard is easy. Either overwrite the current copied item with a copy of something else or, in case of using Paste, delete the clipboard history with a few clicks. However, it’s a good idea to store some items or the whole clipboard history in iCloud just in case you need some of it in the future. Paste or Unclutter make managing clipboard history as straightforward as it can be.

While most Mac users limit themselves to one clipboard item at a time and feel frustrated with every accidental overwrite, you can use apps like Paste, Unclutter, and Rocket Typist — all available in the Setapp app collection — to extend the native capabilities of your Mac and save yourself hours of headaches in the future.

Clipboard functionality is a lifesaver for Mac users. It’s the macOS program that helps you transfer your images and texts from one place to another when you copy and paste on MacBook.

Anytime you use the common shortcuts Command/⌘+X (cut) or Command/⌘+ C (copy), your Mac handily stores what you copy onto the Clipboard. This saved content is later made available when you use Command/⌘+V (paste) shortcut. But, if we don’t paste it, we can quickly lose it and need to start again. The cool thing about Clipboard functionality is that it will save cut or copied content until you decide (or remember) to paste it.

In this short article we will explore some commonly asked questions about the Clipboard function on MacBook.

Related:

Contents

• 10 Check out these Clipboard shortcuts

Where is the Clipboard on my Mac?

The Clipboard can be found via the Finder App on any Mac, and runs in the background of your computer while you’re working away.

Following the three steps below, you can view the Clipboard contents on your Mac at any time.

• Open Finder.
• Click on Edit from the top menu.
• Choose Show Clipboard.

This will bring up the contents of the clipboard for you to review. The Clipboard contents here are the results of your last copy operation that you performed on your Mac.

Paste from Clipboard on Mac

When you hold down the Command/⌘ key and click on the V key, your Mac automatically pastes the content of the clipboard into the new destination.

If after the Command+V operation, you don’t see the newly copied content, check your Clipboard. You may have deleted the clipboard content by mistake. You will need to use Command/⌘+C or the Command/⌘+X keys to copy or cut the content again before you can paste it.

Paste Clipboard content from Mac to iPad or iPhone

On your iPad, locate the place where you want to paste the copied text and tap and hold. You will see a prompt for pasting the content. This ability to copy and paste content and images between Apple devices requires the use of Universal Clipboard functionality, which is available starting with macOS Sierra.

It is Universal Clipboard that allows you to copy text from one of your Apple devices and then paste it on another device by using the Continuity feature of the Apple ecosystem.

In order to use this feature, your Apple devices must also have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff turned on in System Preferences (on your Mac) and in Settings (on your iOS devices). You must be signed in to iCloud using the same Apple ID on all your devices.

It’s important to remember that when you use Universal Clipboard, the copied text is only available for a short period of time.

Mac Clipboard History App

Clear Clipboard contents on my Mac or iPhone

The easiest way to clear the clipboard on your MacBook or iPhone is to s Mac ip address. imply copy a spacebar character using any app. For example:

1. Launch the Messages app.
2. Place the cursor in the compose box.
3. Hit the Space Bar.
4. Tap & hold on the space you just made and select all.
5. Tap Copy.

This will add whitespace to the Clipboard and replace previous content. There is no direct option to delete the contents of Clipboard. You can also use a Shortcut to adjust the Clipboard contents on your iPhone. We have included this Shortcut at the end of this article.

Move screenshots directly to Macbook’s Clipboard

You can move screenshots directly into your MacBook’s Clipboard by customizing your Screenshot Utility on Mac to Save to destination option.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Open the new screenshot by using the keys Shift+Command/⌘+5.
2. Click Options.
3. Choose Clipboard as the Save to destination.
4. Click on ‘X’ to exit out of screenshot utility.

Another way to send screenshots directly to your MacBook’s Clipboard is to hold down the Control key when you click to capture.

With macOS Mojave, Apple has changed the screenshot utility. The old Grab is now replaced with the screenshot utility. If your Mac is running older macOS, you can use Command/⌘+Control+Shift +4 to send screenshots directly to Clipboard.

Open Clipboard on Mac when using Microsoft Word or Excel

If you are using Microsoft Office apps such as Word or Excel, you can still open Clipboard on your Mac via the Finder app to review the contents.

Microsoft also adds a layer of extra options when you are trying to paste the content from Clipboard into another app such as Word.

For example, when you copy from Excel into another sheet, you can use the various options provided via ‘Paste Special’ or when you copy from Excel into word via Clipboard, you can take advantage of more formatting options.

Here is the Microsoft white paper that provides clarity around some of these tips.

Copy text between Terminal App and Clipboard

If you are working with the Terminal app on your Mac and want to copy text (commands, results) and make it available on your Clipboard you can use the pbcopy command to pipe the output directly into your Clipboard.

Clipboard History Mac

For example, open Terminal app and type in cal pbcopy.

Now, if you go cto Finder, click Edit and choose Show Clipboard, you will see the current month’s calendar on your clipboard.

Similarly, you can use the pbpaste command on your MacBook to pipe in information from your clipboard into your terminal app’s display (stdout).

How can I get multiple Clipboards on my MacBook?

Unfortunately, if you are looking for an advanced Clipboard manager to work on your Mac, you will have to look at third-party apps. These apps not only allow you to use multiple clipboards, but also allow you to track the history of clipboard content and manage it.

There are a few good ones out there that are free and worth exploring:

• Flycut
• CopyClip
• iClip
• Alfred

Flycut is based on Jumpcut, an open source app. It keeps an indexed list of items that you have copied using Command/⌘+C. You can scroll through the list and easily pick the item you want to copy.

Flycut also takes care of the formatting based on where you are pasting the copied content. Some users have had issues when using this app along with handoff and continuity features. This is something to keep in mind if you use handoff features on your Apple devices.

Unclutter is an awesome clipboard manager, but the costs have increased dramatically. Feel free to explore the app and check if it meets your needs.

Can I view Clipboard history on Mac?

Yes, but not using the standard Clipboard functionality made available on your Mac. You will need to use a third-party app that provides this functionality. There are many Mac apps that provide the ability to retain Clipboard history. One of the most popular ones is Alfred.

If MacBook is your primary machine, you should definitely explore the Alfred app. Packed with tons of productivity features and workflow functionality, it also includes a pretty powerful Clipboard manager in its powerpack. The Clipboard history feature is a part of Alfred’s powerpack bundle.

Activate the Clipboard History for the history types you want to use by checking the box next to the relevant types. Choose from the dropdown menu how long you want Alfred to remember your clips for; 24 hours, 7 days, 1 month or 3 months. You can then scroll through the copied clips by time and use the correct one.

You can clear the entire Clipboard History or clear selectively by using fn (Function key) + Delete (backspace key).

Check out these Clipboard shortcuts

Clipboard App Mac Os X

Apple has made available a few Clipboard shortcuts via iOS 12 that are worth exploring. These Shortcuts require you to use the new Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad.

Adjust Clipboard lets you clear the Clipboard on your iOS device. The other shortcut Dictate to Clipboard makes it easy to transfer text without copying from somewhere else. This shortcut takes in your dictation and converts the speech into text and makes it available on the Clipboard on your iPhone.

The Dictate to Clipboard shortcut does require access to speech recognition. You will need to open the shortcut and tap Allow Access before you can use it.

Clipboard Manager For Mac

We hope that this article helped answer some of your questions regarding the Clipboard functionality on your Apple devices. Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions or if you want to share a favorite tip with the rest of the readers.

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.

Mac Clipboard Tool