How to View and Manage Clipboard History on Mac

On macOS Tahoe 26 or later, open Spotlight with Command-Space, then press Command-4 to search Clipboard history. The first time, choose Allow when macOS asks to include clipboard results. Select an item, press Command-C, then paste it with Command-V. On earlier macOS versions, Finder can show only the current clipboard item.

macOS Tahoe 26 or later can search copied items from Spotlight. Earlier versions keep the normal clipboard as one current item, so copying a phone number and then a link replaces the phone number there.

Use built-in Clipboard history in macOS Tahoe 26 or later

1. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight.
2. Press Command + 4, or select the Clipboard button beside the search field.
3. Choose Allow if macOS asks to include Clipboard results. Clipboard history can contain sensitive information.
4. Search for an item, then select it and press Command + C.
5. Click where you want it and press Command + V to paste it.

You can clear that history from the More menu in the Clipboard view. Apple documents these steps in its Clipboard history guide.

What earlier macOS versions provide

On earlier macOS versions, Finder can show only the current item: choose Edit, then Show Clipboard. A clipboard app is still useful when you need a dedicated shortcut, image search, retention controls or a workflow that works across older macOS releases.

What to look for in a clipboard app

Your clipboard often holds passwords, bank details and private messages, so pick an app with these three traits:

1. Stays on your Mac: it should not send your clipboard to a cloud service.
2. Easy to turn off or clear: you decide when it records and when it forgets.
3. Skips password managers: copies made from apps such as 1Password or Bitwarden should not end up in the list.

Searching text inside screenshots

Scrolling through thumbnails to find a screenshot of a tracking number or a code snippet is slow. A good clipboard app reads the text inside copied images, so you can search for a word and find the screenshot that contains it.

Using Tegaro for clipboard history

In Tegaro Clipboard, history is off by default. Turn it on when you want it. Then:

• Open the list: press ⌃⌥V to see your recent copies.
• Paste fast: press ⌘1 to ⌘9 to paste one of the first nine items.
• Search: type a word to find it in your copied text and inside your screenshots.

Frequently Asked Questions