What is clipboard history?
The clipboard is where your computer keeps what you copy. Normally it holds one item — copy something new and the old copy is replaced. Clipboard history keeps several recent copies so you can paste an earlier one.
Windows 10 and 11: Win + V
- Press Windows key + V.
- The first time, click Turn on.
- Copy a few things as usual (Ctrl+C).
- Press Win + V again and click the item you want to paste.
What to know:
- Windows keeps the 25 most recent items, each up to 4 MB (text, HTML and pictures).
- Items are cleared when you restart, except the ones you pin.
- In Settings → System → Clipboard you can clear the history or sync it across devices with your Microsoft account.
Mac: Spotlight clipboard on macOS Tahoe
macOS Tahoe (26) added a clipboard history to Spotlight. It is off until you enable it.
- Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight.
- Press Cmd + 4 or click the Clipboard button.
- The first time, click Turn On.
- Select an item to copy it again, then paste with Cmd + V.
In System Settings → Spotlight you choose how long items are kept. On older macOS versions there is no history: Finder → Edit → Show Clipboard shows only the last item. More details: clipboard history on a Mac.
Chromebook: Search + V
Press the Search key (also called Launcher or Everything) + V. A small menu shows your last five copied items; click one to paste it. The list is cleared when you restart or sign out.
When the built-in history is not enough
| You want… | Built-in history | Clipboard Tool |
|---|---|---|
| More than 25 (Windows) or 5 (Chromebook) items | No | Yes, you set the limit |
| History after a restart | Pinned items only (Windows) | Yes |
| Search | macOS only | Yes |
| Favorites and tags | Pins only (Windows) | Yes |
| Text shortcuts | No | Yes |
| The same tool on Windows, Mac and Chromebook | No | Yes |
Clipboard Tool is a free clipboard history for Chrome on any computer; see how it compares with Windows clipboard history.